Included in Bodine’s role as a fill-in driver were four USAC P1 Insurance National Midget Series events during Mid-America Midget Week, capped by a runner-up finish at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex.

“Having the four races that I did, back-to-back, was really nice, because everything I learned in one night I could take and apply to the next night,” explained Bodine. “Mixing together all of that and then leading laps and running second the last night at Sweet Springs (Motorsports Complex) … that was a huge shot in the arm for myself and helped to prove to me that I can do this against some of the best competition in the series.

“It did stink that Zeb was out, but I think we were able to make good use of the time we had.”

Bodine, who made his national midget debut in January at the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla., realizes that the BC39 has become just as prestigious and will be just as difficult to qualify for as the A-Main at Tulsa Expo Raceway was.

“It’s definitely going to be tough; with 118 cars at this thing, it’s going to be identical to the Chili Bowl as far as the slog of trying to make the field,” noted Bodine. “Everybody’s goal will be to try to make that show, and that’s going to be mine as well, but I think it’s going to be a little easier for me because the Chili Bowl was my first-ever time in a midget, period. Now that I have a few races under my belt, I think it’s going to help me a lot and give me a lot more confidence.

“The main goal is to put it in the feature. If I can do that … that would be absolutely incredible.”

Bodine’s progression from micros into the midgets has been relatively smooth, though the driver noted that the two types or cars are quite dissimilar.

“These cars are definitely a lot different than the micro sprints that I’ve raced most recently,” explained Bodine. “I thought they’d be a little similar, and they truly weren’t. The way you sit in the car and the way they handle are both different, and then you have so much more power and throttle control to work with in the midget than I ever did in a micro. Especially at the smaller tracks … they’re a lot more critical; a little mistake goes a lot further.”

Though his Chili Bowl was, in his own words, “unforgettable,” Bodine said this week’s chance is something he’s waited his entire career for.

“The Chili Bowl was a huge event for me, even though I was running for a different team, but now that I can run such a high-caliber event for a team like Clauson-Marshall … it’s something I’ll always remember, no matter what happens,” said Bodine.

“I’m just planning on taking things one day at a time; that’s really how the whole year has been for me. I think I get a few more POWRi races this year, and I’ve been working really hard to try and start putting something together for next year, but I’m not sure of anything yet.

“All I can do is hope for the best and we’ll see what happens. I’m so thankful, though.”