Bobby Labonte Searches for Wins with Ask.com

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

January 22, 2009 7:11 pm UTC No Comments

Bobby Labonte driving a Ford ? OK. I’m a Labonte fan. At least he’s driving something in the Sprint Cup Series.

Driving a Fusion for Hall of Fame Racing? That doesn’t inspire me much. I am, after all, a J J Yeley fan too and Hall of Shame didn’t do anything for J J ‘s career.

But the car will be supported through a hybrid, satellite deal where Hall of Fame’s No 96 will be powered and pitted by Doug Yates’ Racing team, which also seems to mean support from Jack Roush and Roush-Fenway’s Ford factory team.

So given some of the scenarios I’d heard and read about concerning Texas Bobby, driving a car with solid support from one of the best organizations in the sport, is about as good as it could get I guess.

And that car will have full season sponsorship from NASCAR’s new “official seach engine“. Ask.com. Spiffy paint scheme too – flames and everything. He’ll get to debut the Ask.com no 96 Fusion in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway next month.

Maybe Labonte will relax a bit too, now that he isn’t “the Great Petty Blue Hope”.

Filed under: Bobby Labonte, Daytona International Speedway, Hall of Fame Racing, NASCAR, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR Rumors, Roush Racing, Sprint Cup Series, Yates Racing

Tagged with: Ask.com, Bobby Labonte, Doug Yates, J J Yeley, Jack Roush, NASCAR paint schemes, Yates Racing

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It’s not the money baby, it’s the amount

by Charlie Turner

April 1, 2008 10:24 pm UTC 8 Comments

Speculation runs rampant that Bobby Labonte will follow General Mills and bolt from Petty Enterprises for the fourth team at Richard Childress Racing.

That rumor has been floating since December. I’m not convinced that this deal is done. There’s still some smoke wafting through the garage. As the old saw goes – where there’s smoke……

Smoke in this case is Tony Stewart. Bobby Labonte isn’t the only tier one driver without a 2009 contract. Tony Stewart is looking for a date. So is Ryan Newman. Both would fit well into a super team at RCR.

It may turn out that Labonte is the guy. He does have relationships with both General Mills – his sponsor for three years – and RCR which fields his Nationwide Series ride.

But Stewart – even with his status as one of the top three Cup driver/personalities – has limited avenues to use as bargaining chips with Joe Gibbs Racing. Hendrick Motorsports is full up. DEI without Jr. is, as Tony said, a nice museum and the threat of moving to a Ford or Dodge team seems unlikely. Moving to a different Toyota team won’t happen. What’s left besides a seat with Richard Childress? Chevy wants Tony back, badly.

I think this will drag on for a while, giving us all something else to rag on through the summer. I would not bet on the outcome right now.

Photo credit – Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR Rumors, Richard Childress Racing, Ryan Newman, The Pettys, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: blog, Bobby Labonte, General Mills, motorsports, NASCAR, Petty Enterprises, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart

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