Bodine to return to The Glen in Daytona Prototype.

NASCAR driver Geoffrey Bodine will return to Watkins Glen International next month at the wheel of the #8 BMW-powered Picchio Daytona Prototype in the Bully Hill Vineyards 250, August 8.

The Chemung native will partner with co-driver Darren Law and the G&W Motorsports team for his third Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race of the season.

Bodine made his first appearance at the wheel of the #8 BMW Daytona Prototype in June during the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen, where he and co-drivers Law and Andy Lally finished fourth in the Daytona Prototypes class and eighth overall.

"I'm really looking forward to going back to Watkins Glen. We were almost successful in our first race up there, the Sahlen's Six Hours, and the team has been making changes to make the car even better when we go back there," remarked Bodine, who also partnered with Law at Daytona International Speedway for the Paul Revere 250 earlier this month.

The #8 BMW led early in the Daytona race before an off-track excursion resulted in nose and radiator damage that forced its retirement.

Bodine has a long history of racing at The Glen that includes sports cars, stock cars and even snowmobiles. He took GTO honours in his first sports car race at The Glen, teaming up with Jack Baldwin in a Camaro at the 1986 Camel Continental. He also scored a NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory on his home track in 1996 and took the 1987 IROC XI title with a Watkins Glen win.

"Racing during the NASCAR Winston Cup weekend brings back a lot of real good memories, especially my victory in 1996. It would be nice to race there again in Winston Cup, but now I'm expanding my career, and it will be nice to do that in front of the Winston Cup owners, drivers and fans," said Bodine. "Also, I will have a lot of friends from back home there, and they will get to see Geoff Bodine do something totally different. That will be a lot of fun."

Practice and qualifying for the Bully Hill Vineyards 250 at The Glen will be held on Thursday, August 7. The race will get underway following NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying on Friday, August 8. Tickets to the Bully Hill Vineyards 250, as well as the entire NASCAR Winston Cup Sirius at The Glen event weekend, are available online at www.theglen.com.