LONG POND, Pa.: Todd Bodine’s last race in his milestone 800th NASCAR National Series start at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway didn’t go as he planned, but that didn’t matter.
The two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion was still smiling even after being involved in a Lap 12 accident that abruptly ended Bodine’s day behind the No. 62 Camping World Toyota Tundra Pro for Halmar-Friesen Racing.
Instead of being upset about only completing 30 miles in his final Truck Series race of the season, Bodine was instead gracefully reflecting on the memories, friendships and people that he has met since his NASCAR career launched in 1986 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“I’ve been so blessed to be able to do what I love to do for 800 times and make so many good friends and have so many great people involved in life,” Bodine said after being released from the infield care center. “It’s a pretty blessed life to have.”
With practice and qualifying canceled due to inclement weather on Friday, Bodine started his fifth Pocono Truck Series race from 34th but in the opening 10 laps had hustled his truck to find himself battling for a top-20 spot when Hailie Deegan came down on Bodine which forced him to move down a lane further where he was hit by Blaine Perkins which sent him around into the Turn 1 wall and into the path of Jack Wood.
Bodine left the scene of the accident and brought his battered truck to pit road where the team attempted to make repairs, but the damage was too severe sending “The Onion” to the garage and out of the race in 36th.
“I’ve been here before. I’ve been wrecked before. It’s just part of the game,” added Bodine. “Heck, maybe I’ll have to make it 801 (starts), I don’t know.”
While it’s a disheartening end for the hundreds of Bodine fans in attendance at the 2.5-mile track on Saturday, Bodine has continuously throughout his journey in 2022 remembered to signify what his time behind the wheel has meant to him and how he was able to fire his engine perhaps one final time at the popular Long Pond track that he has dubbed as his second home.
“It’s a little surreal in the fact to think I’ve got 800 starts,” Bodine sounded. “Not a lot of people have accomplished that and to make that milestone means a lot, it really does. I look at the longevity I’ve had in the sport, you know it’s hard to imagine.
“When I started doing this, didn’t really know what I was going to be doing. I thought I would be working on race cars and building them and to be able what is it 35 – 38 years later whatever it is to have this kind of career is pretty cool. Very lucky. Very fortunate to be able to earn a living doing something I love to do.”
Bodine has certainly experienced the highs and lows of his NASCAR career. The youngest of the Bodine clan had often been recognized and praised for being fearless behind the wheel and taking chances and making moves that other drivers would not dare attempt.
And while that mentality sometimes ended up with the Chemung, N.Y. native in the garage, his talent behind the wheel often led him to many opportunities to help other teams who needed a strong assessment of their overall program with Bodine capitalizing on that opportunity.
From Butch Mock Motorsports to Germain Racing and even the Cicci-Welliver Racing, Travis Carter Motorsports, BelCar Racing and at the end Halmar-Friesen Racing to name a few, Bodine left his mark and undoubtedly passion and appreciation for every team, every race and every opportunity behind the wheel.
“This is a celebration for us,” Bodine mentioned. “This is about enjoying what I’ve accomplished and the things I’ve done in the sport and all these races I’ve run. These six races are about enjoying that and celebrating all of that. We’re (also) out here to have fun.”
Bodine reflected on two memories throughout his career that stood out most, including winning his third career NASCAR Xfinity Series race in 1992 at Michigan International Speedway in the Detroit Gasket 200.
“The very first Busch race in Michigan,” Bodine recalled. “There was 11 Cup drivers entered in the race and they didn’t give us Busch guys any chance to win the race. We went out and won the race and the next 11 drivers were the Cup drivers. So, we beat them at their own game and at that moment I was only two years into my career, so that was very gratifying.”
The other came in the series where Bodine enjoyed the most success in his career – the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during his championship-winning 2006 season at Germain Racing.
Bodine rekindled the 2006 John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Bodine edged his hero and at one time NASCAR teammate Mark Martin for his then-eighth career Truck Series win.
