#44 Team News and Links Page
LINKS
OFFICIAL - team/driver
Hendrick Motorsports
SPONSORS
Primary:
Kelloggs
Associates:
GMAC
Quaker State
UN-OFFICIAL - team/driver
#44 Team Past News and Rumors
(NOTE: some older links may not work)
Contact Status: Driver: 2006; Sponsor: 2006
TERRY LABONTE – 2006 'SHIFTING GEARS' SCHEDULE:
1st five races with the #96 Hall of Fame Racing team;
plus the two road courses
the rest in the #44 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy:
(no Bud Shootout mentioned)
April 9, Texas Motor Speedway
May 13, Darlington Raceway
May 28, Lowe's Motor Speedway
June 11, Pocono Raceway
July 9, Chicagoland Speedway
July 23, Pocono Raceway
Sept. 3, California Speedway
Oct. 1, Kansas Speedway
Oct. 14, Lowe's Motor Speedway
Nov. 5, Texas Motor Speedway
- Terry Labonte to make final career start Sunday: "Texas" Terry Labonte will make the 848th and final start of his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series career in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, and the two-time Cup champion will receive quite a send-off. The pre-race activities will be centered around Labonte, and there will be plenty of opportunity for his home state fans to say farewell to the 49-year-old Corpus Christi native. In addition to a special video tribute and gift presentations to Labonte, Texas Motor Speedway and NASCAR worked jointly in providing a special pre-race tribute for him. Labonte will be the final driver introduced, regardless of his qualifying position, and he and his wife, Kim, will be given a parade lap around the track in a Chevrolet Corvette at the front of the field of driver parade vehicles.
Following the command for "Gentleman, Start Your Engines," Labonte will lead the field on the parade lap before falling back to his qualifying position for the pace laps. Justin Labonte will be alongside his father as the two will pace the 43-car Nextel Cup Series field prior to the green flag. Justin will be driving the 1978 Stratagraph Chevrolet Monte Carlo that his father drove to his first Cup win at Darlington Raceway in 1980. Terry will be in the special paint scheme Chevy Monte Carlo featuring some of the top wins in his career, including his 1999 win at Texas, which is portrayed on the hood. Race fans also will have the opportunity to pen their best wishes to Labonte on a giant eight-foot tall postcard located in the "10 Years Strong Experience" outside Gate 4 on the frontstretch. Labonte will also run a special tribute paint scheme on the #44 Chevy, see images on the #44 Team Schemes page.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(11-3-2006)
- Terry Labonte inducted in LMS's Walk of Fame: Two-time Nextel Cup Champion and soon-to-be-retired driver Terry Labonte was inducted into the Lowe's Motor Speedway Court of Legends located at the main entrance to the speedway in front of Smith Tower on Friday night. Labonte put his right footprint into a cement square, then placed his handprints and followed with his autograph. H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, introduced Labonte to a large audience of race fans who turned out for the induction ceremony. "It's pretty interesting when you came up here from Texas back in 1978 to see how you have come," said Wheeler. "All of the wonderful achievements you have had. You have already become a legend."
