Thank you Geoff Bodine and Chassis Dynamics

[pchall]

For all the years of work behind the Bo-Dyn sled that won the Gold medal in the four man competition today.

[emjaya]

http://www.bodynbobsled.com/index.php?page_id=31


NASCAR veteran Geoff Bodine created the project in 1992 after he noticed USA Olympic Bobsled athletes competing with European made sleds. At that time the USA team had not won a medal since the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina.

Bodine set out on a quest – a “Made in America” sled project that would provide USA Bobsled athletes with sleds designed with NASCAR technology.

NASCAR Technology? :saywhat:

All jokes aside, Bodine's American made quest is to be congratulated. Well done.

[SteveH]

How soon before Danica drives one? :gomer:

Kidding aside, wonder if this will usher in an era of technology advances in bobsled design. Will German auto manufacturers now assist their country's team in reclaiming the top spot? I could see BMW jump on board.

[Badger]

Yes, much credit to Geoff for making it his goal to have the USA riding the best bobsleds in the world.

[pchall]

NASCAR Technology? :saywhat:

All jokes aside, Bodine's American made quest is to be congratulated. Well done.

Someday the France Mafia will let bob sled tech into NASCAR. ;)

[High Sided]

best part of bodines bobsled venture is it's "non-proffit" :thumbup:

article on the 4man gold...
http://olympics.fanhouse.com/2010/02/27/us-snaps-62-year-drought-in-four-man-bobsled/

[JLMannin]

Wow. I remember that from the 92 and 94 Olympics. I did not know that the project Bodine started was still on-going. Good job indeed.

[pchall]

Bodine was there for the celebrations. :)

http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2010-02/52480600.jpg

USA-1 driver Steven Holcomb, far left, celebrates as teammate Curtis Tomasevicz hugs USA sled-designer Geoff Bodine, while USA-3's Nick Cunningham, center, smiles after USA-1 won the gold in the men's four-man bobsled. (Elise Amendola, Associated Press / February 27, 2010)

[oddlycalm]

Not sure if Bodine had a hand in it but a few years back the governing body mandated a change to a standard material for runners to head off a movement to exotic materials. In 2006 as teams had to translate designs created by artisans in exotic materials into new runners made from standard a standard steel probes and digitizers were used to transfer the profiles for machining. That also opened things up to a more scientific study of those profiles. No coatings are allowed but the profiles can be anything you want.

Here's a short article on the Swiss sled program, which is amusing now that the results are in.
Swiss sled project (http://blog.80percentmental.com/2010/02/swiss-team-bobbing-for-gold-in.html)

oc

[Steve99]

Here's a short article on the Swiss sled program, which is amusing now that the results are in.
Swiss sled project (http://blog.80percentmental.com/2010/02/swiss-team-bobbing-for-gold-in.html)

oc


For a vehicle without an engine that hurtles down an ice track at 150 km/h
I think I see the Swiss' problem here. They were hitting the rev limiter. :)