NASCAR drivers prepare for the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge in Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Todd Bodine heads into Saturday's Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge "on the pole" after qualifying runs for the event wrapped up on Friday afternoon at the Verizon Sports Complex. The event is a fundraiser to benefit the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, founded by Geoff Bodine, provides American-made bobsleds to the United States bobsled teams free of charge.

The two Bodine brothers, along with eight other NASCAR drivers, including Tim Fedewa, Kevin Lepage, Boris Said, Dick Trickle, Brad Noffsinger, Stanton Barrett, Steve Park, and Joel Kauffman, will compete in the challenge on Saturday. All NASCAR racers were in competitive but high spirits when they arrived in Lake Placid for the Challenge, as they joked with each other and signed autographs for adoring fans.

The Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge got underway on Thursday afternoon when the NASCAR drivers arrived at the Verizon Sports Complex for a lesson in Bobsled 101. The drivers took to the track with U.S. bobsled team athletes for an overview of the sport, followed by a ride down part of the track behind a U.S. team driver. When it came time for the NASCAR drivers to actually drive themselves, they could not get enough of the action and finished the evening with a craving for more speed.

The drivers started higher up the track on Friday to complete their final training runs and two qualifying heats. As the temperature dropped, the ¾ mile track became faster and the NASCAR racers got all the speed they wanted as they flew through the 17 curves at speeds of nearly 60 miles an hour.

Driving the last sled of the day, Todd Bodine came out on top after the second run with a combined time of 1 minute, 47.24 seconds. Bodine was followed by Fedewa and Lepage in second and third, respectively. Bodine credits much of his successful bobsled driving to the U.S. bobsled athletes saying, "It's great to see our young kids as good as they are. And now with the bobsled project giving them good equipment, our future for bobsledding is looking pretty bright. It's a great feeling."

All 10 drivers as well as their many eager fans are looking forward to the feature race of the Chevrolet Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge beginning at 10 am on Saturday morning, with an afternoon race set for 1 pm. Country artists Cowboy Crush will open the proceedings with their rendition of the National Anthem.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the main gate of the Verizon Sports Complex.