Geoffrey Bodine has accepted the “color analyst” position on SPEED Channel for their coverage of the Winston West race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 12th. The race will be shown tape delayed on SPEED April 19th. This assignment means that Bodine will not be driving the Thompson Motorsports #36 Ford in the Craftsman Truck race at Martinsville Spedway on April 12th. He is still working out a deal with Al Thompson to drive at Lowe’s Motor Speedway Charlotte on May 16th.( Geoffrey Bodine Fan Club ) AND This isn’t new territory for Bodine, who has appeared as a television analyst before, most recently for the International Race of Champions events in 2001. “It’s something he’s willing to pursue,” Lisa Cox, his publicist, said Wednesday. “He’s trying to do more television.” Cox said there’s a possibility Speed will use him on more Winston West race telecasts. Bodine, who turns 54 on April 18, isn’t willing to hang up his driving gloves just yet. Cox said he’s looking for other opportunities to get back behind the wheel of a race car. Bodine was originally scheduled to drive in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race for Thompson Motorsports at Martinsville, Va., on April 12. He agreed to give up the seat to driver James Stevenson, who brought some money to the unsponsored team. Meanwhile, Bodine has a busy schedule of non-racing events coming up. He’ll participate in the Dodge Celebrity Invitational golf tournament, presented by former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. The pro-am event at the Miromar Lakes Beach and Golf Club in Estero, Fla., begins today. On May 9 and 10, Bodine hosts his annual fishing tournament in Pompano Beach, Fla., to benefit the U.S. bobsled team. Bodine helped initiate the research and development of the Bo-Dyn Bobsleds the team uses. On May 14, he holds his 12th annual Geoffrey Bodine Celebrity Golf Tournament , benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation, at Birkdale Golf Club in Huntersville, N.C.( Star Gazette – short term link)(4-3-2003)
