Hall of Fame Racing

All too often, NASCAR’s most promising young stars fail at the highest level, the Sprint Cup Series. We consider them the best talent, the next Jeff Gordon. Then, they advance to Cup, produce lackluster results, and disappear.

Why? They’re doing it wrong.

Brad Keselowski, however, is doing it right. Allow me to explain.

The problem with the drivers who don’t succeed is coming up to Cup too fast, or not waiting for the right opportunity. We’ve seen this on many occasions.

Casey Atwood was the youngest winner in the Nationwide Series, but came to Cup in 2001 with Evernham Motorsports, a brand new team. Casey and Evernham were going through growing pains together, which never turns out very well. Finally, by the end of the season, they started to get through the growing pains and started running well, but by then it was too late, and Casey got the boot.

In 2002 and 2003, Scott Riggs was racing in the Nationwide Series with PPC Racing, a team that had won the championship with Jeff Green the year before. Riggs had a pair of wins each year, and finished in the top ten in points both years. We all thought Scott Riggs was going to be successful.

Then, Riggs moved to Cup with MB2 Motorsports, regarded as a second-tier team, propped up only by Valvoline’s partial ownership. Riggs had only a handful of good runs, outnumbered by his DNQ’s. Goodbye Scott Riggs.

JJ Yeley was highly touted for a number of years while he was tearing things up on the open-wheeled circuits. He signed a development contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, and ran a few seasons in Nationwide. However, he was moved up to Cup before showing anything special in Nationwide.

After two seasons in Gibbs No. 18 car, he was shipped off to then-Gibbs satellite team Hall of Fame Racing, and was cut loose after half a season. The only time we have seen him around the NASCAR garage since then was when he served as an analyst for one of SPEED’s Truck Series races earlier this year.

And, do I need to mention Dario Franchitti, who jumped straight from an IndyCar into Sprint Cup?

I could list more than a few other names, too: Jacques Villeneuve, Scott Pruett, Patrick Carpentier, Chad McCumbee, Jason Leffler. You can probably name some more.

Fortunately, Joey Logano has the long-term support of his team and sponsor, Joe Gibbs Racing and Home Depot. He intended to race longer in the Nationwide series before coming up to Cup, but Tony Stewart’s sudden departure necessitated Logano’s early promotion. But, even “Sliced Bread,” as in “the best thing since...” has struggled at NASCAR’s highest level.

Brad Keselowski, however, will be different. He has raced in the Nationwide Series for the past few seasons, the last two with Junior Motorsports, one of the best Nationwide teams. Here, he had the opportunity to cut his teeth, develop his skills, his style, and deal with the pressure of racing all year and pleasing high-profile sponsors.

Sure, he could have defected at the end of last year to some underfunded Cup team (it was never publicized, but one would be crazy to think no one offered it to him). He’s run just a handful of Cup races this year, to get used to the car, the longer races, and the higher competition level.

And next year, he will be with Penske, arguably one of the best teams across all forms of motorsports. He waited patiently, realizing he was with one of the best teams in Nationwide, until he had an opportunity to be in a good ride with long-term stability next year.

This is why Brad Keselowski will not fall off the map any time soon.

Other NASCAR Notes

Speaking of rookies, I don’t think there is anyone in line for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year competition next year. The only rookie I can think of is Brad Keselowski, but he has run too many races this year to be eligible. Unless Dexter Bean suddenly figures out how to qualify his car, we’ve got no one. The last time there were no eligible rookies was 1983.

It’s not like there aren’t any qualified drivers, it’s just that no teams have openings. No drivers are retiring, and sponsors are hard to come by to expand.

Also, the way things are looking right now, there won’t be enough Dodge cars to fill their allotment in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. The season opening exhibition race used to be for the previous season’s pole winners, but was changed to the top six cars in owner points for each manufacturer, plus the most recent past champion not already included or the seventh car in owner points.