"I appreciate that very much," said Labonte. "I feel pretty honored to be one of the group. It's been a great career. It's something you don't think about. To come out here and see some of the other guys that are inducted here is really pretty special. Some of these competitors and guys I have known. I see Cale Yarborough's prints over there and I just admired him so. It's really neat to be part of this group. It is a special group. It's always been a lot of fun to come down here to the Lowe's Motor Speedway and race. It's where I got my very first Busch Series win also. I have got a lot of great memories down here at the speedway. I won the all-star race a couple of times. That was pretty exciting. I just always enjoyed coming down here. Any athlete, I guess, no matter what sport you are in, there comes a day when it's time to say 'so long' and move on. So, I have got one more race after tomorrow night. It will be out in Texas in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to that." Wheeler also selected three young boys from the crowd to witness the signing. They were Carson Fritzinger from Hillsboro, N.J., and brothers Jeremy and Robert Swanhaus from Newport News, Va.(LMS Pit Notes)(10-15-2006)
- Terry Labonte to be inducted in LMS's Walk of Fame Today: #44-Terry Labonte will be inducted into the Lowe's Motor Speedway Walk of Fame on Friday afternoon. The ceremony will take place at 12:30pm/et at the Avenue of Flags in front of the Smith Tower. Following Saturday night's race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Labonte will have one event remaining in his storied career. The two-time NEXTEL Cup champion will officially retire following the Nov. 5 event at Texas Motor Speedway. At Lowe's Motor Speedway, Labonte's #44 GMAC Chevy will carry a red, white and blue paint scheme inspired by the #44 Piedmont Airlines car he drove to the 1984 Cup Series championship.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(10-13-2006)
- 1000th 'start' for Labonte: In a career spanning four decades, Terry Labonte has reached a multitude of milestones. Sunday's event at Kansas Speedway will mark yet another, as he makes his 1,000th career start in NASCAR- and IROC-sanctioned competition combined. Labonte has appeared in 999 events since 1978, the majority coming in his 845-race NEXTEL Cup Series career. He has also participated in the Busch Series (124 races), the Craftsman Truck Series (3) and IROC (27). With 999 races under his belt, Labonte has won two NEXTEL Cup championships, one IROC title, 11 Busch Series races and one Craftsman Truck Series event. He also clinched the 1993 IROC championship for the late Davey Allison with his substitute effort at Michigan that year. Labonte was the first driver to record a win in all three of NASCAR's major touring series and "retired" from his three-race Truck Series career after winning from the pole position at Richmond, Va., in 1995. His average Truck Series finish: second. At Kansas, Labonte's #44 GMAC Chevrolet will carry a red, white and blue paint scheme inspired by the #44 Piedmont Airlines car he drove to the 1984 Cup Series championship.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-29-2006)
- Texas to honor Labonte in final Cup start: Terry Labonte will retire from the Nextel Cup Series career following the Nov. 5 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. To salute his long and successful career, Texas Motor Speedway and NASCAR are planning a special celebration in honor of “Texas Terry” during the Nov. 2-5 Dickies 500 race weekend. “Terry Labonte is one of the great champions of our sport,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “He has made a lifetime of memories for race fans, and we are planning a number of special ways to say ‘thanks’ to one of Texas’ great sports legends. Also, fans attending the Dickies 500 race weekend will be able to participate in this tribute to Terry.” The two-time Cup series champion (1984, ’96) is one of only 14 drivers in NASCAR history to win multiple Cup series titles. His career features 22 wins, including a trip to Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway in 1999. In 11 starts at TMS, Labonte has five top-10 finishes as well as a pole position in 2000. Texas Motor Speedway and NASCAR have “Texas-sized” plans to honor Labonte leading up to and throughout the Dickies 500 race weekend.
One of those special honors for Labonte will directly involve the fans, who will have an opportunity to sign a giant greeting card designed especially for “Texas Terry.” It will be located in the “10 Years Strong Experience” exhibit, located in the midway area near Gate 4, throughout the race weekend. On the evening of Thursday, Nov. 2, the “All-Star Tribute to Terry Labonte” will be held in the Texas Grand Ballroom on the ninth floor of The Speedway Club. The special dinner gala will honor the career of Labonte and benefit Speedway Children’s Charities, Texas Chapter. The evening will also include a live auction featuring items from Terry’s career courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. To reserve a table or seats, contact Speedway Children’s Charities at (817) 215-8421.
On Sunday, Nov. 5, prior to the start for the Dickies 500, Texas Motor Speedway, in association with NASCAR, will present a special pre-race salute to Labonte. NASCAR and key sponsors through the years will present special gifts to Terry and his family on stage at the start/finish line. Fans will enjoy an exciting video tribute to Labonte on the NEXTELVision screens.
During driver introductions prior to the Dickies 500, Labonte will be the final driver introduced, regardless of his qualifying position. He and his wife, Kim, will be given a parade lap around the track in a Chevrolet Corvette so fans can have a chance to show their appreciation. All other drivers will receive a parade lap in the bed of Chevy Silverado trucks. Following the command for “Gentleman, Start Your Engines,” Terry will lead the field on the parade lap before falling back to his qualifying position for the pace laps.
