BOBBY LABONTE (No. 43 Cheerios Racing/Betty Crocker Dodge Charger)

YOU WERE IN THE TOP-FIVE FOR BOTH PRACTICE SESSIONS THIS WEEKEND, HOW GOOD IS YOUR DODGE CHARGER HEADING INTO RACEDAY TOMORROW? “It’s real good. I’m a little concerned about (the car) getting too tight as the race goes on. It’s typical Loudon, but I feel good about our Cheerios Racing/Betty Crocker Dodge. We unloaded the car and I don’t think that we have changed a single thing to it. Because we unloaded so well, I think that will help us tremendously tomorrow because we won’t spend so much time trying to catch up. I feel confident about our chances tomorrow, but it won’t be easy. We’ve got to pass a bunch of cars starting 20th, but I think I have a car underneath me that can do it.”

YOU STATED EARLIER IN THE WEEK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO FINISH THE SEASON IN THE TOP-15 IN DRIVER POINTS, HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO YOUR TEAMS PSYCHE HEADING INTO THE LAST 10 RACES? “I think it’s really important. I haven’t looked at the numbers to see what it would take to get there (top-15), but we have to race well and have some people in front of us drop a bit. We don’t want to fall back (in points), but it would be amazing to see what three top-fives would do for your year. I think it would be a great boost for our team heading into the ’09 season.”

YOU’VE BEEN FLOATING FROM 18TH TO 22ND IN DRIVER POINTS MOST OF THE SEASON, HOW MUCH HAS YOUR TEAM GAINED ON THE COT THAT’S NOT REFLECTIVE IN THE RESULTS/POINT STANDINGS? “We’ve made some nice gains, just not enough to show a significant difference in the point standings. We haven’t gotten any worse. It’s difficult out here. Petty Enterprises is a small operation compared to some of the bigger teams out here which makes the slope a little bit steeper for us to climb. But we’ve hit on a few things here recently that has cleared our minds up a bit and the direction we need to go. It’s exciting. I’m proud of my guys for sticking with it and the gains that we have made on this new car.”

Keys to Success: Sylvania 300 – New Hampshire Motor Speedway

LOUDON, N.H. (Sept. 13, 2008) – Each race weekend, random Dodge Motorsports crew chiefs, drivers, engine specialists and team members will give their insight on the ‘keys to success’ for the upcoming race. This week, the green flag drops at the 1.058-mile oval of New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sylvania 300.

Track: New Hampshire Motors Speedway (race 27of 36 NSCS point’s events)

Race: Sylvania 300

Track Length: 1.058-miles (300 laps)

Race Record: Jeff Burton, 117.134 mph (July 13, 1997)

Trivia Question: How many points did Kurt Busch beat runner-up Jimmie Johnson in claiming the 2004 NASCAR championship? (Answer Below)

Patrick Carpentier (No. 10 Berlin City Auto Group Dodge Charger)

"Track position is always the key to a good finish at Loudon. Since qualifying was rained out, those guys higher in points will be in position to score better finishes. Things like mechanical grip and having a good set of brakes under you are important too. The corners here are so long that you need to rotate the car really well through the middle (of the corner) to get a good run off. Get all these things right, keep yourself out of trouble and you should have a good day at Loudon."

Elliott Sadler (Driver, No. 19 Stanley Tools Dodge Charger)

“Loudon is a tough racetrack and track position is extremely important. The track is flat which makes it hard to pass, so qualifying and pit stops become very important.”

Roy McCauley (Crew Chief, No 12 Kodak Dodge Charger)

“The key is just to have the car turn better in the center and not be so loose coming off the corners. If we can make the package better, I think we will have a good run at Loudon this weekend. It has been a good track for Ryan (Newman) and the No. 12 team, and we would like to continue that trend.”

Answer to Trivia Question: 8 – Busch is the only driver in the brief four-year Chase era to begin the 10-race championship run by winning the Week 1 event.*