I compiled a list based off what we already know for next season, and Penske’s three cars are the only entries for Dodge so far. Unless Dodge adds at least four more teams, Budweiser will, once again, have to change the rules to have a decent car count.

-David Dubczak

When the 2000 Cup Champ Bobby Labonte suddenly found himself without a ride at Hall of Fame Racing for seven of the last twelve races of the season, the underfunded but respectfully well-performing team of TRG Motorsports offered him a spot in their no. 71 car for those races (it didn’t hurt that Labonte has a past-champions provisional to bring to this non-top 35 team, guaranteeing them a starting spot). Surprisingly, in the two races he has been in this car, he has run very well, posting an 18^th at Atlanta and a 22^nd at Loudon. In fact, in all parts of the weekend, he has outperformed his no. 96 HOF entry, both compared to his own stats and the performance of the driver who bought him out, Erik Darnell. This is going to work out either very good for Labonte, very bad for Hall of Fame, or both.

TRG, while not being new to racing, is new to NASCAR this year. They have a limited fleet of vehicles, and 10 total employees (including the truck driver). The no. 71 does not have a primary sponsor and cannot afford to run the whole race on their unsponsored weekends, relying on their winnings to fund their week-to-week operations. Though they tend to qualify well, often being one of the top go-or-go-home cars on Friday, their race finishes when they do race are usually poor, despite the efforts of driver David Gilliland.

Then Bobby comes along, and the whole team seemingly perks up. They’re fast in practice and run in the top ten during the race. At Loudon, Bobby, who thought he had “forgotten how to qualify,” put the car in the 8^th starting position… his only top-ten qualifying effort all year, with only two other top-15 runs.

With TRG, Bobby is showing he can still “get it done,” and hasn’t lost the talent he had in 2000. At Gibbs, his team relied to heavily on the status quo, the sport surpassed them, and he struggled in his latter years. He then went to Petty Enterprises to drive the no. 43, whose fame was the only thing going for it. Now, TRG often outqualifies fully-funded teams, and with Bobby in the car, outraces them.

Herein lies the problem: Labonte’s normal ride, the no. 96 Hall of Fame Racing entry is, for all intents and purposes, a Yates Racing car and full teammate to Paul Menard, and fully sponsored (save for those seven races) by Ask.com and Texas Instruments DLP. This car is one of the ones being outrun by Labonte and TRG. Yates has two fully sponsored cars, and the full slate of technology available to them. Yates has a technology and information-sharing alliance with Roush-Fenway Racing, and supposedly builds the best engines in the business. Yet, they have finished one-third of the races in 2009 outside of the top 25, have had one top-ten, and sits 31^st in owner’s points. TRG, the-little-team-that-could, is not supposed to be beating them.

This could affect sponsorship for Hall of Fame. For their first few years, Texas Instruments DLP was their primary sponsor, and they have reduced their backing to the associate level. Ask.com came in this season as one of the few companies with new money to spend in the sport, and signed a one-year deal with HOF. They, now, are looking elsewhere for 2010.

As is Hall of Fame. For their first few years, they were the illegitimate child of Joe Gibbs Racing. They thought the cars were getting equal preparation and they were in equal equipment, but it took Joey Logano, who raced the no. 96 for a few races at the end of 2008, to find they did not. The deal with Yates was supposed to be a full partnership, being Yates cars in all but name (to be fair, Yates driver Paul Menard is 33^rd in owner’s points). And, with the Yates-Petty merger, Hall of Fame will have to find a new team to align with in 2010. However, if sponsors doubt their ability to perform, especially when their driver outperforms them in a “worse” team, it is unlikely they will remain in the sport for much longer.

Bobby Labonte, though, has shown he can still do it. He’ll be with a good team again next year.