In addition to the pre-race festivities honoring Labonte, the official Texas Motor Speedway Collector’s Edition Souvenir Program will highlight his career. An eight-page special section will be included in the Dickies 500 edition focusing on the life and accomplishments of “Texas Terry.” Fans also will receive a special Terry Labonte poster that will be inserted in each program. For ticket information regarding the Nov. 3 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350k, Nov. 4 Busch Series O’Reilly Challenge and Nov. 5 NEXTEL Cup Series Dickies 500, contact the speedway ticket hotline at 817-215-8500 or go online to www.texasmotorspeedway.com.(TMS PR)(9-21-2006)
- Terry Labonte to run 'Tribute Car' in final Cup race..at Texas: Having been nicknamed "The Iceman" early in his career, two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte is widely known for his cool, calm and collected demeanor. But even he was surprised following the unveiling of his #44 Kellogg's/Terry Labonte Tribute Chevy at Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday evening. Labonte, in town to give driving tips to members of the Dallas Cowboys prior to a session with the "Team Texas" racing school, was unaware he
would also be pulling the car cover off the Monte Carlo SS he will pilot in his final NEXTEL Cup Series race, the Nov. 5 Dickies 500 at TMS. "It was quite a surprise," said Labonte, a native of Corpus Christi who was joined by speedway president Eddie Gossage and Cowboys players for the reveal. "It's a truly unique race car, that's for sure. I've never seen anything quite like it. I'm definitely looking forward to showing it off to all the fans here in November and hopefully giving the car a good run. Everyone did a great job keeping this a secret because I had absolutely no clue it was happening." The vision of car designer Jim Gravlin, the scheme features moments from Labonte's 1996 championship and each of his dozen Cup victories with Hendrick Motorsports since 1994. The images include his infamous 1995 win at Bristol, Tenn., the historic 2003 Southern 500 triumph at Darlington, S.C., and his 1999 victory at Texas, which is appropriately showcased on the hood. The rear bumper of the car is inscribed simply with, "Thanks for the memories."(TMS PR), see an image of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(9-20-2006)
- Terry Labonte returns to the track: Driving a #44 GMAC Chevrolet, two-time Nextel Cup Series champion Terry Labonte will make his 12th start at California Speedway on Sunday. It will mark the final California race of his storied career. Labonte will next race at Kansas Speedway on Oct. 1, followed by his final trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway on Oct. 14. The last race of his career will come Nov. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway. Labonte will return to his native Corpus Christi, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Whataburger Field prior to Game 2 of the Texas League Division Series. Labonte will be pulling for his hometown Corpus Christi Hooks, owned by baseball great and fellow Texas legend Nolan Ryan.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-1-2006)
- #44 UPS Toyota in 2007? The UPS-sponsored Toyota Camry that Dale Jarrett will drive in 2007 for Michael Waltrip Racing might be the #44. NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter confirmed Sunday that Waltrip has expressed interest in acquiring the number. Terry Labonte has run the #44 on a limited basis this season for Hendrick Motorsports. But Petty Enterprises, the last team to the run the number on a full-time basis, still has a say in where it goes. "I know Michael is wanting it," said Robbie Loomis, Petty Enterprises' executive vice president of race operations. "It will really be up to Kyle and Richard [Petty]. If it's something that they feel warranted that we might need for the future, then I'm sure we'll keep it. Otherwise, they see the big picture of the sport. And if it's good for Michael and good for the other people involved, then we'll probably end up turning it over." Waltrip also has inquired about the #33. But car owner Richard Childress indicated he is unwilling to part with the number he campaigned in three races last season with Kerry Earnhardt behind the wheel.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)...and the #33 could be used if Childress expands to a 4-car team as had been rumored.(7-17-2006)
- Texas Terry back in the seat: Driving a #44 Kellogg's Chevy this weekend, two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Terry Labonte will run his first of two Pocono Raceway events in 2006. Labonte, who is running a limited schedule this season, will make his 51st career start Sunday at the unique 2.5-mile track.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-9-2006)
