What is the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project?
Established in 1992 by 1986 Daytona 500 champion and former NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, the BO-Dyn Project is a producer of bobsleds. The goal of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project is to promote and sponsor manufacturing, engineering, technology, and design of American-made products by building bobsleds for use in international competitions. Its sleds are built in a North Carolina-based race shop owned by Joey Logano (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver). The project also aims to increase bobsledding awareness both nationally and internationally and to offer a public education forum.
The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project signifies the renaissance of America’s bobsled reign. Its journey started in France during the 1992 Winter Games. At the event in Albertville, the American team was struggling which caught the attention of speed enthusiast Geoff Bodine. After discovering that the U.S. team was racing using discarded and second-hand European team sleds, he made a trip to Lake Placid, rode in a bobsled, and became instantly hooked. He then joined hands with Bob Cuneo to create and develop American bobsleds. What followed is history.
History of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project
Geoff Bodine loved America and was proud of its foundation and that’s why he started the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. It was all about “Made in America”. During the Winter Olympics of 1992, Bodine realized that the American team was not performing well in the bobsled category. The United States was using poor-quality sleds from Europe and had not garnered any bobsled medals since the 1950s. Bodine was invited to visit the American team and participate in the demonstration runs in Lake Placid. He was astounded to learn that the team wasn’t using bobsleds made in America. To Bodine, this was simply unacceptable. He decided to collaborate with race-car producer Bob Cuneo (who had just recently climbed out of debt from mounting medical bills) to construct sleds. At the time, Bodine had acquired AK Racing’s assets and used his connections and leverage as a NASCAR car owner to initiate fundraising for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. Bo-Dyn derives its name from two words: Bo — which refers to the founder, Bodine, and “Dyn” which refers to Chassis Dynamics.
The project quickly became successful and by 1994 the United States team was using sleds produced by the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project. In the second Olympics that the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project was a part of, the U.S. bobsled team came close to clinching the bronze medal, going short by only 0.02 seconds. This was the beginning of the rise of the American bobsled team. The 2002 Olympics saw the U.S. bobsled team win three medals, including a bronze and silver in the 4-man sled, as well as a gold medal in the women’s category.
Bodine Bobsled Challenge
Named after the Project’s founder, this challenge was held annually from 2006 to 2010, with the proceeds being allocated to the Bo-Dyn Project. Several NHRA and NASCAR car drivers entered the challenge. Boris won the 2007 and 2008 challenges, while Morgan Lucas and Todd Bodine won the subsequent challenge. Joey Logano won the challenge in 2010, and in the same year, the challenge was discontinued.