Other NASCAR Notes:

Espionage at Richard Petty Motorsports? On Monday’s This Week in NASCAR, Jimmy Spencer eluded to the possibility of a “snake in the wood pile” in the engine room at RPM, causing their lone chase driver Kasey Kahne to blow an engine 70 laps into the Sylvania 300 this Sunday, the first chase race. This is in the wake of the announced Yates-Petty merger, which effectively will lay off the entire RPM engine-building staff. Here’s the interesting thing: none of the RPM drivers have had a single DNF all year, much less an engine related issue. Interesting…

Kurt Busch will not win the championship. His crew chief, Pat Tryson, has been locked out of the Penske Racing shop after announcing he will jump ship to Michael Waltrip Racing next year. I’m sorry, the crew chief needs to be at the shop building cars. This move, put in place to protect their preparations for next year from leaking to MWR, has cost them the championship.

-David Dubczak

NASCAR announced on July 2, 2009 the 25 nominees for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction.

From the list (provided below), five inductees will be chosen and announced in October and honored in May 2010, when the Hall of Fame facility in Charlotte, N.C. opens to the public.

The Hall of Fame's first five inductees will be determined by a Voting Panel, which is made up of 50 members—the entire Nominating Committee, 14 media members, four manufacturer representatives, nine retired competitors (drivers, owners, and crew chiefs), and two recognized industry leaders.

In additon, NASCAR.com will provide fans the opportunity to vote. The fan vote will make up the Voting Panel's 51st and final ballot.

1. Bobby Allison, 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races.

2. Buck Baker, the first driver to win consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.

3. Red Byron, first NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, in 1949.

4. Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series.

5. Dale Earnhardt, won a record seven NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.

6. Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion.

7. Tim Flock, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.

8. Bill France Jr., NASCAR president, chairman, and CEO (1972-2003).

9. Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and first president (1948-1972).

10. Rick Hendrick, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series.

11. Ned Jarrett, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.

12. Junior Johnson, 50 wins as a driver, 132 wins and six championships as an owner.

13. Bud Moore, 63 wins and two NASCAR Sprint Cup titles as a car owner.

14. Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner.

15. Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.

16. David Pearson, 105 victories and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.

17. Lee Petty, winner of the first Daytona 500, and first three-time series champion.

18. Richard Petty, 200 wins and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup titles–both records.

19. Fireball Roberts, won 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including 1962 Daytona 500.

20. Herb Thomas, first two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, 1951 and 1953.

21. Curtis Turner, first to win Daytona 500, Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 in same year.

22. Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.

23. Joe Weatherly, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion.

24. Glen Wood, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success.

25. Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, 1976-78.

The Induction Process:

"The yearly HOF classes will have five inductees selected by a voting panel consisting of NASCAR industry leaders, manufacturer representatives, former competitors, the media, and fans.

Inductees will be chosen from an annual list of no more than 25 candidates. The main criteria for nomination and induction: NASCAR accomplishments and contributions to the sport.

To be eligible, former drivers must have competed 10 years in NASCAR, and be retired from racing for a minimum of three years. Non-drivers must have worked at least 10 years in the industry. (Potential candidates with shorter careers may be considered if there are special circumstances.)

After a 20-member nominating committee selects its list of candidates, the voting will entail a total of 48 ballots.

Twenty ballots will be from the nominating committee; 27 ballots will come from a group consisting of former drivers, former owners, former crew chiefs, manufacturer representatives, and media; one ballot will represent the results of a nationwide fan vote."

Nominating Committee–20 members

* Seven NASCAR representatives.

* NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director.

* NASCAR Hall of Fame Historian.

* Two track owners from International Speedway Corporation.

* Two track owners from Speedway Motorsports Incorporated.

* Track owner from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

* Track owner from Dover International Speedway.

* Track owner from Pocono Raceway.

* Four track owners from historic short tracks: Bowman-Gray Speedway in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, S.C.; Riverhead Raceway in Riverhead, N.Y; and Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in Irwindale, Calif.

Voting Committee – 47 members plus one fan vote

* 20 members of the nominating committee.

* 14 media representatives: Three each from the National Motorsports Press Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association; one each from FOX, Turner, ESPN, Motor Racing Network and Performance Racing Network.

* One representative each from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota.

