Whelen Signs On As Title Sponsor For Bodine Bobsled Challenge
NASCAR Whelen Series Champions to Compete
Lake Placid, NY — Whelen Engineering has signed on as the title sponsor for the Fourth Annual Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge, slated for January 2-4, 2009 at the Olympic Sports Complex.
“We take great pride in being a longtime sponsor of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc.,” said Phil Kurze, Vice President of Motorsports for Whelen Engineering and President of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. “When the title sponsorship of this event became available, we were very excited about the opportunity to support such a wonderful event.”
The Bodine Bobsled Challenge features NASCAR, NHRA, and celebrity drivers piloting specially-made bobsleds down Lake Placid’s infamous track in fun races geared to raise money for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project.
The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc., was started in 1992 by NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, and has built American-made bobsleds for United States athletes competing in the World Cup, World Championships and Olympic Winter Games. Monies raised from the Bodine Bobsled Challenge go directly to this project.
“Having Whelen Engineering sign on as the title sponsor is a great honor,” said Bodine. “We are very proud to create “Made in America” bobsleds for our nation’s athletes, and Whelen’s motto of “All Products Made in America” is a perfect match to our company’s way of thinking.”
This year’s champions from the three NASCAR Whelen racing series received automatic berths into the field of drivers for the Bodine Bobsled Challenge. Philip Morris, a 2007 Bodine Bobsled Challenge participant, is returning again this year after winning the 2008 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Championship.
“My wife and I are looking forward to returning to Lake Placid,” Morris said. “She is most excited.”
Brian Loftin clinched the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Series for his first career NASCAR championship. Loftin edged out fellow driver Tim Brown by a mere 30 points to claim the title and earn the chance to drive a bobsled.
Ted Christopher won the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship to claim his place in the field. Christopher had previously won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2001, and has twice been runner-up for the Modified Tour Championship.
These three champions have a lot to live up to. Former NASCAR Whelen champions Mike Stefanik, Donny Lia and L.W. Miller have all competed in past Bodine Bobsled Challenges. Stefanik is a nine-time NASCAR Champion, with seven NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships and two NASCAR Camping World Series championships, who took the bronze medal in both bobsled races in 2007. Miller, the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified champ, won a silver medal in his one and only bobsled race last January. 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion Donny Lia also had a strong showing, placing fifth in his only bobsled race to date.
Morris, Loftin and Christopher will join NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie Joey Logano on the iced bobsled run. The remaining NASCAR field of drivers will be announced November 15 prior NASCAR’s last race of the season at Homestead-Miami. The NHRA drivers selected to compete in the Bodine Bobsled Challenge will be announced October 31 during the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals.
SPEED channel will again televise four hours of the Whelen Bodine Bobsled Challenge, on Jan. 18 at noon and Jan. 25 at 2 pm. MRN Radio has signed on to provide live coverage of the Bodine Bobsled Challenge all three days.
The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project concept paid dividends with gold, silver and bronze medals in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Game, the first time that the USA Bobsled Team won Olympic medals since 1956, and scored again with silver in Torino. New sled designs are being created by Bodine and sled builder Bob Cuneo of Chassis Dynamics in Connecticut. It will be tested during national and international competitions leading up to the next Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010.
Other sponsors of the Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge include Columbia Sportswear Company, MAC Tools, Racing Electronics, PPG, Lucas Oil and JEGS Automotive.
Sources: NASCAR Local Racing PR