“The one that really stands out in the Truck Series is Atlanta,” remembered Bodine. “Mark Martin got us beat and we’re going to finish second and we go down into (Turn) 1 and Mark runs into some lapped trucks and I never lifted and passed them four-wide coming off of (Turn) 2 for the lead and we ended up beating him.
“For me not only that kind of pass and that kind of racing but to be able to beat Mark Martin who is really been one of my heroes my whole life, my whole career. He’s always helped me. When I got started, he was the guy to go to for advice and for help to be able to beat him was a very special night.”
When asked about what made his 2022 part-time season so memorable, it wasn’t returning to the seat for the first time in nearly a decade at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March or grabbing an impressive top-10 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May – or even returning to Texas Motor Speedway, a race track that Bodine seemed to own in the Truck Series for numerous seasons, it was what the relationship and friendship that blossomed with teammate Stewart Friesen and his family.
“I tell you what, I was actually thinking about this,” Bodine said. “Someone asked me what’s been one of the best parts of doing this and racing this truck, the honest answer to that is becoming a part of Stewart and Jessica’s family. They are such good people. They really are. They care about everyone. We’ve got to go do dirt racing and watch Stewart and Jessica race.
“They (recently) put on a chicken barbecue started at 1:00 p.m. before (a) race night and a lot of people in the town came to support them. The barbecue was to support Autism. Parker (Stewart and Jessica’s son) is on the spectrum and they do all they can to help. The town came out to support and the fans. You know race fans with other drivers’ shirts and they came out to support them.
“It just has been really fun to get to know them and getting to be part of their family. That was a surprise we didn’t expect to have. That’s the probably the best part of this whole thing.”
So, what’s next for Todd Bodine?
Will there be an 801st start?
After Pocono, you’d like to think he would like to hit the reset button and have one more shot, but Bodine is the only one who knows the true answer to that question.
“Heck, maybe I’ll have to make it 801, I don’t know,” Bodine said with a smile.
“The plan was this was it as far as being a paid professional driver in any of the series of NASCAR, top-three series. I’ve lived in my life and along the way and because of the people that have asked this question, I better not say never. I think the circumstances would have to be very extraordinary and I am very fortunate to be with FOX Sports and to have the job I have and I love doing.”
And not forgetting proper driver ethic, Bodine gave thank you and appreciation to those who stepped up to make his road to 800 possible.
“Thankful to Chris Larsen and Stewart Friesen for letting me do this and having this much fun,” he said. “Marcus Lemonis and Camping World. Marcus stepped up. Nobody thought he would and he did. I appreciate it Marcus. Thank you to all the fans who have supported me all these years, truly meant the world to me. I appreciate it.”
Bodine’s parting words to the fans, “You know, I’ll see you on TV. Having fun on TV.”
On a personal note, without Todd Bodine, I don’t know where I would be today. It’s because of him that I followed my dreams to be a part of the sport I love. I never wanted to drive, but I knew I wanted to have my hands in the sport where I felt I could make a difference. Todd Bodine is my hero. I never wanted to disappoint him and only make him proud and that’s something I think about often.
I was the crazed fan who snuck into the garage when I was 14 years old pretending to be 16 so I can meet the guy I shouted at the television for every week to win. I was the crazed fan that showed up with a Todd Bodine chronicle that had clippings after clippings of moments of Bodine’s career. I brought the chronicle to the track one year to show Todd and Randy LaJoie jokingly called me a physco fan. It wasn’t that. Todd Bodine was my Dale Earnhardt in the 1990s.
Whether it be Cup, Xfinity Series or even making his Truck Series debut driving for Jack Roush in 1995, I was happy when Todd did well. And pissed when he made a mistake or found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I wouldn’t change those memories for anything.
I wasn’t around for his first start, but sure glad I was around for his last — if it is indeed his last.
Cheers friend. Thank you for all the advice, love, and support for the past 20-plus years.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
