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Kroger 200 - Todd Bodine Notes
INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK PRESENTS INTERESTING SET OF CHALLENGES FOR
EXCEDRIN RACING TEAM
CHARLOTTE N.C. (July 31, 2002) - NASCAR Busch Series teams, including the
Excedrin Racing team with Todd Bodine behind the wheel, are facing a tougher
challenge than usual this weekend as they head into the Kroger 200 at
Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana. Given that the activities
which take place during a two-day time frame on a typical race weekend
during the season are condensed all into one day for this event, the teams
are forced to make difficult car set-up decisions and for the most part,
just hope for the best.
Not only are the teams not given the normal hour-long final practice session
following qualifying, but during the only practice session they do get - two
hours beginning in the late morning - they are apt to find weather
conditions vastly different from those when the race begins Saturday
evening.
"It's always interesting to go to IRP since it's a one-day show," says
Bodine. "We'll practice in the morning and then qualify and go straight
into the race without getting any final practice like we usually do. It's
definitely a bit of a guessing game. We'll set up our car for the race and
just see what we can get out of it during qualifying. Then of course you
have the added factor of having practiced during the day and race in the
evening. Everyone is the same boat, but it still makes for an interesting
day. The team that comes the closest to getting the race set-up right and
has a car that adapts well to changes should be the one that comes out on
top."
Fortunately for Todd Bodine and the Excedrin Racing team, Indianapolis
Raceway Park is a track they have seen many times before. Bodine has
competed at the track on eight occasions and has accumulated five top-15
finishes and three top-10s, including a runner-up finish in 1999. He has
also qualified in the top 10 twice. Herzog Jackson Motorsports has taken
part in the event for the past two seasons and finished 15th last season and
11th in 2000.
"I've always enjoyed racing at IRP," said Bodine. "It's a short-track night
race which is just great for the fans, who can see almost all of the track
from wherever they are seated. The racing there has always been good and
this year, as competitive as the season has been so far, I think the NASCAR
Busch Series ought to put on a great show."
To add one more interesting factor to the equation, Bodine will resume
driving duties in the No. 26 Haas Carter Motorsports entry in the NASCAR
Winston Cup Series after taking last weekend off due to logistical dilemmas
getting from Colorado, site of the Busch race to Pocono, Penn. for the Cup
event. Bodine will rely on helicopter flights back and forth from
Indianapolis Motor Speedway to Indianapolis Raceway Park to practice and
compete in both events.
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