Todd Bodine heads into NASCAR’s season-opening race weekend at Daytona five career NASCAR starts short of 800. However, Bodine will open his 20th full-time season in NASCAR a few days earlier than planned. He hooked up a last-minute ride for the first of the two Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying races at Daytona on Thursday that will determine the starting lineup for Sunday’s Daytona 500 Sprint Cup race. He’ll take over the Sprint Cup driving duties from Kirk Shelmerdine in the #27 Toyota Camry. Shelmerdine’s car was not among the top 35 in 2009 owner points, so the car doesn’t have a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500. Bodine is a long shot to make Sunday’s starting grid because only two berths into the Daytona 500 will be awarded in each qualifying race. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip is one of seven drivers, including Bodine, vying for the two open spots in the first Gatorade Duel 150. “I’m thrilled that Kirk (Shelmerdine) called me and I’m going to do all I can to put his car in the Daytona 500,” Bodine told catchfence.com. “It’s going to be tough, but I’m going to do the best I can to take the #27 Camry to the front. This is Daytona and there are few things better than being on the starting grid for the Daytona 500.” Bodine will start 27th, the last spot in his Gatorade Duel 150. Bodine was 39th among 54 drivers in the Sprint Cup practice at Daytona on Wednesday. More important, he was the fifth-fastest of the 15 drivers searching for a way into NASCAR’s biggest race.(Elmira Star Gazette)(2-11-2010)
