 | | Todd Bodine has a lot on his mind as he tries to clinch his first career championship. Credit: Autostock |
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
November 16, 2006
10:18 AM EST (15:18 GMT)
Todd Bodine is so close to his family's first national NASCAR championship that he can almost imagine accepting the Craftsman Truck Series trophy on stage at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort in Orlando.  |  | | Second-place Johnny Benson has stood tall recently, but it hasn't gained him much ground. Credit: Autostock |
| |
| Craftsman Truck Series |
Standings before Homestead
(25th of 25 races) |
| Pos. |
Driver |
Behind |
| 1. |
Todd Bodine |
Leader |
| 2. |
Johnny Benson |
-112 |
| 3. |
David Reutimann |
-183 |
| 4. |
Ted Musgrave |
-316 |
| 5. |
David Starr |
-357 |
| 6. |
Ron Hornaday |
-374 |
| 7. |
Jack Sprague |
-393 |
| 8. |
Mike Skinner |
-410 |
| 9. |
Rick Crawford |
-432 |
| 10. |
Terry Cook |
-440 |
|
|
But he won't -- because that isn't the way he's approached every race this season. Instead of knowing that all he needs is a finish of 28th or better to clinch the title in Friday's Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET, SPEED), Bodine is focused on one thing -- going for the best finish possible. "We're gonna go there with the intent to win, to run up front and just win the race. If it's not a truck that can win, we'll try to get us a top-five just like we did at Phoenix," Bodine said. "It's been the way we've gone into every race this season, so we aren't going to change the way we do things at Homestead." That strategy has served Bodine well all season. He hasn't won a race since Texas but it's been his consistency that has carried him to the brink of a championship. Bodine has finished outside of the top 20 only once this season -- a 25th at Atlanta when his No. 30 Toyota suffered a flat tire. Otherwise, he's been virtually flawless: three wins, three seconds, two thirds and four fourths. So now it's just a matter of one more good finish and the title is his. But Bodine is aware that anything can happen -- and it could be Johnny Benson celebrating at Orlando. "If we have a miscue, a loose lug nut or a flat tire or someone getting into us at Homestead and finish in the back, Johnny's going to win it," Bodine said. "We have to do what we have to do at Miami, stay out of trouble and finish in the top five like we've been doing all year." Benson is coming off a victory at Phoenix, but troubles at Atlanta and Texas put the No. 23 Toyota team in a hole that may wind up being too deep out of which to dig. "Johnny [Benson] and [crew chief Rick Ren] are doing exactly what they need to do, winning races," Bodine said. "Unfortunately for them, we are doing exactly what we need to do to continue to lead in the championship, and that's to finish up front. "We have to keep the 'big picture' in mind. I don't want to put myself in a position to be taken out and I want to keep my Tundra in one piece. That's what we did at Phoenix and what we plan to do at Miami." Teammate Ted Musgrave knows exactly what Bodine is going through, since he won the title last season. "Todd's in a really good position, compared to where I was last year," Musgrave said. "I don't think there's going to be much pressure on him, other than he'll probably be a little nervous just being in that position to be a champion." Bodine made his Busch debut as a 22-year-old in 1986, finishing 27th at Martinsville. In 15 full and partial Cup seasons, including 21 top-10s, his best championship finish was 20th. He was third in the Craftsman Truck Series standings behind Musgrave and Dennis Setzer last season. Todd is the youngest of the three racing Bodine brothers. Older brother Geoffrey Bodine was third in the 1990 Winston Cup championship behind Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin. Middle brother Brett Bodine nearly won the 1986 Busch Series title, finishing second to Larry Pearson by seven points. | 