- Labonte's final Darlington start: Terry Labonte, driver of the #44 Kellogg's Chevy, will make his 54th and final Darlington Raceway start Saturday evening. Racing a limited schedule in his last NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season, Labonte will enter eight more events for Hendrick Motorsports in 2006, including the last of his career in November at Texas Motor Speedway. Darlington Raceway president Chris Browning will present Labonte with a one-of-a-kind memento during pre-race driver introductions Saturday evening. The piece includes souvenir program covers from significant Darlington races throughout Labonte's career, including his first start, first win, most recent win and final start. Although Labonte has 53 career starts at Darlington, Saturday night's race will mark his first under the lights at the South Carolina track. Labonte, whose career now spans 29 seasons, did not compete there in 2005 while running a part-time schedule for Hendrick Motorsports. Following Darlington, Labonte will next race for Hendrick Motorsports at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 28.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(5-10-2006)
- Texas Terry back in the #44: Driving a #44 Chevy with a familiar Kellogg's Corn Flakes paint scheme, Terry Labonte will make his 2006 Hendrick Motorsports debut Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. The event will mark the first of 10 NEXTEL Cup races the two-time champion will run for Hendrick in his final season of competition.(Hendrick Motorsports)(4-7-2006)
- Terry Labontes 2006 #44 Schedule: Hendrick Motorsports unveiled the 2006 schedule of two-time champion Terry Labonte, who will appear in 10 races with the organization during his final year of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition. The team will again campaign its #44 Chevrolets with primary sponsorship from Kellogg Company, GMAC and CARQUEST Auto Parts. Kellogg's will continue its 12-year relationship with Labonte as primary sponsor in half of the planned events. "This is an opportunity for me to have a little more fun," said Labonte, 49, who has 22 career Cup victories and two series championships (1984 and 1996) to his credit. "I've been fortunate to do this for nearly three decades and I'm excited to go back to some of the places that have meant so much to me, my team and my family over the years." Labonte, who began racing at the Cup level in 1978, will appear at six different venues during his 2006 Hendrick Motorsports "Shifting Gears - Lone Star Style" schedule, including multiple races at Texas Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway. A Corpus Christi, Texas, native, Labonte will compete April 9 at Texas Motor Speedway, followed by dates at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway. The July 23 event at Pocono will open the second half of the 10-race slate, prior to dates at California Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway. The final race of Labonte's storied career will come Nov. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports PR). Labonte will also drive the #96 Hall of Fame Racing/DLP Chevy in the first five races of the 2006 season.(1-5-2006)
- Terry Labonte not to run the Bud Shootout: Crew chief Philippe Lopez was thrilled with his new #96 Hall of Fame Racing pit crew's first practice. But Lopez says Terry Labonte will not drive in the Bud Shootout for HOFR, and that's different from what has been in some reports.(Sporting News), maybe in yhe #44 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy?(12-5-2005)
- 'Iron Man' Car at Texas: At Texas, Terry Labonte will be driving a #44 Kellogg's Chevrolet with a retro paint scheme identical to the 1996 "Iron Man" car that commemorated his then-record-breaking string of consecutive Cup Series races. He bested Richard Petty's all-time record of 513 straight events and eventually ran the streak to 655. Labonte's historic run ended in 2000 and was later surpassed by Ricky Rudd.(HMS PR), see image on my #44 Team Schemes page.(11-6-2005)
- OFFICIAL Labonte and Raines to #96 Hall of Fame Racing: In a press conference today at Texas Motor Speedway, Hall of Fame Racing announced that Terry Labonte and Tony Raines will co-drive the #96 DLP HDTV Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in 2006. Labonte, a two-time Cup Series champion and 22-time Nextel Cup race winner, will campaign the #96 DLP HDTV car in seven races, while Raines, the 1996 champion of the American Speed Association (ASA) and 1999 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year, will drive the #96 DLP HDTV machine in 29 races. “This is a milestone day for Hall of Fame Racing,” said Bill Saunders, managing partner of Hall of Fame Racing. “Terry and Tony bring a wealth of experience to our race team, and on behalf of the team’s partners – Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman – we couldn’t be happier with the selection. As part of our relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing, we were able to use their expertise in selecting our drivers. Terry’s and Tony’s names were at the top of the list, and it’s a privilege to have both of them in our race cars representing DLP HDTV and Hall of Fame Racing.”
