NASCAR Race Legend - Bobby Labonte

Robert Alan Labonte was born in Corpus Christi, TXMartinsville Speedway, Bobby made his Busch Series
and has been a consistent force in NASCAR sincedebut. He finished 30th and only took home $220 but
the early 80's. During his racing career, Bobby becameit was just the beginning for Bobby Labonte Racing,
the first driver to win both the Nationwide Serieshis very own team.
(1991) and the NASCAR cup crown (2000). He andHe continued making Nationwide Series starts and
his older brother Terry also became the first set ofwas able to complete his first full season in 1990 as
brothers to win the Cup title. (Terry won in '84 anddriver/owner. In this season he was able to score six
'96.) Bobby grew up watching his older brothertop-5s and seventeen top-10s. He finished fourth in
compete and was determined to follow in histhe series and was also named "Most Popular Driver".
footsteps. His life has been centered around racingThe very next year he made his Sprint Cup debut at
since he was just a kid, winning his first nationalDover, but finished 34th after engine trouble. In 1995,
quarter midget race at the age of seven and movingBobby made a long-term decision to join Joe Gibbs
on up his path of success.Racing where he spent 11 seasons. His first Cup
During his teen years, Bobby's family moved to Northvictory was the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor
Carolina becoming more involved in Cup racing withSpeedway (now Lowe's) in 1995 and the No.18 car
his bother Terry. Bobby kept a keen eye on hishas won at least one race each year since then.
brother's career and when he graduated from highBobby's dream finally came true in 2000 when he
school he joined the team of Hagan Racing, workingwon the Sprint Cup championship, joining his brother
on the cars that took his brother to the top of thein that accomplishment. In 2005 Petty Enterprises
Cup Series. But that wasn't enough for Bobby. Heinvited Bobby Labonte on board and he took the
was building his skills and soon started work on a carwheel of the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge.
of his own for the Nationwide Series. Bobby tookIn 2007, Bobby brought the Pettys their best points
pride in building his own car, managing his ownfinish since 1999. Trinity, NC is now Bobby's home,
equipment and being the best driver he couldwhere he enjoys family, fishing, and Jimmy Buffett
be--unlike today's drivers who rarely own or work onmusic-when he's not on the racetrack.
the cars they drive at the track. In 1982 at