Race Preview
 Quotes from Terry Labonte:
“I appreciate Petty Enterprises allowing me to race a partial schedule this year. It’s been a lot of fun and I didn’t realize how much I missed the sport until after that first race. I couldn’t do it every week, but five to ten races is pretty nice. This may be the last race that my brother and I will get to run as teammates. I’m going to enjoy every minute of it and hopefully get a solid run for this No. 45 Marathon Dodge. We finished 16th at Daytona so I’m confident we can have another good day.”
“Early in my career I had a love-hate relationship with Talladega. From our first race there in 1979 we knew that we could run up front and challenge for wins, but something always happened. Most of the time it was an engine problem. Talladega motors weren’t nearly as durable as they are today because they turned a lot more rpm without the plates. If it held together we would usually finish in the top-10. In 1989 we were able to put a complete race together and get our first win. I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish down there, but that first win really sticks out.”
“I think it’s pretty clear that the ‘Chase for the Sprint Cup’ is going to come down to a three-man fight. That was evident after Kansas when they finished 1-2-3. All three drivers have been consistent all year and it’s going to take one of them slipping up to give the others an edge. Biffle didn’t have the wins that Johnson or Edwards had this year, but he was solid all year and is peaking at the right time. It’s that kind of numbing consistency, with a few wins mixed in, that will give you a championship at the end of the year.”
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Race Results
1. Tony Stewart, Toyota
2. Paul Menard, Chevrolet
3. David Ragan, Ford
4. Jeff Burton, Chevrolet
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Bobby Labonte, No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge
17. Terry Labonte, No. 45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge
Bobby Labonte and the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team finished sixth in Sunday’s 500 mile event at the Talladega Superspeedway. The finish is the highest of the year for the 2000 Sprint Cup champion and his second top-10 finish of the season. Terry Labonte guided the No. 45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge to a 17th place finish as Petty Enterprises enjoyed one of their most complete performances of the season.
Tony Stewart picked up his first victory of the season and his first at Talladega after six career runner-up finishes. His victory, however, was not without controversy. Rookie Regan Smith appeared to have scored his first career victory, but NASCAR ruled that he went below the yellow ‘out of bounds’ line, which is not allowed, to make the final lap pass.
The race featured a NASCAR-record 64 lead changes among 28 drivers, but was also marred by two red flag periods following multi-car accidents involving six contenders in the ‘Chase for the Sprint Cup.’
Bobby Labonte began the race from the 32nd position, but quickly used the ‘high’ line to race his way inside the top-15 by lap 8. During a lap 33 caution period, crew chief Jeff Meendering brought B. Labonte down pit road for chassis adjustments. They would be the only adjustments to a fast No. 43 Dodge for the rest of the afternoon. After a big ‘push’ from the No. 26 car on lap 52, B. Labonte found himself running in the top-5. He was able to work his way to his race-high position of second on lap 60. The race would feature some breathtaking moments for the team as well. As one of the multi-car wrecks unfolded in front of B. Labonte on lap 68, he was able to make it through the chaos without hurting his car. He would spend the rest of the race inside the top-20. His 6th place finish was the highest for the Dodge Motorsports camp. B. Labonte finished inside the top-5 in several key statistics including Green Flag passes (1st), Fastest Drivers Early in a Run (4th), Fastest Drivers Late in a Run (3rd) and Green Flag Speed (4th, 195.061 mph). B. Labonte moved up one spot to 19th in the Sprint Cup Series point’s standings.
“We had a good car today, for sure,” said B. Labonte. “I could drive to the front when I needed to, but we just didn’t get enough help at the end to go for the win. It got pretty crazy out there at times, but that’s Talladega. We missed a couple really big wrecks and were able to come home with a top-10. That feels good. Now we get to look forward to a ‘home’ game at one of my favorite racetracks with a little momentum on our side.”
Terry Labonte, making his 53rd start at the Alabama oval, took the green flag from the 23rd position. Much the same as his brother, T. Labonte used a fast racecar and small adjustments by crew chief Stewart Cooper to keep his No. 45 Dodge inside the top-25 throughout the first 60 laps. However he was caught up in wreck on lap 68 and while the damage was relatively minor, he lost several laps as the crew made the necessary repairs to help the aerodynamics of the car. T. Labonte kept his car in position to pick up several Lucky Dog Awards and through that hard work and great driving he was able to take the checkered flag on the lead lap in 17th position.
“Things were going good until the 83 lost that tire. That’s the wreck I got in. It tore up our car and put us behind. I didn’t see what happened to cause that last big wreck. It was typical Talladega. One mistake, a flat tire, something like that can collect a lot of cars. We used up the back end of the car in the early wreck, but before that it was pretty good. I was hoping we could survive, be there at the end and sneak a good finish out of it. Anyway, it was fun.”
Last update Monday, October 6, 2008
Kyle Petty name and/or likeness used under license by Petty Marketing Company, L.L.C.
Richard Petty name and/or likeness used under license by Petty Marketing Company, L.L.C.
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