“Terry is a veteran racer and a champion and Tony is an excellent driver who has done more with less in the equipment he’s been in,” added Philippe Lopez, crew chief for Hall of Fame Racing. Terry brings three things to the table. He brings leadership, credibility and familiarity. Our cars will come from Joe Gibbs Racing, and Terry drove for them in five races this year. There’s a comfort level already built into our program, which will make the transition from Terry being behind the wheel to Tony that much smoother."
“Tony gives excellent feedback with common sense suggestions,” continued Lopez. “I had a chance to work with him a few years ago and the chemistry was there. We know he can drive when he has good equipment. He’s been able to take cars that some people probably questioned how he even made the race with and knocked down some top-20s. He’s done a lot with a little, but now he has the equipment to match his capabilities.”
Labonte will compete in the season-opening Daytona 500 and the four following races at Fontana (Calif.), Las Vegas, Atlanta and Bristol (Tenn.), as well as the two road course races at Sonoma (Calif.) and Watkins Glen (N.Y.). Raines will be the driver at all of the remaining Nextel Cup point races, including the non-point Nextel Open at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
“My focus is on driving the car,” said Labonte, who is essentially on loan to Hall of Fame Racing from Hendrick Motorsports, for whom Labonte will compete in 10 other races. “I know how the car should feel as far as getting it set-up. That’s something that’s tough for someone without a lot of Nextel Cup experience, because it’s hard to know what your car needs to feel like for 500 miles.
“I’ve known Tony for several years and this is a great opportunity for him because I think this will honestly be the first time that he’s ever been with a top-notch team. With me running some of the races, he can come in there and have a lot of confidence and be a real part of the team even while I’m driving the car. There’s a lot that goes into a team and what makes it work,” said Labonte. “Sometimes it’s good to be standing on the edge taking everything in. It will be beneficial for him to see how I interact with the crew when it’s his turn to get in the car. This is a really good situation.”
“I’m a big Terry Labonte fan,” said Tony Raines, who in addition to his ASA and Busch Series accolades has four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins. “To have someone to lean on is going to help me and it’s going to help the team. I’ve worked really hard at making it to this level and I feel very fortunate that I’ve stuck with it and now have an opportunity to run in the Cup Series with an association with Joe Gibbs Racing. Running their engines, their equipment and being able to use their people is something a lot of drivers wish they had. I’m very thankful that Roger, Bill, Troy and Philippe saw what I’ve known all along – that I can compete and succeed at this level given the right equipment and the right people,” added Raines. “I know Texas Instruments is excited and the team is excited, but I’m really excited. I’m back in contention to win races. As a race car driver, that’s all you want to do. Success in this sport is about the relationships you make and the relationships you keep. This team has some of the best relationships in the business, and I’m proud to be a part of Hall of Fame Racing.”
