CONCORD, NC (September 9th, 2005) – It was deja vu for Todd Bodine in Richmond as he finished second for the second straight race to Mike Skinner in Thursday nights Cheerios Betty Crocker 200 at Richmond International Raceway.  The race saw a record 12 cautions but came down to an exciting two lap-dash to the finish between former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner, Todd Bodine and Kevin Harvick.  Bodine started the night in the 11th starting spot.  Bodine wasted little time working his way to the front as he made his way to sixth place by lap-56.  The Germain Motor Co. / American Red Cross No. 30 crew chief Mike Hillman, Jr. decided to have the teams’ first pit stop during the yellow flag on lap-57.  Bodine came in and got four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.  When the field went back to green flag action on Lap-62 Bodine found himself in the 17th spot.  He would remain in 17th for a number of laps as he fought an ill handling truck.  When the yellow came out on Lap-81 Crew Chief Mike Hillman, Jr. called Bodine back to the pits on Lap-83.  The team then made a wedge adjustment, put on four tires and topped off with fuel. The field went back to green flag action on lap-86, were Bodine started in the 25th spot.  He didn’t stay their very long as his No. 30 Germain Motor Co. / American Red Cross Toyota Tundra started to come around.   Bodine then started to pick off trucks one by one making his way to the front of the field.  It would be on lap-143 when the leaders pitted for tires and fuel that crew chief Mike Hillman, Jr. decided roll the dice and stay out for track position instead of pitting with the leaders, which gave Bodine the lead. When the field went back to green flag action on lap-148 Bodine pulled away from the field looking like he was going to be a tough truck to catch at the end.  But the better trucks made their way through traffic as fresher tires allowed them to start gaining on the No. 30 Germain Motor Co. / American Red Cross Toyota Tundra. What an ironic ending, as the No. 5 Toyota Tundra of Mike Skinner caught Bodine.  Since Bodine tried to catch Skinner for the win two weeks ago in Bristol, but came up short.  Skinner got his Toyota Tundra into Bodine’s range by lap-188.  With only 12-laps to go, the former series champion made his move, getting underneath Bodine on the backstretch, taking the lead and pulled ahead of Bodine off Turns 3 and 4. There would be four more single file restarts at the end of the race, but Bodine could not regain the lead from Skinner, whose fresher tires proved to make the difference.  Bodine was still able to hold off a hard charging Kevin Harvick to retain a second place finish - which is his best career finish at Richmond International Raceway in the Craftsman Truck Series. It was also a good points night for Bodine as he moved from ninth in Craftsman Truck Series driver points standing to seventh.
Todd Bodine Post Race Cheerios Betty Crocker 200 at Richmond International Raceway Quotes:
 “I knew if we could have stretched it out that we would only have Mike and Kevin to battle.  If the rest of the race would have stayed green, I think we could have held Mike off till the end.  The other guys on those restarts had fresher tires, so when they cooled down they came back a lot better than our older tires did, which gave them advantage over us.  I knew it was going to be hard to hold the guys with newer tires at bay.  Unfortunately, on that second to last restart, Harvick got under me and the yellow came out and I knew what I had to do on that green white checkered. I was trying to hold Harvick back and I got a little run on Mike.  He spun the tires and got a little sideways and I had to turn under him.  I was not really planning on doing that.  When we got close to the corner I decided I just better get back in line.  I didn’t want to wreck either one of us and I thought it would be better to take the second.  Our Tundra was good.  It wasn’t as good as it needed to be obviously.  Mike, Jr. made the right calls on pit stops and track position, which was important and we ended up second.  It’s now two weeks in a row that Mike has won and I came home second.  It’s great for Toyota Tundra’s and the Toyota Teams, but we want to win.  That is what we are here for but we will take second this week.” 

T. Bodine Laps Led Cheerios Betty Crocker 200 at Richmond International Raceway:  Bodine 143-187

TOP 10 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES DRIVERS
 POINTS (WINS)
  1 – Dennis Setzer   2,581     (4)
  2 – Ted Musgrave   2,532     (1)
  3 – Ron Hornaday Jr.    2,388     (1)
  4 – Mike Skinner    2,376     (2)
  5 – Jimmy Spencer   2,373     (0)
  6 – Bobby Hamilton   2,349     (2)
  7 – Todd Bodine   2,306     (1)
  8 – David Reutimann   2,302     (1)
  9 – Matt Crafton   2,290     (0)
10 – David Starr   2,218     (0)

Manufacturers Championship
 Points   --  Wins
Chevrolet   122   (9)
Dodge    99   (4) 
Toyota    98   (5)
Ford    77   (0)

NEXT EVENT:  September 17, 2005 – Sylvania 200 presented by Lowe’s, New Hampshire Int’l Speedway in Loudon, N.H. (211.6M) (200L)
 

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