Joey Logano won the fifth annual NASCAR vs. NHRA Challange at the Lucas Oil /Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challange presented by Whelen Manufacturing returning the honor to NASCAR after Morgan Lucas broke the strong hold Boris Said held in the challange. Logano who finished 7th in individual competition raced Melanie Troxel for the honor.

Melanie Troxel bested all the boys as she became Queen of the mountain. Being the first women to be invited to the challange she not only was the fastest rookie but also had the best overall time in the individual challange held Sunday morning.

The charity auction on Saturday night was the events largest as was the estimated crowd on Sunday for the Bobsled Challange.

Former Indy 500 winner and Indy Car Champion Dan Weldon, driver of the Panther Racing/ National Gaurd Indy Car was in Lake Placid for the Lucas Oil/Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge presented by Whelen today (Sunday) representing one of the events corporate sponsors. While Weldon was not on the slate of drivers to race, he was slated to take a run as the break man, with former NHRA Champion and TV commentator Phil Burgart. The pair entered the course from start three of the one mile course at about 9:30 AM and all was going well until Phil enter turn 17 too early getting the National Gaurd Bobsled over in turn 18, also known as the heart, where Dan Wheldon was ejected from the sled. Wheldon, who has experienced accidents before was quick to exit the track, which proved to be a very smart move as gravity pulled the sled back to his position and beyond. Phil Burkart and Dan Weldon both were fine but for Weldon the new experience proved to be a ride of a lifetime. The event will conclude later today with a race off between the NHRA and NASCAR.

The second day of the three day Lucas Oil/ Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge started off at 9 AM with 10 drivers making the call for practice. Showing up on the second day was Cory LaJoie, who is following in his father’s footsteps. While Todd Bodine was still in route to Lake Placid from his Honeymoon.

Morgan Lucas had the fastest start to the 50 meter mark but failed to finish that run. Also getting their sleds over during the practice were George Brunnhoelzl III and Melanie Troxel. The practice session was cut short following the fourth incident in which a sled failed to finish. It was determined that the incidents were all caused by a much faster track than Friday and drivers that had not yet adjusted to the faster conditions. Joie Logano had the fastest time in the first session but had to settle for second over-all when Carl Renezeder bested his time by .13 seconds one the final run. The times for Saturday will be used to seed the 11 sliders in Sunday’s individual and team challenge.

The day ended with a media skeleton sled challenge in which my weigh, desire, or lack of experience all failed to allow me a podium finish but does leave me eligible for a most improved if I ever try it again.

In downtown Lake Placid the annual Charity Auction and dinner for the Lucas Oil/Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challange presented by Whelen took place filling the Crowne Plaza Resort’s ballroom to capacity. Todd Bodine, last years fastest among the NASCAR drivers made it to the dinner and commented that he had just left the 85 degree weather of his honeymoon to be in Lake Placid where it was 11 below zero. That shows support.

The first full week of January is just completed and 12 racers have already gone to the frigid mountains of Lake Placid, New York to compete in the 5th annual Lucas Oil/Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challange presented by Whelen. The event raises money for the promotion, manufacturing, design and technology for the USA bobsled which is manufactured in Oxford, CT at Chassic Dynamics. The event puts NASCAR against NHRA, and except for last season when Morgan Lucas took home the honors for NHRA the event has been dominaterd by NASCAR and Boris Said, who’s father was a two time Bobsled Olympian in 1968 and 1972.

This cast of characters are 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine, Road Racing Ace and part time NASCAR driver Boris Said, 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year Joey Logano, 2006 Camping World Truck Series Champion Todd Bodine, 2009 NASCAR Southern Modified Champion George Brunnhoelzl III and 2009 NASCAR Whelen All American Series Champion Phillip Morris representing NASCAR. The NHRA Team was headed by the fastest lady in racing, Melanie Troxel who has victorirs in both Funny Car and Top Fuel, Morgan Lucas with 13 NHRA victories, Two time Super Comp Champion Shawn Langdon, five time NHRA Chamion Jeg Coughlin Jr. and seveen time Off-Road Champion Carl Renezeder. Special Guest of the event are 2005 Indy Car Champion Dan Wheldon and 2-Time NASCAR Nationwide Champion Randy LaJoie.

During the first day of the event morning activities were confined to registration and Lake Placid Bobsled Experience Public Rides. Following lunch the drivers made themselves available for TV and still photo shots before their 2 PM track walk. The track walk was followed by practice. The fastest in practice was Boris Said followed by Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Melanie Troxel. Shawn Langdon’s sled was having the most troulbe finding a good time and George Brunnhoelzl III managed to get upside down.

The evenings offical activities ended with a reception at the 1932/1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum and The Lake Placid Hall of Fame. Following the reception the attendees were invited into the site of ” The 1980 Miracle on Ice". The Herb Brooks Arena was the hollowed ground where 30 years ago the USA Hockey Team defeated Russia and went on to win the Gold Medal. Last night it was the site of the first preview of the 2010 USA Bobsled to be used in this year’s Winter Olympics.

I’ll be the first to admit that being a columnist and photographer for Gater Racing News as well as the Laser Scan Project Manager for iRacing.com Motorsports Simulations has it perks. This past weekend those two things together allowed me to be at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma for the Indy Car Series annual visit to Infineon Raceway.

iRacing had made the trip to the West Coast to announce a partnership with Indy Racing League, Indy Car Series chassis manufacturer Dallara, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

On Thursday and Friday prior to that announce being made a number of VIP, invited guest, and fans that had bought a tickets months before the event had the opportunity to lap the 2.303 mile configuration of Infineon Raceway at speeds up to 180 miles per hour in the two seater Indy car of the Indy Racing Experience with drivers Davey Hamilton and Arie Luyendyk Jr. .

Following the iRacing announcement on Saturday both fans and Media in attendance had the opportunity to drive the Dallara 09 in a simulator with iRacing’s virtual Infineon. The experience was best stated by Dallara’s head of research and development, Andrea Toso. “This is no game. It’s not only a tool for the drivers it’s a tool for us. The people from iRacing want to know more about the car than the teams ask for.”

“This November, before the end of the first year of the Speedway’s 100th anniversary celebration, hundreds of thousands of fans who have attended the Indy 500 in person and millions more around the world who have watched this classic American sporting event on television will have the opportunity to sample for themselves the challenge of driving a Dallara IndyCar Series car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Dave Kaemmer, CEO & CTO of iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations. “When our virtual version of Indianapolis Motor Speedway is completed next month, we will have in inventory or under construction 12 of the 17 venues on which the IndyCar Series will compete in 2009.”

The opportunity to be able to be behind the wheel or ride along in an Indy or Stock Car exist throughout the country and the iRacing.com experience exist worldwide to anyone with a computer and wheels and pedals for an electronics store. After having the opportunity to do both and knowing the realism is all it’s advertised to be. I dare for you to do both and compare