---

NASCAR BGN: Todd Bodine wants to improve on runner-up finish at IRP

2 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

"I've run a lot of races at Indianapolis Raceway Park. They are always exciting shows. We finished second last year and it's the first time that I have raced there and had a finish that reflects our performance during the race. We've run well there a lot but had problems with parts or we've been taken out of win contention by an accident. Hopefully, all of that is behind us now." -- Todd Bodine, driver of the No. 66 Phillips 66 Chevrolet

Todd's Thoughts On Indiananapolis . . . "We had a great racecar and great pit stops last year at Indianapolis. The Phillips 66 team worked real hard all night long. Our car tended to run better during the long runs. We ran out of time to catch Jason (Keller) and win the race last year. We're taking the same car we had in St. Louis last weekend. It's the oldest car we race and it's a pretty good one. Hopefully we can have the same success this weekend except that the Phillips 66 team ends up in victory lane. "

The Equipment . . . "Fido" is the Phillips 66 Chevy that Bodine will compete with at Indianapolis Raceway Park. It's the same machine Bodine finished third with last weekend in St. Louis. "Fido" is the car Bodine qualified sixth with at South Boston Speedway earlier this season. An accident during the first half of the race put the Phillips 66 team out of contention for the win.

The $3 Million Man . . . Bodine's third-place finish in the CARQEUST Auto Parts 250 at Gateway International Raceway was good enough to put him over the $3 million mark in career NASCAR Busch Series earnings. Bodine's career total was $2,992,522 going into the 200-lap event. His third-place earnings of $32,550 pushed him up to $3,025,072. He is only the third driver in series history to top $3 million. Bodine achieved the feat in 224 starts.

Last Week in St. Louis . . . Bodine had a break in his streak of bad luck with a third-place finish in the CARQUEST Auto Parts 250 last weekend at Gateway International Raceway. Bodine lead many of the laps before being passed by race winner Kevin Harvick with about 35 laps to go.

"We really thought we had that race. It felt good to be leading the race and running up front. This Phillips 66 team just never gives up. We just didn't have anything for them there at the end. Our car got pretty loose after that last pit stop and it was all I could do to hold on to the car during the last 40 laps. But, after the luck we've had this month, a third-place finish feels pretty good."

Text provided by Penny Copen

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.