Geoffrey Bodine will say it flat out, with not the faintest hint of doubt in his voice, that his greatest accomplishment in racing has been the simple act of surviving.

He survived being from outside the South before being from outside the South was cool in NASCAR. He survived the politics that come hand-in-hand with being involved in the sport. He survived owning a team. And he survived one of the most vicious wrecks ever endured by a driver.

So, most definitely, survival is a big thing for Bodine.

"I'm still here and things are fine," Bodine said. "A lot of my friends aren't here, and some of our friends that are here are still dealing with things from accidents. Yeah, winning races is great. Winning Daytona was great. But surviving and doing something good with what racing gave me, that's what makes me most proud."

Bodine splits his time these days between a couple of interests. First, there's the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project that's been a central focus of his for 15 years now. Secondly, he's trying his best to get the word out about MonaVie, a nutritional beverage distributed through network marketing. He's on the road constantly, working on one project or the other.

First involved in bobsledding in 1992, Bodine continues to put together sponsorships for the sled he helped design. Those who use the Bo-Dyn sleds do so for free, making financial backing for the program obviously essential. To promote the project, challenge races involving a number of NASCAR and NHRA competitors were held in January 2006 and again this year in Lake Placid, N.Y.

MonaVie, on the other hand, is a blend of the Brazilian acai (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) berry and 18 other fruits. The product seems to have become a particular passion of Bodine's, after coming back to it several times during the course of a 30-minute interview.

"Our food supply today is full of toxins, and our bodies are pretty sick," Bodine said. "We're sick. Kids are being born sick. We're all dying way too early and getting diseases. Put good nutrition in your body and your immune system works like it's supposed to, like God intended it to. It'll actually repair your body."

Again, it seems to be a part of that common thread that weaves its way through a chat with Bodine ... survival.

Bodine grew up in Chemung, N.Y., the son of a racetrack operator. He drove his first race at age 5, and eventually graduated to the North's motorsports staple, Modifieds. He ran his first few Cup races in 1979, and a few more in 1981 before making his first concentrated effort at NASCAR's premier level with car owner Cliff Stewart in 1982 and '83.

After that, he struck a deal with a Charlotte car salesman intent on starting a team from the ground up. Essential to the deal was not necessarily the new owner, but the opportunity to work with legendary crew chief Harry Hyde.

The car salesman's name was Rick Hendrick. (Continued)