BODINE: Ready to Take On New Vegas Track
09-18-2008 2:40 pm
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Todd Bodine has found the right side of "Lady Luck" in Las Vegas by capturing wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in two of NASCAR's top three racing series. He's collected top-five finishes in Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series racing action and last year had his first run-in with bad luck at Vegas. The one DNF won't deter Bodine, or his Lumber Liquidators Crew. The team has a strong intermediate track program and they are ready to take on Las Vegas in Saturday's Qwik Liner Las Vegas 350. "We have been very close at Las Vegas with this new surface, and we had our problems last year. We've always run well at Vegas and I'm looking forward to putting this brand new Lumber Liquidators Tundra on the track this weekend," said Bodine, the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champ who ranks 5th in the series standings this season. Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. is anxious to see how the brand new Lumber Liquidators Tundra performs on the high-speed oval. "The Lumber Liquidators Tundra we are racing is a brand new chassis for Germain Racing. This is its first race. I really don't expect to have the 'new truck blues' with it. I think Todd's going to like it and I'm hoping we get to see some great racing with this new Lumber Liquidators Tundra," said Hillman Jr. For Bodine's part, he's loved Las Vegas in each of its track configurations. His stats show it. "I've always loved it - the old track and the new configuration of the track. Vegas is a track with a lot of grooves that you can really work to find different ways to get around. It's just the type of track I enjoy racing," said Bodine, who has made 13 starts at Las Vegas, has led more 187 laps in Truck Series competition, earned one win and two top-five finishes in four NCTS races and has captured one win and three top-five finishes in six NNS races. Additionally, in three Cup starts, Bodine has one pole and one top-five finish.