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NASCAR BGN: Todd Bodine ready to show skill demanded by Darlington

30 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

"Darlington Raceway is a tough track. There's no other way to describe it. It's one of those tracks where drivers get the chance to showcase their driving ability because it is definitely a driver's race track. It's a real test of skill and I enjoy that because it's a good challenge. This Phillips 66 team has done well there since we went there last year. We need to get a good finish this weekend after the trouble we had last week at Bristol."-- Todd Bodine

Todd's Thoughts On Darlington . . . "Handling is everything at Darlington. You have to have a car that isn't too tight or isn't too loose. Everyone knows there is an extra competitor in that race and that's the track itself. We had a strong car at Darlington in the spring, it just started getting real tight at the end of the race. This Phillips 66 team is pretty good at figuring out what works and what doesn't and that will be key at Darlington."

* Bodine has finished in the top 10 at Darlington in the past six Busch Series events dating back to the fall of 1997.

* The Dura Lube 200 will be Bodine's 15th NASCAR Busch Series event at Darlington Raceway. In the previous 14 starts, Bodine has scored six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes.

The Equipment . . . "Twister's Sister" is the Phillips 66 Chevy that Bodine will compete with in the Dura Lube 200 at Darlington Raceway this Labor Day weekend. "Twister's Sister" is the same car Bodine scored a pair of fourth-place finishes with in Atlanta and Texas, as well as a pair of fifth-place finishes at California and Charlotte.

Go USA Swim Team . . . Throughout the month of September the Phillips 66 Chevrolet Monte Carlo will sport a logo in support of the USA Swim team. The USA Swim team travels down under in the month of September to take part in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Phillips Petroleum Company is a long-time sponsor of amateur swimming and will show its support by displaying a logo on the No. 66 NASCAR Busch Series Chevy.

Last Weekend In Bristol . . . Bodine had a fast horse in the Food City 250 last weekend at Bristol. He qualified 20th but worked his way into the top five before the track bar broke on the Phillips 66 Chevy with less than 20 laps to go. Bodine returned to competition 10 laps down and finished the night in 30th place.

"We didn't qualify real well, but the Phillips 66 Chevrolet was fast all night. If our track bar hadn't broke and we could have got a caution, I think we could have won. The car was a little tight but it was good on long runs."

Text provided by Penny Copen

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