Race 2 Win: Busch Series Race Notes

NASCAR Busch Series

Sharpie Mini 300 - Bobby Labonte Notes

Bobby Labonte
No. 77 Dollar General Stores Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Team Report
NASCAR Busch Series Race 6 of 35—Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway

BRISTOL (TENN.) MOTOR SPEEDWAY FACTS & STATS:

Bobby Labonte will make his 10th NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (BMS). Labonte has earned two pole-positions and one victory at the 0.533-mile short track.

Describe a lap around Bristol…“The World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
“A lap around Bristol is very unique, there is no other track like it,” explained Bobby Labonte. “Imagine putting yourself in a laundry tub at the laundry mat and turning it on. It just throws you off into the corner. With the banking your body just gets slammed so hard. Then you pick up the throttle, you’re playing with the throttle and you’re wide open and in 16 seconds you are back around. You are bouncing all over the place. It feels like you are on a wash board for a little bit. Then you hit a big bump off turn two and you are bouncing off that and you are inches off the wall. You’re not off the gas very long and then you’re back on the gas into turn three. Let it roll back to the throttle and it’s very challenging, very unique and very exciting.”

What special tricks have you found that helped you run well at Bristol?
“The biggest thing is to stay low in the corners, that’s the right way to be,” said Bobby Labonte. “I think the biggest thing is that you have to have good forward bite up off the corner, because if you lose forward bite up off the corner you’re going to spin your tires and someone will get underneath you really easily. The whole thing, when you walk in the gate, it’s a challenge.”

Thus far with a few races under your belt in 2007 with the Dollar General stores crew, how is the chemistry working with the crew and crew chief, Wally Rogers?
“Well, I think it’s been really good,” said Bobby Labonte. “I know Wally Rogers from last year a little bit because he worked on the No. 33 car, but I didn’t get to talk to him a whole lot. But this year has been really good, we have started off with some basic stuff and stayed with it. I think everyone has done a good job. It’s been a little bit of a rebuilding, kind of one step at a time.”

CREW CHIEF CORNER WITH WALLY ROGERS:

CAR SPECS: “At Bristol [Tenn., Motor Speedway] the chassis is the most important area to focus on,” reported Wally Rogers. “A motor is important, but a good handling chassis will help a driver get around the short track. Getting through the middle of the corner is the key to getting around Bristol, because there is so much banking on the track you are getting on the gas early and the bottom of the track is the place to be. If your car isn’t handling it’s tough to stay on the bottom and other drivers will get by you.”

THE WORLD’S FASTEST HALF MILE: “Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway is very exciting for the fans to watch,” said Wally Rogers. “It’s like a hockey game and a football game together. There is beating, banging, routing and gouging in every turn. You’ve got to bring your friends with you and leave your feelings at the house.”

PIT STRATEGY: “Pit strategy is very important at Bristol [Tenn., Motor Speedway], every bit as important as how good your car is,” said Wally Rogers. “You can have a good car and make a bad call on a pit stop and be in trouble for the rest of the day.”

THE HISTORY OF NUMEROLOGY: After dabbling in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2004 and 2005, Kevin and DeLana Harvick wanted to start two full-time Busch Series teams for the 2006 season. When Dollar General Corporate came on board at Kevin Harvick Inc., immediately there were discussions about which number to choose for the Dollar General stores Chevrolet.

Monty Bailey, Dollar General stores Motorsports Manager, suggested to Kevin and DeLana Harvick to use the number seven, in honor of Harry Gant’s No. 7 NASCAR Busch Series car number.

Bailey, was a long time Harry Gant fan and joined Gant’s fan club helping to organize fan club events and membership drives around Nashville, Tenn. The Dollar General Corporation is located in Goodlettsville, Tenn., just outside of Nashville.

“There is also the old adage, ‘Lucky 7,’ that you have to take into consideration,” said Monty Bailey. “There were some rights and ownership situations with the No. 7, which presented more of an obstacle than an opportunity, so I looked at the No. 77, as being twice as lucky!”

With all the history of how the No. 77 was chosen for the Dollar General stores Chevrolet. Harry Gant, to this day, has no idea about this.

“It is pretty neat to know that his era was the inspiration behind the Dollar General stores car being tabbed the No. 77,” said Monty Bailey.

Heading into the NASCAR Busch Series race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the track race record, of 92.929 mph, holder is none other than the No. 7 driven by Harry Gant. The track race record has been held since March 4, 1992.

QUICK NOTES:
Race Info
Date: March 24, 2007
Track: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
Event Name: Sharpie Mini 300

Race length: 300 laps / 159.9 miles
Banking/Turns: 36-degrees
Track layout: 0.533-mile
Shape: Oval

Pre-Race Schedule:
Practice—Friday at 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
Final Practice—Friday at 2:20 – 3:30 p.m. ET
Qualifying—Saturday at 11:10 a.m. ET

Broadcast Times:
TV – NASCAR Countdown pre-race coverage can be seen live on ABC at 2:30 p.m. ET. Followed by the Sharpie Mini 300 on ABC at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Radio – The Performance Racing Network (PRN) will broadcast pre-race coverage at 2:30 p.m. ET.

No. 77 Dollar General stores Monte Carlo SS Specs
Chassis: 018
Car History: Previously raced in 2006 at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway with Bobby Labonte behind the wheel.
Engine: RCR