NASCAR on Ice

While most NASCAR fans are taking a "break" from the sport in this off-season, there is still racing on the track, or at least the ice, this week.

The Fourth Annual Whelen Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge is set to kick off in the New Year, Jan. 2-4 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Bodine, himself a former NASCAR driver, became interested in the sport of bobsledding in 1992.  At that time, the US bobsled team was not competitive at all and had not won a medal in that Olympic sport since the Winter Games in 1956.

Bodine decided to marry his passions of NASCAR racing and bobsledding, bringing stock car technology to the sleds themselves.

His "Made in America" sleds became increasingly competitive, with the US team now medaling in most Olympics since 2002 and on the World Cup circuit as well.

But Bodine did not stop there.  He realized that bobsledders, just like NASCAR racers, needed sponsorship and funding to compete at these highest levels.

Bodine's next quest became raising funds for the US Olympic Bobsled team.  His Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project was formed to take donations from individuals, as well as soliciting corporate sponsorships.

This fund-raising initiative then took off, as Bodine enlisted other NASCAR drivers to try their hands at racing a bobsled.  He made the racing even more interesting by challenging NASCAR drivers to race against NHRA drivers.

In this year's challenge, the NASCAR team will be led by Boris Said.  Other members of the NASCAR team include NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Johnny Benson, as well as rookie phenom Joey Logano. 

NASCAR Whelen racing champions are also set to participate in the racing on ice action.  Drivers from that series include Philip Morris, Brian Loftin, and Ted Christopher.

Of course, brother Todd Bodine is also involved in the bobsledding competition. Todd has supported his brother Geoff in every Bobsled Challenge since its inception.

One of the premier drivers representing the NHRA series in the upcoming bobsled event is Jeg Coughlin, Jr., NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Champion.

Others joining in the competition from this racing series are NHRA Top Fuel drivers Morgan Lucas, JR Todd, and Bob Vandergriff.

All proceeds raised from the Bobsled Challenge go directly to the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project.  These funds will then support the US Olympic bobsled team at the upcoming Olympic Games in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.

The Speed Channel will air four hours of footage from the Challenge on Jan. 18 at noon and Jan. 25 at 2 p.m.  Tickets and other information about attending this event can be found at www.bodynbobsled.com.

So, be sure to check out NASCAR, literally on ice, this week live from New York for your racing fix during this off-season and New Year.

Photo Credit:  Charlie Booker