The crew chief at the time, Frank Kerr, moved to the position of shop foreman. ). This was his first Busch Series win since 1998. In fact, with his win, he became the first driver to do so. Its a very small, very select group right now, but one that will grow in the next few years. Who was Bobby Rydell's first wife? In his next race, though, he finished in 17th, his best finish so far. The team is co-owned by Bobby's older brother Terry. Bobby celebrates his birthday on May 8th, every year. 2013 A. Dillon Other Works 2001 K. Harvick He left Gibbs after the 2005 season - and We will update Bobby Labonte's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. From then until 1977, he drove in quarter-midgets throughout the United States, winning many races. Two children: son Justin, a caught up during that time. "Family is super important to me," aid Labonte. 1984 S. Ard 2007 C. Edwards 2013-03-13 21:17:11. 1987 D. Earnhardt He is 57 years old. 2020 C. Elliott After getting out of his, Labonte was seen checking on Stewart to make sure he was okay. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He arranged for the two to have a first date at the High Point Cycling Classic in 2014, and they hit it off pretty quickly and got hitched soon after that. He is the first driver to have won both the Winston Cup championship in 2000 and the Busch Series championship in 1991 in both series current, touring form. Bobby was born on May 8, 1964, in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the United States. Bobby Flay's wife is Stephanie March the actress. Bobby Labonte's First Win Paved Way to Spot in NASCAR History Book With Joe Gibbs Racing Bobby and Terry Labonte are one of nine brother combinations 2006 K. Harvick Terry won his first Cup championship in 1984 while driving for the Billy Hagan-owned NASCAR Cup Series team. 51 for Phoenix Racing. 21 team earned six victories in 2007 with driver Kevin Harvick, and has earned two of the organization's four series championships. Labonte will reside in his special place until at least five drivers join him in the foreseeable future. Labonte qualified 4th and contended for the lead at the beginning of the race, but was caught up in the Big One, finishing 26th. 2016 D. Surez, 2017 W. Byron A couple of weeks after the procedure, you know, were back home and Dr. Allaf calls to give us the results of the biopsy and reassured us, Labonte said. 1984 T. Labonte In 1987, Labonte won 12 races at Caraway Speedway, clinching the track championship, in addition to working for Jay Hedgecock. He made history in 2017 when he was the first American NASCAR champion to compete in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and ran the full 2020 season in the No. As a 32-time NASCAR race winner, Bobby is one of only four drivers in NASCAR history to win a NASCAR CUP SERIES in 2000 and NASCAR XFINITY SERIES in the 1991 championship. When I was 14, running quarter-midgets and go-karts in Texas, I never thought ahead to what might be, the 57-year-old recently told Autoweek at his Longhorn Chassis Shop in Trinity, North Carolina. Bobby, who has two children with his first wife Donna, met Kristen through their personal trainer. As of now, bobby works as a FOX NASCAR analyst for the networks studio coverage, sharing his expertise across over 30 years of professional racing on NASCAR RACE HUB and NASCAR RACEDAY. The streak was second only to Jeff Gordon's. He also competed in two Busch Series races, winning a pole and finishing second and 24th respectively. Labonte made contact with Johnny Benson, Jr. sending that driver into the outside wall and then spun, flipping over, and skidding partway down the track on his roof. He revealed his fight against health issues. Also, Labonte went on a tear during the spring with three straight second-place finishes. ", "We make sure we take 45 minutes at the table for dinner and we get Opens at 10am Labonte was the first of four drivers to win both an Xfinity and premier series championship. He was successful, winning two poles (both at Bristol Motor Speedway), scoring six top-5s, and 17 top-10s. 10 car at Charlotte and Texas in a two race deal. We'd love to hear eyewitness Coming back to Talladega, Labonte would finish 31st. 18 Chevrolet had been competitive during the early months of the season, continuing what Jarrett and crew chief Jimmy Makar had built in 1992-1994. The two took a victory lap together in what Labonte said was one of the "most emotional and memorable moments of [his] life". In just his third full-time NASCAR Cup Series season, he switched from racing for Bill Davis to driving for coach Joe Gibbs. In the fall at Talladega, Labonte started 34th. results. marketing to make the program successful.". In his first race in the TRG, Labonte finished 21st in the Daytona 500 after he started 42nd with a champions provisional. The duo celebrated their marriage in 2016. In 2004, Labonte did not win a race for the first time since 1994 (ten years later) and finished 12th in the standings. One of these sports is louder and faster, but there are definitely some striking similarities between NASCAR and cycling, Kristin Labonte toldVelo News. In his first race at Atlanta, Labonte ran inside the Top 20 all night and scored an 18th-place finish. He signed a contract to drive the No. As he's preparing for another season behind the wheel of the No. We were building our own chassis and got off base. 2013-03-13 21:17:11. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism With eleven races remaining in the 2009 season, Labonte was replaced for Erik Darnell for 7 of the final eleven races due to sponsorship problems with the No. Bobby stands at a height of 6 ft 1 in (Approx 1.83 m). Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Labonte won twice more that year and had at least one victory a year for nine of his 11 years (1995-2005) with Gibbs. He is also one of 27 drivers to win a race in all three national series. Labonte then detailed how he first knew that something was wrong with his personal health. 1 Ford for Alex Caffi Motorsport. He was successful, winning two poles (both at Bristol Motor Speedway), scoring six top-5s, and 17 top-10s. Bobby was married to his first wife Donna Slate. In the spring Talladega race, Labonte finished 27th. He also ran in the Busch Series himself, making 12 starts and earning a victory at Michigan in August. Top-10 points finish. He works as a FOX NASCAR analyst for the networks studio coverage, sharing his expertise across over 30 years of professional racing on NASCAR RACE HUB and NASCAR RACEDAY. He finished 24th at the 2015 Daytona 500. They married in 1968 and stayed that way until she died of breast cancer in 2003. Arguably, some people might say that this season is the worst of his full-time career, as he only had two top 20 finishes in 2010 one at the Daytona 500 and one at the Infineon Raceway road course event. Therefore, Bobby has accumulated a decent fortune over the years he has worked. Labonte started the race, but at the 1st caution was relieved by Matt Kenseth. * Most laps led.). Labonte began the 2001 season with a seventh-place finish in the Bud Shootout. 1975 R. Petty 2005 T. Stewart Chance of rain 100%. Labonte would go on to win the season-ending race at Atlanta for the second year in a row. Brothers Terry and Bobby Labonte look on during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bobby and Terry Labonte are one of nine brother combinations to win NASCAR Cup races. GettyBobby Labonte prepares for practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Chase Elliott already have the big hardware from NASCARs top two series. For the Fall Talladega race, he finished 23rd, his best finish of the season. Next season, he continued his second-division success by winning the NASCAR Busch Series championship with two wins, 10 top-five, and 21 top-10 finishes. 55 years old, Bobby Labonte has a marital status. He and his older brother, Terry Labonte, are one of only two pairs of brothers to have both won the Cup championships (along with Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch). 18 car. Our car experts choose every product we feature. 2000 J. TRG also announced an alliance with Richard Childress Racing for 2010. 1986 L. Pearson Hes not someone that shares much information about himself, but he wanted to just help others that could face a similar diagnosis. He is also the first driver to complete the NASCAR Triple Threat at the same track, by winning races at Martinsville in every NASCARs top three racing series. 1980 D. Earnhardt Madison began school at Appalachian State University in the spring of 2017. He began racing in 1969 in quarter midgets in his home state of Texas, winning his first feature race one year later. Green finished third in points for Bobby Labonte Racing. Going into turn 1, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. overtook him in the lower groove, bringing Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton with him. RELATED: He was born and brought up in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the United States to his parents. In fact, with his win, he became the first driver to do so. 1983 B. Allison GettyBobby Labonte continues to compete at tracks across the country. 43. Bobby also received the IROC title in 2001. iPhones and iPads. At the summer Daytona race, he drove the No. In his inaugural season in the famous No. years driving for a hodgepodge of owners, he signed to drive the He said that in 2019 he started to feel unwell and went to a doctor to get checked out. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 1957 B. Baker Bobby also now competes part-time in the Superstar Racing Experience, driving the No. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2015. He and his older brother, Terry Labonte, are one of only two pairs of brothers to have both won the Cup championships (along with Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch). He is one of only four drivers in NASCAR history to have won both the NASCAR CUP SERIES in 2000 and the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES in 1991. "Family is super important to me," aid Labonte. This crash also collected Jason Leffler, Sterling Marlin, Robby Gordon, Mike Wallace, Ricky Craven, Terry Labonte, Buckshot Jones, Ricky Rudd, Ward Burton, and more. Labonte joined Petty Enterprises to drive the famous No. (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. The two married in 1991 and divorced in 2015. race team of his big brother Terry to winning a Cup championship of In 2008, Labonte continued his contract with Petty Enterprises, but experienced a largely unsuccessful season, gathering only three Top 10's and no Top 5's on his way to finishing 21st in the Sprint Cup point standings. In the 2009 Spring Las Vegas race, the Shelby 427, Labonte recorded his first Top 5 with Hall of Fame racing, and his best finish since he finished third in the Fall Martinsville race in 2006. 