* Three retired drivers.

* Three retired owners.

* Three retired crew chiefs.

* Fan vote.(Register to vote at NASCAR.com)

Be on the lookout for David Yeazell's variation of a "Creature vs. Creature" style community debate on Bleacher Creature's HOF picks.

So prepare yourselves now to pick your ultimate top five Hall of Famers and have your supportive arguments ready for an up close and personal town hall discussion!

Source: NASCARmedia press release for immediate publication and NASCARhall.com

In the 2009 offseason, one of the nicest men in the garage area, Bobby Labonte, was searching for a ride after a merger between Gillette Evernham Motorsports and Petty Enterprises left him out of work.

Labonte had slim pickings in January when he signed on to drive for Hall of Fame Racing, leaving fans scratching their heads.

Hall of Fame Racing? Really?

After all, this was a team J.J. Yeley had driven out of the top-35 last season. They had a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, and they had the manufacture in the best shape due to this economy in Toyota and still struggled. They had ownership problems and no sponsor.

What was Labonte thinking?

Ask.com and Academy Sports and Outdoors took a chance with Hall of Fame and Labonte to sponsor the team.

Yet, here we are six races into the 2009 season, and Labonte is sitting 19th in points, just 84 points out of Chase contention.

Are you kidding? With Hall of Fame Racing?

The fact is, Labonte is the most underrated driver in NASCAR.

This is a man who, in three years at Petty Enterprises, finished 21st, 18th, and 21st in the point standings with an organization who basically had one team for three seasons.

As much as we all loved Petty Enterprises, including Labonte, no one can deny they were lousy. Finishing that high in points was really impressive.

Labonte has taken a team who lost sponsorship last season and is coming off a miserable 2008, and given it an outside chance at making the 2009 Chase.

What has changed?

Todd Parrott is the new crew chief over at HOF Racing, and Labonte is the driver. Other than that, everyone is the same.

Can Labonte really make that big of a difference?

Of course. The most important member on a team is the driver, and Hall of Fame has a great one. That is why they are having so much success this season.

Not only that, Labonte is an extremely nice man. I've met him twice and each time, he's been the best man in the sport. He thanked every fan for coming out to his autograph session and talked to every single fan.

Maybe nice guys do finish first. He certainly has the talent, and now he finally has an up-and-coming team to help him get back to Victory Lane.

On April 1, Bobby Labonte will be inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame and become it's 10th member.

Labonte is being recognized for his contribution to the growth of motorsports in Texas.

"When you're inducted into a hall of fame, that means your career is supposed to be over," Labonte said. "So I don't like it a whole lot right now".

"He laughed, because he's not about to turn down hall of fame honors".

He's a native of Corpus Christi, began racing in 1969, following in his brother Terry's footsteps and it's when the sibling rivalry the two share started.

This award will be special to him, since his brother terry was inducted in 2003 and it seems like he's always catching up to his brother.

In 1982, he started racing in the Nationwide Series. In 1991, he earned his first NASCAR Championship as the series champion.

Then in 1994, he won another championship in the series, only this time as a owner and to date is the only one to win it as a driver and owner.

In 2000, Labonte had a dream year driving the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac for owner Joe Gibbs, and was crowned the Sprint Cup Champion.

Labonte was the first and has been the only driver to win championships in both of NASCAR's premier series the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series.

The Labontes also have been the first set of brothers to win Sprint Cup Championships, they really are the best brothers ever in NASCAR and have the hardware to back it up.

The Labonte brothers also were inducted together into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, in 2001 and that same year were honored by Corpus Christi with a park called, Labonte Park.

In 2008, he was inducted into the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame, which his brother is also a member of and yet another bond the two share after 30 years of racing.

Labonte in Cup, has notched 21 wins, has 114 top fives, 198 top 10 finishes, won 26 poles, made 550 starts and counting, over 18 years. Along with 202 Nationwide starts and 10 Truck series races.

