Brett Bodine, who was networking the paddock for work during the first two Nextel Cup events of the season, is trying to keep his unsponsored team from going out of business. “I’m looking to do whatever I can do,” Bodine said in the Feb. 19 issue of NASCAR Scene. “I’ve got to make a living.” Bodine, who has driven in the Cup series since 1988 and operated his own team since 1996, has a diverse resume in racing and plenty of skills to offer someone. “I’m a race car driver/team owner/team manager/advisor; whatever I need to do,” he said. “I’m in a position where I’m looking for a job.” Bodine was interviewed for the weekly publication during the season-opening Daytona 500 weekend. He did not return a phone call seeking further comment Wednesday. “I don’t have any solid prospects right now,” Brett told NASCAR Scene. “I’m just trying to be seen.” Bodine also was seen canvasing the paddock for work at Rockingham, N.C. last Friday. “We are all still working, trying to find something — whether it’s a sponsor with enough funding that would allow us to rebuild or whether it’s a ride for Brett with another team,” team spokeswoman Carolyn Carrier said in a fan forum message on the Web site www.brettbodine.com. Older brother Geoffrey said last month that one of the options Brett was pursuing was to manage a start-up team out of the Brett Bodine Racing shop in Mooresville, NC. Brett’s team has been idle since he failed to qualify for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last August. He raced an abbreviated schedule before his primary sponsor, Hooters restaurants, pulled out last June. The team negotiated a two-year contract with a new sponsor in mid-August. When the sponsor didn’t follow through, Brett had no choice but to lay off the rest of his employees. Bodine is not giving up hope of getting his team up and running again. In fact, he said the latest sponsorship deal is still on the table. “It hasn’t closed itself, it just hasn’t happened,” he said. “It’s a start-up company and they’re not in a position yet to start funding. I’m running out of time.” To help pay the bills, Brett has been selling off some of his cars. Andy Hillenburg, who purchased one of them, drove it to a 34th-place finish in the Subway 400 on Sunday. “The stuff that he’s selling needed to be gotten rid of, as it is pretty much dated or needed lots of work,” Carrier said in a forum message.(Elmira Star Gazette)(2-26-2004)
