TERRY LABONTE LMS NOTES & QUOTES
LABONTE MAKING 54TH LMS START:
Driving a No. 44 Kellogg’s Chevy, Terry Labonte will make his fourth NEXTEL Cup appearance of 2005 Sunday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The 400-lap marathon will mark the two-time champion’s 54th career points-paying start at the 1.5-mile venue, where he’s scored two all-star victories (1988, 1999) and one points win (October 1996).
ON THIS DATE:
Darrell Waltrip took a No. 17 Chevrolet to Victory Lane at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 29, 1988, marking the first of Rick Hendrick’s record 11 car-owner wins at the track. Hendrick has seen five of his drivers score first-place finishes in points-paying Cup Series events at LMS: Waltrip (2), Ken Schrader (1), Jeff Gordon (4), Labonte (1) and Jimmie Johnson (3).
LABONTE LOOKING FOR LOWE’S MAGIC:
In one two-year stretch (1995-96), Labonte logged four points-paying races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in which he finished no worse than third. He started in the top-10 in two of those events and led 241 total laps during that span. Labonte’s 1996 victory at LMS was one of six consecutive top-five finishes to close out the season and helped propel him to a second Cup Series championship.
‘SHIFTING GEARS’ IN HIGH GEAR:
Following Sunday’s event at LMS, Labonte’s 2005 “Shifting Gears” tour will make NEXTEL Cup stops at Pocono Raceway in June, Chicagoland Speedway in July, Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August, Kansas Speedway in October and Texas Motor Speedway in November. The 22-time winner
VICKERS, LABONTE SIGNING SATURDAY:
Vickers and Labonte will be signing autographs Saturday at the GMAC Insurance RV located across from Lowe’s Motor Speedway, near the corner of Highway 29 and Morehead Road. Labonte will be there for one hour beginning at 11:30 a.m., while Vickers will arrive at 1 p.m. Those wishing to participate must pick up a ticket at the GMAC Insurance RV beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. A limit of 300 tickets will be distributed for each driver.
TERRY LABONTE, DRIVER OF THE NO. 44 KELLOGG’S CHEVROLETS:
(ON HIS 1996 VICTORY AT LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY.) “That was definitely the race that made the difference in that ’96 championship. Jeff (Gordon) didn’t have a good weekend and we won the race. When we left, there was only one point between us. That was the finish we needed to turn it around and win that title. It was no doubt a rallying point for the team.”
NOTE: Labonte’s No. 44 Kellogg’s Chevrolet is designed after the 1996 championship-winning paint scheme.
LABONTE:
(YOU’VE NOW TESTED AND RACED AT LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY THIS MONTH. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?) “From what we learned in the all-star event, the race track is definitely different than is has been. The groove seems to have moved up a little bit, which is not necessarily uncommon for Lowe’s Motor Speedway, because sometimes during the race you will see the groove move up. Right now you can run fast off the truck in the middle of the track. It didn’t used to be that way. That is the biggest difference. It’s hard to tell anything from the All-Star Challenge because it’s such a different event. One thing that’s the same is that your car really has to handle well. The ‘600’ is a long event and the track usually changes throughout, but I’m not sure if the track will be as temperature-sensitive as it has in the past. I guess we’ll see.”
LABONTE:
(RUNNING A PART-TIME SCHEDULE THIS YEAR, YOU’RE NOT IN THE CAR ON A WEEKLY BASIS. DOES THAT MAKE IT TOUGHER TO STARE DOWN A 600-MILE RACE? DO YOU FEEL CONDITIONED FOR IT?) “It’s going to be a good test, that’s for sure [LAUGHS]. I’ll know Sunday night and definitely Monday morning.”
