Chevy American Revolution 400 - Terry Labonte Notes

POLE GOAL: Terry Labonte is bidding to become the first driver to win consecutive poles for Richmond (Va.) International Raceway's spring race since Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon went back-to-back in 1998-99. In fact, only three other drivers have accomplished the feat in 50 years of racing at the .75-mile oval: Bobby Allison (1972-74), Neil Bonnett (1977-78) and Darrell Waltrip (1984-85).

EIGHT IS ENOUGH: Team owner Rick Hendrick will be shooting for his eighth career victory at RIR this week. Hendrick Motorsports has seven first-place finishes at the venue, good for a tie with Junior Johnson and Bud Moore for second all-time. Petty Engineering is first with 15 wins at Richmond.

LABONTE OUT FRONT: Labonte has qualified on the front row five times at Richmond, including last year's pole. The two-time champion led 30 laps early in the event before a broken shock relegated Kellogg's Racing to a 21st-place finish. Teammate Joe Nemechek won the race, which was shortened by seven laps because of rain.

OLD FAITHFUL: On Sunday, Kellogg's Racing will run the same No. 5 Chevrolet that Labonte put on the pole at Richmond a year ago. Chassis No. 261 was raced four times last season but has not been entered in 2004.

LABONTE AT RIR: In 51 career starts at Richmond, Labonte has 27 top-10 finishes. That ties him with Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace for first among active drivers. Hendrick Motorsports has seven wins at Richmond, including victories by Labonte in 1994, '95 and '98.

BETTER THAN HE STARTED: Labonte has finished in a higher position than he started in eight of the first 10 races this year, including his seventh-place finish May 2 at California Speedway, where he started 29th.

HMS FLEXES QUALIFYING MUSCLE: During time trials at Richmond last May, all four of Hendrick Motorsports' Cup Series teams qualified in the top-10, with Labonte earning the pole. The No. 25, No. 24 and No. 48 teams qualified second, sixth, and 10th respectively.

TERRY LABONTE, DRIVER OF THE NO. 5 KELLOGG'S CHEVROLETS: (ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TEAM'S SEVENTH-PLACE FINISH AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY.) "That was huge for our team at this point of the season. We'd been struggling, looking for that first top-10 finish. We had to travel all the way to California to find it, but I think we've got the spark we were looking for."

LABONTE: (ON RACING THROUGH THE MONTH OF MAY.) "The tracks we have coming up (Richmond and Lowe's Motor Speedway) are two places where we've had lots of success, so this is a great chance to build some momentum and get back in the points race."

(NOTE: Labonte has totaled six victories and five second-place finishes at Richmond International Raceway and Lowe's Motor Speedway, including two wins in RIR's spring race.)