NASCAR BGN: Todd Bodine hopes experience is key to success at Phoenix
1 November 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
"Phoenix is a fun race for the Busch Series teams. I was one of only a
handful of guys in the Busch race last year who had ever raced a single
lap
at Phoenix. I raced there a few times in Winston Cup competition and the
guy
who won there last year was Jeff Gordon, who has run a lot of laps there
in
the Cup cars. I think experience will hopefully work to our advantage this
weekend."-- Todd Bodine
"Phoenix is a great race track
and just a great area. We always leave a little early and do a little
sight-seeing when we race in Phoenix. We had a great car last year at
Phoenix. We had a set-up that worked best on long runs which is key when
there's a lot of green flag racing. I think we had only one caution last
year at Phoenix so it will be important to have a car that's good on old
tires. We're racing 'Twister' this weekend and it's been a good car for
us.
We'll see what happens."The 1999 Outback Steakhouse 200 . . . Bodine started the 1999 Busch Series race at Phoenix International Raceway in 21st position. He climbed to the ninth position before Jeff Gordon won the 200-lap event. Although last year was the inaugural event at the track for the NASCAR Busch Series, Donnie Richeson, crew chief of the Phillips 66 Chevrolet, says the Busch Series teams have an advantage at the "desert mile."
"If you had to compare Phoenix to anything it would be St. Louis," Richeson explained. "The Winston Cup teams really don't race anywhere else that compares to Phoenix. As far as set-up the track is very comparable to St. Louis. Both ends of the track are so different. The key is to have a car that gets off turn two well. Whoever gets through turns one and two the best usually wins the race.
"It's fun for the Busch teams to go to Phoenix. It's a great area for the season and it usually never rains. That's something we all look forward to when getting ready for the weekend."
The Equipment . . . "Twister" is the Phillips 66 Chevy that Bodine will compete with this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. "Twister's" top 2000 performances include a fourth-place finish at New Hampshire and a sixth-place finish at Myrtle Beach.
Text Provided By Penny Copen
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