HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 16, 2003) – National Guard driver Todd Bodine recorded BelCar Racing’s seventh top 15 of the season with an eleventh-place finish at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bodine’s solid run at the newly configured track put a cap on NASCAR’s 36-race schedule. 

“We had a great car,” remarked Bodine who began the Ford 400 in 34th position. “It was a great day for the National Guard. It’s the last race for them with us as a team so we are just glad to do a good job for them. We were consistently eighth-to-twelfth all day. That was really good for us." 

“Todd drove a great race,” said Crew Chief Gary Cogswell. “He drove a smart race. He was aggressive when he needed to be and he was patient at the appropriate times. The team also did a good job in the pits and we were able to finish the season on a high note. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

At the start of the race, car 54 took off. Bodine drove from 34th place to ninth in just 50 laps. In the handling department, the only complaint Bodine had with the car was it was tight through the middle and off the corners. A series of adjustments were made on laps 74, 122, 143 and 201. Air pressure, wedge and track bar changes were completed to help the car turn.  

The big story of the afternoon was not the challenges of the new track configuration but the new Goodyear tire compound. Drivers like Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Brian Vickers, and Jeremy Mayfield found out the hard way by losing tires as well as valuable positions on the racetrack. As for the National Guard team, no problems were experienced as they closely monitored the situation. 

“When it started pushing,” elaborated Bodine. “I started taking care of the tires. I knew there were problems out there so was I was babying it pretty good. When it started pushing, I took care of the tires so we wouldn’t have that problem."

By the halfway mark, the Guard car was sitting in 8th place when Cogswell called for a two-tire change on lap 143 after debris was discovered on the track. The call was in line with most of the front runners allowing Bodine to maintain track position as well improve the car’s drivability for the remaining laps.

“Gary made some changes before the race that clearly worked. The car was awesome right from the beginning, but, it kept getting tighter as the race went on. We really didn't find anything that freed it up like we needed. I think the track just lost grip and we need a little help on the front end with the Ford. I think that's what it was because we couldn't find anything that seemed to help.”

Bodine managed to hold on to the 10th spot until lap 236 when the car started pushing through the corners. The driver held on until a chance to come down pit road occurred after Mark Martin and Ward Burton got together. In less than 16 seconds, the crew changed the track bar as well as bolted on four Goodyears and added gas on lap 244. Once the green flag waved, car 54 picked off six more positions to conclude its season in eleventh place.

"We learned an awful lot,” ended Bodine. “We think we figured out the things we've been doing wrong, and we corrected them. I think that's what made us better in the race. But, hopefully, leading into next year, it'll make us a lot better."

Bobby Labonte took the lead and the victory on the last lap when Bill Elliott cut down a tire. Rounding out the top five were Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Johnny Benson and Jeff Gordon. 

Unofficial ResultsWC -- StandingsWC  -- 
Read More About The Event:  -- AP Story -- Kenseth Story
 

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