Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 - Bobby Labonte Notes

LABONTE HOPES HIS 300TH CAREER START FOR JOE GIBBS RACING WILL END IN VICTORY LANE AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 21, 2003) - Though he made his 300th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series start last season in the spring event at Bristol, Bobby Labonte will be making his 300th start behind the wheel of the Joe Gibbs owned, Interstate Batteries Chevrolet this weekend in Atlanta. While it is not headline material to most people, Labonte says that this milestone probably couldn't come at a better time or place than the track he last won at.

"It's amazing that I have made that many starts here for Joe and Interstate Batteries," said Labonte. "I guess the saying is true that time flies when your having fun. We seem to have been a great fit for one another and it's more like we're all family than anything else. We have shared many highs and lows together, but for the most part, everything has been really good."

Speaking of good, Labonte is known by most people in the garage area and fans alike, to be a pretty decent driver at Atlanta. Since the track was reconfigured to it's current 1.54-mile layout before the final race of 1997, Labonte has owned Atlanta. In the 12 races run since the track was flip-flopped, Labonte has won five times, with three of those victories coming in the fall event. He has also finished in the top-five eight times during that span.

"I guess it's kind of cool when you look at it that way," he reflected. "I wasn't so sure I would like the track after they changed the configuration a couple of years ago, but I guess we know the answer to that question now don't we. I really can't explain it. We just seem to be able to unload there and be pretty good right off the truck and usually seem to be in position to challenge for the win on Sunday. That's what it's all about."

"I really like the sensation of speed you get racing there," added Labonte. "It's really the fastest track we have on the circuit now and for whatever reason, I guess I have taken to it like a duck takes to water. There were years when we weren't having a great season and it seemed I could always go to Atlanta a pull out a win. Hopefully this weekend will be no different."

While the results are all that matters on Sunday afternoons, what makes Labonte's results even more impressive is the fact that he has not always qualified up front. With an average starting position of 23rd in the five races he was victorious, Labonte says it would be great to start up front, but at Atlanta it is not as critical as many other tracks.

"You can pass high or low at Atlanta, so the pressure of qualifying up front is not as great as it might be at some other tracks," admitted Labonte. "Heck, I took provisional starts in two of my victories there. I'm not saying starting up front isn't important, because it is. You pick your pit stall based on the qualifying results and that is always critical, but I think I have showed that you can start a little further back in the pack and still make your way to the front if you have the car to do it."

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