2012 B. Keselowski Not surprisingly, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame with the Class of 2020. 2000 B. Labonte Despite bouncing around, Labonte competed in every race for the 2010 season. Coming back to Talladega, Labonte would finish 31st. During the 2001 IROC champion, his experience extends beyond the American NASCAR circuit. Labonte returned to the Busch Series in 1985, running two races in a car he owned himself at Martinsville. He finished second in the points to Dale Jarrett, losing the championship by 201 points. Labonte made contact with Johnny Benson Jr. sending that driver into the outside wall and then spun, flipping over, and skidding partway down the track on his roof. More recently, achieved an MBA from Duke University. 18 car. This crash also collected Jason Leffler, Sterling Marlin, Robby Gordon, Mike Wallace, Ricky Craven, Terry Labonte, Buckshot Jones, Ricky Rudd, Ward Burton, and more. We have estimated The Texas native and North Carolina resident won the 1991 Xfinity title with his family-owned team. 2018 J. Logano, 2019 Ky. Busch 2010 J. Johnson For the Fall Talladega race, he finished 23rd, his best finish of the season. * Most laps led. Labonte's hood broke off and got attached to Stewart's car, which flipped over twice. ', ALL the latest NASCAR news straight to your inbox! volleyball games and Tyler has his political views that are a hot Occasional rain showers later at night. We just needed some luck; we needed the stars to line up right. Labonte's main success came driving late-model stock cars. It was a big deal for all of us.. Hed lost weight, and looked all but haggard. On June 23, Labonte was hired to drive car No. After the win, Labonte's next Top 10 was a ninth-place finish at Watkins Glen, then eighth and third-place finishes at Bristol and Darlington, and a sixth-place finish at Richmond. They also formed an alliance with Stewart Haas Racing, as Tony Stewart will provide a pit crew to the team. This answer is: In 1999, Labonte won five Winston Cup races, the most he has ever won in a single season. Labonte moved up the track, trying to block Bobby Hamilton, but coming onto the back straightaway, Hamilton tapped him from behind. [19], Labonte began competing on the SMART Modified Tour in 2021. It's fun and clears your heart and soul at Bobby Labonte has provided a new look at his life. Check it out here. "My brothers-in-law introduced me to the sport," said Labonte. they have two children, Tyler, 17, and Madison, 14. He visited tracks such as Florence Speedway, South Boston Speedway, Sharon Speedway, and Dominion Raceway among many others. (He made two starts with his own team in 1991 and was 0-for-61 with Bill Davis Racing in 1993-1994). Robert Allen Labonte (born May 8, 1964) is an American professional stock car racing driver. The 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, he currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota for RDV Competition, and is an analyst on NASCAR RaceDay for FOX Sports . One of Bobbys most memorable victories was the 1996 season-closing NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was his first career short track win at Martinsville. The NASCAR Hall of Famer revealed details during a special segment on NASCAR Race Hub about a brush with cancer and the importance of getting checked. In his first race at Atlanta, Labonte ran inside the Top 20 all night and scored an 18th-place finish. He won at Dover in the spring, swept both Pocono races (he was the third to accomplish this particular sweep, after Bobby Allison in 1982 and Tim Richmond in 1986; since 1999, Jimmie Johnson in 2004, Denny Hamlin in 2006, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2014 have also done this), the second Michigan race, and the season finale at Atlanta. Be Truthful. In 2000, Labonte won four races, the early-season race at Rockingham, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, the Southern 500 at Darlington, and the fall race at Charlotte. Labonte qualified 4th and contended for the lead at the beginning of the race, but was caught up in the Big One, finishing 26th. On the May 16th Dover race, due to lack of sponsorship, Labonte and the 71 team parked the car after 66 laps. He retook the lead on lap 184 but was involved in a frightening last-lap crash. Wiki User. Bobby is also the uncle of Justin Labonte, a former Xfinity Series race winner. Tyler has served on political campaigns for Thom Tillis and worked in 2014 as an intern for Interstate Batteries, which sponsored Bobbys 2000 championship season. He arranged for the two to have a first date at the High Point "I've Labonte is the first driver to have won both the Winston Cup championship (2000) and the Busch Series championship (1991) in both series current, touring form. The next season, 1994, Labonte achieved his second major success as a car owner when his Busch Series driver, David Green, won the championship. 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