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BUSCH: Todd Bodine Sponsored by Phillips 66 in 1999

Phillips 66 to sponsor Bodine in 1999 By Shawn A. Akers CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 30, 1998) Todd Bodine says he's "back home" with Cicci-Welliver Racing, and he's got some major backing for the 1999 NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division ...

Phillips 66 to sponsor Bodine in 1999 By Shawn A. Akers

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 30, 1998) Todd Bodine says he's "back home" with Cicci-Welliver Racing, and he's got some major backing for the 1999 NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division season. Bodine, who returned to Cicci-Welliver Racing earlier this season to take over the duties of the No. 30 Slim Jim Chevrolet, will be sponsored by Phillips 66 Performance Company next season to help him in his quest to win his first-ever NASCAR Busch Series championship.

"We've come close to winning a championship a couple of times, and with a company like Phillips 66 behind us, we feel like we'll be able to get over that hump next year," Bodine said during a press conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday evening. "Phillips 66 has been a great sponsor in this sport with a great winning tradition. With Cicci-Welliver Racing, we want to keep that tradition alive, and we're very proud to be able to represent them.

"Cicci-Welliver is a championship-caliber team, and I want to be the first driver to win them a championship. Having Phillips 66 on board is the first step toward a championship, and I look forward to representing them during our title chase."

Phillips 66 sponsored teams in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 1991-92, but returned to the sport in the NASCAR Busch Series more than a year ago to sponsor the efforts of Elliott Sadler at Diamond Ridge Motorsports. Sadler won five races last season and has won this year, but is moving up to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series next season to drive the No. 21 Citgo Ford of the Wood Brothers.

Bodine spent the first part of the season with Team Tabasco in the No. 35 Pontiac, but was released from his duties in that car and soon landed back at Cicci-Welliver Racing in the No. 30 Chevrolet. He is currently filling in as the driver for the No. 91 Little Joe's Auto Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series as well, when his NASCAR Busch Series efforts don't conflict with that.

It is Bodine's third stint with Cicci-Welliver Racing. Last year, he finished second to Randy LaJoie in the NASCAR Busch Series championship standings. Bodine said he hopes to stay around at Cicci-Welliver for a long time this time.

"Things have been pretty up and down my whole career, and most of the up times have been at Cicci-Welliver Racing," Bodine said. "It's good to be home with them again, and I would like to make it a permanent home. My goal is to get back to Winston Cup, and hopefully we'll be able to acquire the funding in the future to return to Winston Cup full-time. But right now our goal and our main focus is next year with Phillips 66, and we hope to be able to bring them a championship."

Bodine will team up again next season with Mike McLaughlin, driver of the No. 34 Goulds Pump Chevrolet, and David Green, driver of the No. 36 Stanley Tools Pontiac, to make Cicci-Welliver Racing one of the more powerful organizations in the NASCAR Busch Series.

"We are very privileged to be chosen by Phillips 66, and are grateful that they have enough faith and trust in us to carry on their winning tradition in NASCAR," said team co-owner Frank Cicci. "We were really glad to get Todd back. Todd started with us and has had a lot of success with our team. The chemistry just seems to be right. We're really looking forward to being associated with a company with such high stature as Phillips 66.

The sentiment in mutual.

"The NASCAR Busch Series has provided us with a successful marketing venue," said David Barrington, senior vice president of marketing at Phillips 66. "The Busch Series is successful, competitive and continues to grow -- all characteristics we strive to mirror at Phillips 66. We now have the opportunity to continue our association with the NASCAR Busch Series by aligning ourselves with proven successes Todd Bodine and Team 34 (now Cicci-Welliver) Racing."

Source: NASCAR Online

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