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Todd Bodine's Daytona victory set the tone for his 2008 season.Steady Bodine scores yet another solid points finish
Three victories, consistency propel former champ to third
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Todd Bodine's season-ending victory at Homestead put the bookends on the year. But the middle part is what often counts, and that's where Bodine's misfortunes dropped him from the two-man show.
Just like he began, Todd Bodine ended the year celebrating.
Bodine won the season opener at Daytona in dominating fashion, and never had more than a three-race stretch (twice) during the season where he did not finish inside the top 10. But it was those stretches that ultimately hurt him the most.
Martinsville (12th), Kansas (23rd) and Charlotte (12th) did minimal damage. But a crash and 29th-place finish at Dover, followed by a three-race struggle late in the summer allowed Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday to emerge as the championship favorites.
But Bodine was no slouch, either. He finished fifth or better in the season's final six races, including victories at Talladega and Homestead, to climb from a season-low seventh in the standings to his final third-place finishing position in points.
It was Bodine's fourth consecutive season of finishing fourth or better in the championship standings.
Best Race
Chevy Silverado 250 at Daytona International Speedway -- Best race of the season in the first race of the year? That was the case for Bodine. He held off Kyle Busch and Benson -- two names that lasted throughout the season -- in a nine-lap sprint to the finish. Bodine, who started 13th, won twice more during the year, but he didn't dominate like he did at Daytona, leading 49 of the 100 laps and establishing himself as a contender from the start.
Turn for the Worse
Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway -- A crash and 27th-place finish was Bodine's second-worst performance of the year. And it dropped him from third to sixth in the standings, further distancing himself from Benson, who won the race. It was the mid-point of Bodine's worst three-race string of the season when he didn't finish better than 14th.
Todd Bodine
2008 Season Statistics
| Race | Start | Finish | Laps | Status | Led | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daytona | 12 | 1 | 100/100 | Running | 49 | 1 |
| Fontana | 4 | 2 | 100/100 | Running | 25 | 2 |
| Atlanta | 7 | 9 | 130/130 | Running | 0 | 2 |
| Martinsville | 15 | 12 | 253/253 | Running | 0 | 2 |
| Kansas | 10 | 23 | 156/167 | Crash | 0 | 3 |
| Charlotte | 21 | 12 | 138/138 | Running | 5 | 3 |
| Mansfield | 14 | 3 | 250/250 | Running | 0 | 1 |
| Dover | 21 | 29 | 170/200 | Crash | 15 | 4 |
| Texas | 6 | 5 | 172/172 | Running | 0 | 4 |
| Michigan | 3 | 4 | 100/100 | Running | 39 | 2 |
| Milwaukee | 17 | 5 | 200/200 | Running | 2 | 2 |
| Memphis | 20 | 14 | 204/204 | Running | 0 | 3 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 27 | 128/150 | Crash | 0 | 6 |
| ORP | 14 | 22 | 200/200 | Running | 0 | 6 |
| Nashville | 1 | 3 | 150/150 | Running | 74 | 6 |
| Bristol | 4 | 2 | 203/203 | Running | 0 | 4 |
| Gateway | 5 | 4 | 160/160 | Running | 0 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 5 | 19 | 200/200 | Running | 1 | 5 |
| Las Vegas | 8 | 9 | 147/147 | Running | 20 | 7 |
| Talladega | 5 | 1 | 94/94 | Running | 10 | 4 |
| Martinsville | 2 | 5 | 200/200 | Running | 0 | 4 |
| Atlanta | 5 | 4 | 130/130 | Running | 0 | 3 |
| Texas | 10 | 4 | 147/147 | Running | 0 | 3 |
| Phoenix | 11 | 3 | 150/150 | Running | 0 | 3 |
| Homestead | 18 | 1 | 137/137 | Running | 8 | 3 |
| Totals | 9.8 | 8.9 | 98.5% | 248 | 3 | |
Race Video
• Chevy Silverado 250 at Daytona International Speedway
• Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway
• Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
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Craftsman Truck Series
Official Standings
| Pos. | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | -- | Johnny Benson | 3725 | -- |
| 2. | -- | Ron Hornaday | 3718 | -7 |
| 3. | -- | Todd Bodine | 3621 | -104 |
| 4. | -- | Erik Darnell | 3412 | -313 |
| 5. | +1 | Matt Crafton | 3392 | -333 |
| 6. | -1 | Mike Skinner | 3363 | -362 |
| 7. | -- | Rick Crawford | 3315 | -410 |
| 8. | -- | Dennis Setzer | 3197 | -528 |
| 9. | -- | Jack Sprague | 3125 | -600 |
| 10. | -- | Terry Cook | 3072 | -653 |
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