DAYTONA BEACH, FL (February 16, 2003) – Rain washed out a top 10 finish for the No. 54 National Guard Team after running with the leaders for the majority of the Daytona 500. The Great American Race was shortened to just 109 circuits out of 200 with Michael Waltrip capturing his second win in the event. However, it was a combination of pit strategies and Mother Nature that dictated the roll of the dice for most of the frontrunners. The No. 54 National Guard crew gambled to stay out and lead under caution in hopes of a downpour, but was forced to relinquish the lead due to gas mileage. Only 12 more laps were run before the event was called because of rain.

“We took a shot at it,” said a disappointed Todd Bodine. “You've got to gamble when you're in that position in the Daytona 500. You've got to gamble and we did, but it didn't pay off.”

For most of the afternoon, Bodine drove the No. 54 National Guard Ford in the top 10 with ease. The only handling issue he had with the Guard car was a tight handling condition. The first opportunity to come down pit road to fix it occurred on lap 33. The crew blistered off a fast stop under green flag conditions by adjusting the tire pressure and track bar along with changing two tires and adding fuel. The changes worked allowing the No. 54 machine to go from 12th to fifth. Then under caution on lap 43, more air pressure and wedge changes were completed to help the car turn better. The crew also bolted on four fresh tires and added gas.  

Weather began to come into play on lap 63 causing the race to be red flagged for over an hour. Bodine told his crew chief Derrick Finley during the break that the Guard car was handling pretty well with a neutral slide.  So when the race resumed and the pits wered, Bodine brought the No. 54 in for two fresh Goodyears and gas. Within 10 green flag laps, he was coasting in seventh.

It was the fourth yellow flag that brought a possible win into the picture for the National Guard crew equation. Instead of pitting on lap 97 like most of the leaders, crew chief Derrick Finley told Bodine to stay out since a huge weather cell was lurking. Unfortunately, with the race about to go back under green and under dry conditions, Finley had to call Bodine back in since only 5 laps of fuel were projected in the tank and to lose the draft at Daytona would have been detrimental for a solid finish.

“We had everybody telling us what was happening,” continued Bodine. “Travis Carter was standing by the radar, the spotter was up there trying to be the weather man and we rolled the dice. It didn't work out, but it was something we had to do."

After the team’s pit stop on lap 97 for gas and tires, 12 more laps and rain dictated an 18th place finish for the National Guard team. 

"Before the first rain the car was absolutely perfect,” continued Bodine. “Going back green after the first delay it got really, really tight. We made one stop there and freed it up, but it was still too tight when it started to rain again. We had to come back in with the one to go to change tires and fuel it up, and that put us back in the pack. We were fighting our way back through, but we needed more time. We had a better car than 18th and we felt like we could get a top 10."  

Next up for the No. 54 National Guard team … the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway on February 23 at 1 p.m. It will air LIVE on FOX.

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By: Traci Hultzapple
Senior Account Manager – BelCar Racing - No. 54 Army National Guard Taurus
Cox Marketing Group / Mooresville, NC  28117