Brett Bodine 'solid' for 2003.

NASCAR's favourite underdog, Brett Bodine insists that his #11 Ford team is financially secure for the 2003 season with sponsorship from Hooters and that a potential co-owner partnership is still on the agenda.

Speaking on NASCAR radio show Performance Racing Network's Garage Pass, Bodine shrugged off talk that his deal with Hooters was looking shaky after a proposed deal with Hooters owner Bob Brooks failed to materialise over the winter.

Brooks, who had been linked with a part-ownership role with the #11 team, was said to be interested in a deal during the latter part of last season but Bodine was quick to point out that although nothing had been signed on the ownership front, his team were good to go for 2003.

Speaking from the Daytona International Speedway Bodine said; "The main thing was that we got sponsored. The team was working hard in the off-season and continue to work and rebuild for 2003."

Bodine was testing at Daytona on Tuesday and finished up slowest of the 26 teams present.