Labonte proved two and a half weeks ago, he still has some racing left in his tank, when he recorded his first top five since 2006. 

"We had a good chance to win that race if the caution flag hadn't come out at the wrong time," Labonte said. "We were restarting eighth or ninth, with three or four laps to go, and we got to fifth. So we were coming on".

Obviously you can tell Labonte likes working again with crew chief Todd Parrott, likes his new team Hall of Fame Racing and has clicked with new sponsor Ask.com.

"Week in and week out, I know we have a chance to win," Labonte said.

It's been quite the ride, through the good and bad times. My fan hood started back in 1990 when he drove the No. 44 Slim Jim car.

He's a racer's racer, class act and deserves the recognition for what he done in his NASCAR race career.

I know we'll be see Labonte in Victory Lane again, and remember his brother Terry had a 12 year gap between titles.

So don't be surprised in the Chase era to see Labonte hoisting another Cup championship.

After all, it's not about 36 races anymore; just make the top 12 in the first 26 races and it's who runs best for 10 races that's champion.

Sources: texasmotorspeedway.com & dallasnews.com

Photo Credit: sports.yahoo.com

Shhhh!

Let's just keep it down about that—we don't want to jinx him. 

That may sound silly to some, but to others, it's a very real concern (and you know who you are). We all act a bit superstitious when it comes to wishing our drivers luck.

This serious yet sometimes compulsive behavior can be annoying. But hey, we have to do what we can to get our guy back in the winner's circle.

If a fan needs to make sure he watches from the same recliner he was in when his driver won previously, he may travel to his friend's house 500 miles away to do it. If he needs to make sure he uses the same beer koozie, he'll find it.

Don't forget all of those silent little prayers you say that no one else can hear. Anything for a little boost, no?

Now, in Bobby Labonte's case, my freaky little deal was saying: "No, please don't say he was a six-time winner at Atlanta before the race. Nobody do it. I can't hear it, or else. Please don't say it. No! No! No!"

After all, look where that got him the last several years in Atlanta.

I know that driving ability, a postive attitude, the pit chiefs and crews, owners, engineers, money, and sponsorships are what lead a driver to the checkered flag first.

It's probably not the peanut shells and green cars around, or Sterling Marlin's need for a bologna sandwich before a race, or the whole unlucky underwear thing.

But I'll tell you this NASCAR fans: It sure doesn't hurt to root for your driver, no matter what crazy fashion you may choose to do it in.

I have met many people at races, and some are the most down-to-Earth people you could meet. Don't let someone tell you you're crazy for the way you decide to prepare youself for one of the greatest sports out there. Just enjoy!

Now, gosh, I can't for the life of me remember what recliner I was in!

Quiet, Martinsville is coming up!

Please don't say three-time...you know...go Bobby Labonte!

Most drivers in the NASCAR garage enjoy kicking back on a rare off weekend from the Sprint Cup Series, whether it's hittin' the dirt track or hittin' the beach.

But some drivers still have to go to work, as Goodyear does some more tire tests at the historic egg-shaped Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC.

Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick, and Bobby Labonte were at Darlington Wednesday to help Goodyear prepare for the race at Darlington in May.

Though this track is NASCAR's oldest speedway, this year will only be the second event at the 1.3 mile track with the new pavement laid out last winter. This should result in better racing and more of the traditional excitement of Darlington.

Tires tend to wear quickly at this track, and managing the wear is key to winning this race.

So even though these drivers would have enjoyed their time off, they realize that it's crucial to give Goodyear the right information about their tires so that they can optimize tire selection for the event.

With NASCAR's test ban, it also gives these drivers a slight advantage.

"They repaved the track last year and you hated to see it in one way but they did a great job and it’s still the same Darlington," said 2000 Southern 500 winner Bobby Labonte, who has shown surprising pace in his first season behind the wheel of the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Ford Fusion. 

"Speeds have picked up, the surface is smoother but the racing is still great and it still means the same thing to win here."

