NASCAR Cup

Watkins Glen: Todd Bodine preview

Bodine heading home to Watkins Glen. Watkins Glen is just a hop, skip, and a jump to Chemung, New York, home of NASCAR family, Todd, Geoffrey and Brett Bodine. While most Cup drivers favor the ovals, the youngest Bodine is not intimidated by ...

Published: Aug 8, 2002, 7:54 PM

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Bodine heading home to Watkins Glen.

Watkins Glen is just a hop, skip, and a jump to Chemung, New York, home of NASCAR family, Todd, Geoffrey and Brett Bodine. While most Cup drivers favor the ovals, the youngest Bodine is not intimidated by having to turn right and left. Rumble strips are fair game on the racing surface. As a matter of fact, the Discover Card driver chose Watkins Glen in 1992 to make his debut in NASCAR's premiere division. Then five years later, he scored his first-ever Winston Cup Pole Award at where else? Watkins Glen.

Here are Todd Bodine's thoughts on Watkins Glen.
Todd Bodine, driver, No. 26 Discover Card Racing Taurus:

DO YOU ENJOY COMING TO WATKINS GLEN? Absolutely, I would have been disappointed if we had missed out on an opportunity to come here. I love road racing and it is a track where I have always done well. It also gives me an opportunity to visit with family and friends. As a matter of fact, I am leaving a day early with my family to see relatives up there. It's just a lot of fun for my wife, Lynn and I to go back and see everyone.

SOME OF YOUR CUP COMPETITORS DREAD GOING TO ROAD COURSES. EVEN A FEW DRIVERS HAVE ELECTED TO SIT OUT IN FAVOR OF THEIR TEAM HIRING A ROAD COURSE SPECIALIST. HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR ROAD COURSE DRIVING ABILITIES? "I really think my statistics speak for themselves. I know and my team knows my capabilities as a road racer. I think I can safely say I am one of the top-10 road racers in the Cup series. If I am overlooked, it's not because of lack of performance. However, it is frustrating not to have won at a place where I have always run well. I've come so close. Hopefully this year will be it for the Discover Card team. For me, Watkins Glen is home and it would be a very special win for me, my sponsor, team and family."

WHAT CAR ARE YOU BRINGING TO THE GLEN?"We are bringing the 66 I ran last year and finished 5th. It was built specifically for the Glen and we have done a lot of testing with it. It's a proven car so if I can drive well, and the pit crew performs strong; we'll be up there in contention for our first Discover Card victory."

WILL YOUR QUALIFYING AND RACE SET-UPS BE SIMILAR?"Fortunately in road racing qualifying practice can be used as race practice. The set-ups are that similar. We really don't get to enjoy that type of similarity often. Usually we have to deal with two entirely different scenarios. Not here. We should have more time than the usual for to get the car race ready.

Todd and the entire Discover Card team participate in Bud Pole qualifying for the Sirius Satellite Radio At The Glen starting on Friday at 3:05 p.m., ET. Sunday's green flag waves at 1 p.m., ET LIVE on NBC and MRN radio.

-h/cm-

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