Bodine calls racing incident an accident, but understands Hornaday's anger
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Saturday, May 17, 2008
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David Griffin / NASCAR Scene
Ron Hornaday (33) spins after contact with Todd Bodine during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway Friday night.
CONCORD, N.C. – Todd Bodine knows people won’t believe his explanation of how he spun Ron Hornaday during the Craftsman Truck Series race Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
So he understands why Hornaday is angry with him. Bodine understands why he was penalized for aggressive driving in the waning laps of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
Battling for a top-three position, Bodine tapped the back of Hornaday on the frontstretch, sending Hornday spinning. Bodine, the 2006 series champion, wound up 12th, while Hornaday, who won his third series title in 2007, was 23rd.
“I was trying to help a friend out, and the last bump draft I gave him at the start/finish line turned him a little sideways and I got off him, but it was too late and off for the ride he went,” a subdued Bodine said after the race. “I hate it. I know how hard these guys work. I have pit crew guys cussing at me, calling me names and I was just trying to help him. I look like a goat, which I should.”
Hornaday said it was the second time in the last year that Bodine has tried to wreck him.
“He did turn me in the fence at Michigan and I haven’t forgot that one and this one he just flat tried to kill me,” Hornaday said. “You don’t spin somebody out on the straightaway. If I’ve done something wrong or ran into him, I deserve it, but you don’t do it at 170 miles an hour and turn somebody sideways just because you got upset because he’s got used tires on.
“We were pretty good friends. We were just getting to like each other. But I don’t know what’s going to happen now. I really don’t. Life is too short to have an idiot like that.”
Bodine insisted he hasn’t tried to wreck Hornaday.
“If he wants to keep count, he can keep count,” Bodine said. “We’ve become friends. I’m sure he doesn’t want to be friends right now, which is a shame because he’s a great guy.”
NASCAR penalized Bodine by sending him to the tail end of the field. Did he feel the penalty was justified?
“From where NASCAR was sitting, yeah,” Bodine said. “I’m sure that’s what it looked like. They don’t know what every driver was thinking. They don’t know what I was thinking.
“Whether anybody wants to believe it or not, I was trying to help him. To everybody on TV, everybody in the grandstands, including NASCAR, it looks like I wrecked him.”
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Ron Hornaday
Comments
1 response to "Bodine calls racing incident an accident, but understands Hornaday's anger"
Joe Dudas said:
May 19, 2008 at 8:54 PMOh yeah, and I've got a bridge to sell ya in Brooklyn !
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