SPEED TV To Air Lucas Oil Bobsled Challenge

SPEED TV will broadcast four hours of coverage of the Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering from Lake Placid, N.Y.

The network has divided the program into a pair of two-hour shows. The first, airing at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, Jan. 24, will showcase celebrity participants from NASCAR and NHRA in an Olympic-style race against the clock down historic Mount Van Hoevenberg. The second show, airing one week later at 5 p.m. ET, Jan. 31, will highlight the NASCAR versus NHRA Challenge.

"SPEED TV does an awesome job with this event each year. I think I get as many fans talking to me about bobsledding as drag racing," said Morgan Lucas, driver of the GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster. "They run the program a bunch of times so everyone that's into motorsports and watches SPEED TV eventually sees the race.

"Bottom line, it's great exposure for the Bo-Dyn Project, which ultimately gets those awesome 'Made in America' sleds to our athletes. We've all seen how well the U.S. team is doing on the world stage since they've switched to Bo-Dyn sleds so it's a very rewarding experience for all of us that are involved in the project."

The fifth annual Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering benefits the Bo-Dyn Project, which was conceived by NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine more than a decade ago after he witnessed U.S. athletes struggling to compete with old sleds from their European rivals. Bodine began creating "Made-in-America" bobsleds for the United States men's and women's national teams. Since switching to Bo-Dyn sleds, U.S. athletes have risen to the top of the sport, winning multiple Olympic and World Cup medals in both two-man and four-man competition.

"In the past, the sport of bobsledding was popular to television viewers because of the Winter Olympic Games," said Phil Kurze, President of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. "The Lucas Oil Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen Engineering has provided the opportunity for this thrilling sport to be seen on television with the bonus of seeing popular NASCAR and NHRA drivers piloting our bobsleds.

"The mission statement of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project includes 'the promotion of the sport of bobsledding in North America' and we are fulfilling this mission through this spectacular event each year. We are very grateful to the generous support from all of our sponsors and equally grateful to the drivers who have taken time from their busy schedules to support this event."

This year's shows occur as Lake Placid, host of two Olympic Winter Games, marks its 30th anniversary of the historic 1980 Winter Games. SPEED Channel's Ray Dunlap hosts the programs, which will feature a distinct Winter Olympic feel with the assistance of the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum.

The content promises to feature a blend of bobsled action between stars of NASCAR and NHRA, produced by JFM Sports, and a look-back at events such as the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" hockey game between the U.S. and Soviet Union, as well as Eric Heiden's unprecedented five gold medals in speed skating.

The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project graciously accepts donations for its Made-In-America efforts that are geared to the design and construction of the best bobsleds in the world. Donations can be made at www.bodinebobsled.com.


What Daytona is to auto racing, Lake Placid is to bobsledding