"Well obviously this is a very historic race track that we go to," said Kevin Harvick, who is yet to win at the historic track. "It still has a lot of the characteristics that it’s had for a number of years so to come here and race as a driver in NASCAR, I think that’s something special to everyone in the garage.

"This is an exciting place for us to race at and to win would be really cool. We’ve been close a couple of times and it would be nice to finally win one here."

"This is a place I got to come to as a kid and watch races because it is not far from where I grew up so to come here and have a chance to win this race is a dream come true," added Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports.

"I love that we race here, I’m glad it’s a night race, it’s a great event for us and since we only come here once a year we put a lot of effort into running well here because Darlington is still a huge cornerstone in our sport and represents where we’ve been and how far we’ve come."

Hamlin has won here twice, in the Nationwide Series, and is hoping that his success rubs off on his Sprint Cup Series No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team to win the big Southern 500.

"Darlington is a great race track for me, I always run well here," he said. "It’s a great race track, I love running here and it’s got so much history. You hated to see it get paved but they did a great job doing it and it still promotes great racing. It’s a great track with great history and you love to win here no matter what car you are in."

Tickets for the 2009 Southern 500, as well as the Nationwide Series event, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by calling the track at 866-459-RACE or online at darlingtonraceway.com/tickets/.

Bobby Labonte would say it best post race, of his fifth place finish and called it "pretty freaking awesome." It also was great to see Hall Of Fame Racing/Yates Racing running so well after struggling for several years. 

Labonte qualified his No. 96 Ask.com Hall Of Fame Racing Ford in 17th on Friday, for Sunday's Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. More exciting for his fans, was Labonte, collecting his first top five finish since since Martinsville in October 2006, and yes, he still can race.

Labonte for the first half of the race struggled with the race track and getting his car to handle just right.

For the first 164 laps of the race, Labonte got as high as 10th and as low as 26th place.

Crew chief Todd Parrott and the crew, didn't miss a beat on pit road. Making adjustments to get the 96 handling better for Labonte. Then Parrott let Vegas rub off on him and made the call that gave Labonte valuable track position and he never relinquished it back.

The 96 Ask.com car pitted on Lap 165, due to the ninth caution flag. Parrott made the gambling call for two tires, fuel and got Labonte off of pit road in second. Labonte ran in second for the next 20 laps, he tried to reel in leader Jeff Burton and held his own staying in the top five.

On Lap 221 on another caution flag, Labonte came to pit road for fuel, a chassis adjustment and came out in second behind leader Burton.

On the green flag restart on Lap 227, Labonte would let Rowdy Busch by falls to third. On Lap 230, Labonte passed Burton for second and sets his sights on Busch leading.

Labonte on Lap 233, was 1.5 seconds behind Busch and this part of the race was exciting for me.

Nine laps later Labonte had caught Rowdy Busch, the lead is under a second now and closing as he's going to be challenging for the lead shortly. It was exciting to see Labonte reel in Rowdy, get as close to 0.005 seconds back, a couple of times it looked like he had him.

But unfortunately he never hit the lap traffic right to make a pass for the lead and on Lap 258 the twelfth caution came out. On Lap 259, Labonte came to pit road, again his crew made a two tire stop, took on fuel and exited the pits in eighth place.

Over the last 25 laps, he dropped back to 10th, survived a couple of late cautions, and crossed the finish line in fifth.

Labonte, in the closing laps, looked racy as he passed both Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray and had David Ruetimann in his sights for fourth place.

But ran out of laps, I'm convinced had it been just five laps longer.

We could have seen Labonte steal a win in Vegas and my B/R fans would swear they heard me yelling/cheering loudly for him.

"I'm really excited about it", Labonte said. "These guys have done a great job. We've got so many great people there working for us, and i just feel like we've got all this confidence on our side right now. I'm excited we got us a top-five and we're looking forward to each and every weekend. It's going to be a builder for me."

"I just feel like I like I did all I could do, but I know there's more for me to prove in these race cars and I can't wait to do it".

