Story courtesy of http://www.speedwaymedia.com
TWO-TIME CHAMPION: Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Todd Bodine will climb behind the wheel of the No. 11 Good Sam Roadside Assistance Toyota Tundra for the NextEra Energy Resources 250. The 13th running of the season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will be the eighth start at the 2.5-mile superspeedway for the veteran driver. Bodine is also a two-time winner in the Truck Series at the famed venue posting back-to-back victories in 2008 and 2009. Bodine has logged 698 out of 705 laps completed at the track, and is excited for another opportunity to race in the prestigious Daytona race with Red Horse Racing.
OFF SEASON TRAVELER: The season kick-off may be called the Super bowl of racing, but Bodine took the time over the off season to take a road trip to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. Bodine made the trip with his wife, Janet, SPEED Channel pit-reporter Ray Dunlap, and NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Scott to cheer on the New England Patriots. Though his team came up short, Bodine is looking forward to tackling his competitors on the race track. The veteran driver also took a vacation to Vail, Colo. where he and Janet celebrated their second wedding anniversary and spent time skiing and snow tubing alongside Truck Series driver Brendan Gaughan and his family.
GOOD SAM: Red Horse Racing is proud to welcome the two-time champion alongside sponsor The Good Sam Club, the sister company to series sponsor Camping World. Bodine is an avid RVer who fits right in with the Good Sam brand. The Chemung, N.Y. native was behind the wheel of his very own RV on his way to Daytona Beach, Fla. He also spends a six-race span during the summer stretch of the Truck Series season traveling race-to-race as his very own motor coach driver. The combo picks up other motor coaches along the way including very close racing friend Gerry Squires who will travel to all six events starting at Iowa Speedway on July 14 through Atlanta Motor Speedway on August 31.
CHASSIS HISTORY: Chassis No. 006 will be utilized by the No. 11 team this weekend at Daytona. This chassis was driven by Nelson Piquet Jr. to a sixth-place finish in 2010 and a fourth-place finish with Miguel Paludo behind the wheel in 2011 both at the historic superspeedway
Todd Bodine talks about Daytona International Speedway:
What are you most looking forward to heading into your eighth start at Daytona?
“I am most looking forward to working with this new team and getting to know each of the guys on the crew. It is exciting to head to the biggest race of the season and have a fresh start and new energy.”
Why is Daytona so important to you?
“Daytona is the Super Bowl of racing. It’s one of the most important races of the year and one that kicks off your season. You do everything and anything to win at Daytona. The fact that I have two wins at the track is very special and important to me. These are some of the most treasured wins.”
You have an impressive 698 out of 705 laps complete at the historic race track. What is your secret to avoiding ‘The Big One’?
“It’s hard to say what the secret is. A lot of guys try to race in the back of the pack to avoid ‘The Big One’, but I like to stay out in front and try to miss it behind me. There is no telling with Daytona, you can have a strategy but it is not always going to play out. I have been on the good side of the fence for seven races and hope to make it eight.”
MEDIA ACCESS: Members of the media can now follow Red Horse Racing on Twitter and Facebook. Twitter: @RedHorseRacing; Facebook: Red Horse Racing. For more information, contact Katey Hawbaker at [email protected].
About The Good Sam Club:
The Good Sam Club is the world’s largest RV owner’s organization with over one million member families. Founded in 1966, the club offers its members a wide variety of services, including the Good Sam Extended Service Plan, Emergency Road Service, RV and Vehicle Insurance, RV Financing, Good Sam Visa Card, Life & Health Insurance and member discounts at parks, campgrounds and RV events. Good Sam Club members also receive a subscription to Highways, the club’s popular RV travel magazine. Additionally, the club represents more than 1,500 local RV chapters designed to bring RVers together from similar geographic regions for group camping excursions. Extremely committed to its RV members as well as to the environment, the club is a founder of the annual National Cleanup Day program and an advocate of public land access, Adopt-A-Highway programs and Adopt-A-Park programs.
About Red Horse Racing: Founded in 2005 by former Mobil Corporation executive Tom DeLoach and NASCAR veteran Jeff Hammond, Red Horse Racing aims to be a professional racing team that strives for excellence on and off the race track. Red Horse Racing hopes to build and maintain solid, mutual relationships with its partners to win races and championships and to represent itself in a professional manner. The team has four victories and five poles in its brief existence. DeLoach and Hammond also own Performance Instruction Training (PIT), the number one pit crew training center in the world that also has many corporate training options that include team-building, lean manufacturing, motorsports demonstrations and more.
Quick Facts
Todd Bodine
Daytona International Speedway
Starts: 7 Wins: 2 Top 5: 6 Top 10: 6 Laps Led: 136 Average Start: 8.9 Average Finish:5.3
Race Info
February 24, 2012
Daytona International Speedway
2.5-mile Tri-Oval
NextEra Energy Resources 250
100 Laps, 250 Miles
Broadcast Info
TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 7:00 p.m. ET
Radio: The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 7:00 p.m. ET
