Bobby Labonte OUT @ Petty !!!

[RaceFanStan]

Bobby Labonte will now join the group of drivers looking for a Cup ride. :s
His 2000 Cup Championship should help him get a ride, let's hope it is a good one.

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/12/11/petty.announcement.blabonte/index.html

[tstran17_88]

His 2000 Cup Championship should help him get a ride, let's hope it is a good one.


Unfortunately, I wouldn’t call Earnhardt-Ganassi a good ride if that’s where he ends up.

[harvick#1]

RC should dump Mears and get Labonte. now there would be a great 4-man team

[RaceFanStan]

I think Bobby Labonte should go to the #10 GEM car. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif :up:
Reed Sorenson could then go to the #43 GEM/Petty car.

My logic runs this way :
The #43 IS IN the top 35 in Owner's Points so Sorenson would make the 1st 5 races. (thanks to Bobby Labonte.)
The #10 is NOT in the top 35 in Owner's Points & will have to qualify on speed or maybe ...
(Bobby Labonte's Champion's Provisional would guarantee the #10 to start the 1st 5 races.)

[Jonesi]

I think Bobby Labonte should go to the #10 GEM car. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif :up:
Reed Sorenson could then go to the #43 GEM/Petty car.

My logic runs this way :
The #43 IS IN the top 35 in Owner's Points so Sorenson would make the 1st 5 races. (thanks to Bobby Labonte.)
The #10 is NOT in the top 35 in Owner's Points & will have to qualify on speed or maybe ...
(Bobby Labonte's Champion's Provisional would guarantee the #10 to start the 1st 5 races.)

Except the #10 car is in the top 35, sort of. Although not officially announced all indications from Nascar is they will not let the 5th & 6th car owner points from the DEI/Ganassi merger be sold off. So with #01 & #15 gone, that moves #47 & 10 up in the top 35. The way things are going anyway after Daytona it really won't matter much.

[call_me_andrew]

I'm sure he can get a ride somewhere. He's a past champion.

[Jonesi]

I'm sure he can get a ride somewhere. He's a past champion.

Yes but he's behind Stewart (and Busch if Penske does the points swap again.) If there's only 38-40 full time teams as it begining to look like now, then I doubt a Champ Prov will need to be used after Daytona 500.

[dwboogityfan]

I think that Bobby would be a great asset to any team in the garage and think his exit probably marks the end of Petty.
As for where he ends up I think Earnhardt-Ganassi would be the favourite but wouldn't be surprised to see him end up back at Joe Gibbs in a 4th car or in extra car for Stewart-Haas.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I know that the Petty's cut him loose to get him on the market ASAP as they go through what might be their death throes....

Bobby is a steady and smart driver and he had the 43 in the top 20 in the points for a good part of the season. I figure he ends up at DEI Ganassi and maybe competes for the odd win.

GEM will hire Allmendinger because money is tight and they will get him cheaper. Also, AJ did a great job taking over the 10 and he has a lot of upside.

The top 35 will be almost meaningless. I think 43 quality cars will be hard to get some weeks....

[ms0362]

I always found it strange that Bobby stayed with Petty as long as he did. It was probably more for friendship than being competitive. This seems true since they were nice enough to release him so he could land something good.

[call_me_andrew]

In the last few years Petty was starting to look compeditive again. Too bad they ran out of cash.

[Mark in Oshawa]

If anyone reads the Andretti interview on the NASCAR.com website where he talks about being the last man to win in the 43 of Petty Enterprises it becomes clear likely why Bobby wanted to stay. They are a family operation and the driver becomes family. Being part of something small and growing it big is a very satifisfying thought and Bobby did a great job of helping move the team forward this last year or two....

[willracefan]

wow a lot has changed since i was last on here. when there's no racing, i dont come on hardly. i wonder where he will end up.

[RaceFanStan]

Bobby Labonte has landed @ the Hall Of Fame Racing #96 Ford ...
I smacked my forehead when I read this, then I investigated a bit more ...

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/13/blabonte.hof.racing/index.html

The #96 will now be in the Yates family for 2009 ... :D
that means the #96 will have all the goodies that the #28 & #38 have.

http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/01/13/yates.hof.partnership/index.html

Roush/Yates engines & technical help from Yates Racing should get the #96 up to speed ...
with a talented driver like Bobby Labonte, we could very well see the #96 in victory lane in 2009. :D

[jslone]

well at the very least hof can use the provisionals that bobby has,something tell me they well need them to get in.

[Jonesi]

well at the very least hof can use the provisionals that bobby has,something tell me they well need them to get in.

After Daytona they shouldn't be needed. Entry list likely to be very close to only 43 cars. If more, Labonte still racy enough to beat 1-2 cars out of 9-10.

[RaceFanStan]

We are talking Yates horsepower, a Champ's provisional shouldn't be needed IMO. :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

Labonte will be getting the owners points apparently from the 38. Not sure how THAT is legal but that was the rumour heard on Sirius NASCAR radio Thursday.

That said, with a Yates motor and Bobby driving, I don't see him needing help. THis year year qualifying wont be sending many people home once Daytona is over with....

[jslone]

my thing is what has Yates done latley?In the past his engines were strong but now?I know the drivers has a lot to do with it and bobby is the best they have had in a long time.I well wait and see if the team does any good.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Jslone..remember it is the same engine room that the Roush motors come from. The difference in results is more due to lack of testing and Kvapil and Gilliand not being at the same level as the Roushketeers. Bobby is a step up and he will have more test time here, not to mention the Menard money coming in helping the whole operation as a whole.

[call_me_andrew]

Yeah, I'm not sure that the Yates/Roush merger was such a good idea. Yates always made the most powerful engines and Roush always made the most fuel efficent engines. I think they were better off in competition with each other.