Most excitingly for me is that Labonte proved he still has it, he's just not logging laps and not out of gas.

Sure come season's end, Labonte, Hall of Fame/Yates Racing along with the 96 crew will be going to the Wardorf at seasons end and finish in the top-12.

After three races, Labonte sits in 10th in the points and is 99 points back of Jeff Gordon.

Note for the editor: Please do not change my tags, I've properly tag it and just add one if I missed any.

Sources: sports.yahoo.com, scenedaily.com and blog.mlive.com

Picture Source: sports.yahoo.com

While Bobby Labonte was 90 percent sure, I, as a Bobby Labonte lifer fan, was 99.9 percent sure he would be driving for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing in 2009, in either the No. 41 and or No. 8.

But then along came Hall of Fame Racing with Ask.com sponsorship and an alliance with Yates Racing.

This ultimately caused Labonte to pass on the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing deal and want to drive the No. 96 for Hall of Fame Racing.

"That would have been a great deal, too," Labonte said. "but this obviously was an opportunity that presented itself [as] secure, let's go racing for the year and be competitive and all that stuff. I know that was going to be the place I needed to be."

The deal with Hall of Fame Racing and Yates Racing was finalized on Jan. 10, they had Ask.com in hand and that's all it took to sign Labonte.

At the same time Earnhardt Ganassi Racing did not have full sponsorship yet for their  No. 8 and no guarantees they would.

Labonte hasn't revealed anything about his negotiations with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, other than to say he has a new found respect for Chip Ganassi and it would be a made for TV sitcom with horror and drama mixed in.

He did mention, "It was kind of wild. It was just touch and go for a little bit. Or not touch and go, just kind of tough."

In June 2008, Labonte had signed a four-year contract extension to stay at Petty Enterprises and the team sold majority of ownership to Boston Ventures.

The media made it look like Petty Enterprises released Labonte.

It was Labonte who asked for his release from the team. At the time, the team was laying off employees and had nothing other than 15 races lined up with sponsors for the No. 43.

They were looking at mergers, talking to various teams, he also had an option to remain driving the No. 43 should the merger with Gillette Evernham Motorsports gone through.

Which did happen, they are now called Richard Petty Motorsports.

"The baggage I had was not what they needed," he said, referring to his salary that was relatively high as a former Champion. "It was best to part ways and go on and hope they did what they ended up doing."

Labonte will have Todd Parrott as his crew chief. He'll also inherit the No. 38 owner points and a guaranteed starting position for the first five races due to the top 35 rule.

He'll have Paul Menard as a teammate in the No. 98 Menard's Ford, also Travis Kvapil will be running in five races in the No. 28 and could change to full-time with more sponsors.

Now David Gilliland is still under contract with Yates Racing, and don't think he'll be racing in a fourth team car.

It's an upgrade for him teammate wise, any way you look at it.

Labonte is excited to be at Yates Racing, under the Hall of Fame banner, with its affiliation with Roush-Fenway Racing, getting its cars, engines, and technology.

He feels he'll be able to compete for wins, poles, and even make the Chase.

"I'm pinching myself because this is a great opportunity," said Labonte, who last won a race driving the No. 18 in 2003 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

He has won in both the Camping World Truck Series in 2005 and the Nationwide Series in 2007.

Hall of Fame Racing's co-owners, Tom Garfinkel and Jeff Moorad, are excited to have Labonte as their driver and credit Yates Racing co-owner Max Jones with having a big role with landing him.

While it was rumored that Hall of Fame Racing was closing, they, like so many other teams, were looking to merge or form an alliance with another team, which they did with Yates Racing.

Of all the mergers this off-season, I like this one the best. Hall of Fame had a sponsor, Yates Racing had the team, and Labonte had the attractiveness sponsors love, plus proven ability.

I'm excited for Labonte, happy I don't have too watch another year of struggles in the No. 43.

I guarantee we'll see the No. 96 in victory lane this year and in the Chase.