Bodine knows the fastest way around LVMS circuit

Nick Christensen

Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 | 9:57 a.m.

It's easy to understand why Todd Bodine loves racing in Las Vegas.

Bodine, who won the NASCAR Busch Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2001 and took the pole a year later at the Cup Series race here, got some good fortune to take back the lead in Saturday's Las Vegas 350 Craftsman Truck Series race.

His Germain Motor Company Toyota dominated the race, leading 114 laps and building leads of over eight seconds on some longer runs. But with two laps to go, Bodine was passed by Ted Musgrave after Bodine got loose in Turn 2.

But as the two headed down the back stretch, Steve Park spun his locally-sponsored Orleans Racing Dodge into the grass just past Turn 2.

The grass that hadn't seen water since the monsoonal rains of August. The grass that ignited the instant it came in contact with Park's scorching-hot tires.

And the grass that saved Todd Bodine's race.

The small fire brought out the caution on lap 144, two laps before the scheduled finish but eight laps before the race would finally end.

Bodine spent a six-lap caution thinking about his approach to Musgrave's lead -- and about the way last year's race ended.

In 2004, Bodine was bumped out of the lead by Shane Hmiel, and put on a pleasant face in finishing second.

Not this year.

"I just wasn't going to finish second again," Bodine said. "We finished second twice this year... I was not going to finish second again. I did not want to let my guys down. They worked too hard to get our truck that fast and that good and I just wasn't going to let it happen."

So Bodine sat back and plotted, knowing the caution laps would leave him with cooler tires and two final chances.

"I just sat there and ran scenarios through my head," he said. "What can happen -- what's going to happen if he goes there. That's what you have to do, just plan your strategy. Fortunately it worked."