Relationships are why Texas Instruments signed on with Hall of Fame Racing to represent the DLP HDTV brand. “Between strong ownership in Roger Staubach, Bill Saunders and Troy Aikman, along with the team’s strategic alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, and smart drivers in Terry Labonte and Tony Raines, we feel that this partnership allows us to make DLP HDTV a recognized brand for the motorsports enthusiast, and for the sports enthusiast in general,” said John Van Scoter, senior vice-president of Texas Instruments and general manager of DLP products. “DLP HDTVs will let NASCAR fans see the races with incredible color and speed precision, which is why we’re here today and in the years to come with Hall of Fame Racing. We’re extremely proud to have Terry Labonte and Tony Raines representing DLP HDTV and Texas Instruments. They’ll ensure that our on-track product is as good as our own DLP HDTV product.” (roger.staubach.com)(11-3-2005)
- Terry Labonte denies HOF gig UPDATE 2 maybe he will....: Native Texan Terry Labonte said he is not a candidate for the Cup ride at Hall of Fame Racing, the start-up team co-owned by former Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. "I've got a job," said Labonte, a two-time Cup champ who plans to retire in 2006. "I'm going to run 10 races for Hendrick Motorsports next year. That's for sure." Labonte's name surfaced here as a good fit for the Staubach-Aikman ride. The native of Corpus Christi carries with him a champion's provisional that would guarantee the team a starting spot in the season-opening Daytona 500 -- NASCAR's Super Bowl.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(10-9-2005)
HOWEVER I keep hearing that 1984 and 1996 Cup Champ, Terry Labonte will run the #96 Hall of Fame Racing / Texas Instruments Chevy for the first five races of 2006 to take advantage of the past champions provisional, with Tony Raines running the car in all the remaining races exceot the road course, where a road course specialist will likely be hired. Expect the announcement to be initially made next Thursday [Nov 3rd] at Texas Instruments in Dallas, TX.(10-26-2005)
UPDATE 2: Terry Labonte cleverly avoided the question when asked Tuesday at TMS if he might drive a few races next season for the new Hall of Fame Racing team of Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach. "I'm not going to run a full schedule," Labonte said. "And I have a 10-race deal with Hendrick Motorsports. And I'm definitely not driving at Talladega." That still leaves some options. Labonte could drive for Hall of Fame Racing in the Daytona 500 and a few other events at the start of the season, to ensure the team would qualify. Labonte has a past champion's provisional. The team would build up enough owners' points early in the season to ensure qualifying at the other events with a full-time driver, who is expected to be Tony Raines. The team is announcing its driver choices Thursday at TMS.(Dallas Morning News)(10-28-2005)
- Georgia Pacific to Hendrick? hearing that Georgia Pacific, current sponsor for #45 Kyle Petty, will go to Hendrick Motorsports in some capacity. Could be as a full associate and part-time primary one or more of the Hendrick teams, which are #5-Kyle Busch, #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, #44-Terry Labonte, #48-Jimmie Johnson. Petty had announced midseason Georgia Pacific would not be back, they were also rumored to be the new sponsor for Roush Racing's #6 with Mark Martin driving but looks like AAA will be the sponsor there. Georgia Pacific is scheduled to make an announcement of some sort at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday.(10-26-2005)
- Terry Labonte denies move: Native Texan Terry Labonte said he is not a candidate for the Cup ride at Hall of Fame Racing, the start-up team co-owned by former Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. "I've got a job," said Labonte, a two-time Cup champ who plans to retire in 2006. "I'm going to run 10 races for Hendrick Motorsports next year. That's for sure." Labonte's name surfaced here as a good fit for the Staubach-Aikman ride. The native of Corpus Christi carries with him a champion's provisional that would guarantee the team a starting spot in the season-opening Daytona 500 -- NASCAR's Super Bowl.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(10-9-2005)
- Hall of Fame Racing still looking for driver..Ward is under consideration UPDATE 2 #98?: Bill Saunders, managing partner for the Hall of Fame Racing team of Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, said they hope to announce their driver within the next two weeks. Ward Burton is reportedly one of the drivers the team is considering. Burton won the Daytona 500 in 2002. "We're very close," Saunders said about the driver decision. "We have it down to a couple of people, and we just have to decide what strategy we want to use." Saunders said it's possible the new Nextel Cup team will use two drivers next year. Saunders also said most of the team's personnel already are in place.
New crew chief Philippe Lopez also is the competition director. The team is partnering with Joe Gibbs Racing and using the old JGR facility in Statesville, N.C.(Dallas Morning News)(9-30-2005)
UPDATE: The Charlotte Observer has learned that the team [Hall of Fame Racing/Aiken/Staubach] has had conversations with Mike Wallace and is considering Tony Raines. Published reports have also linked Ward Burton to the job, and that the team also has thought about asking Terry Labonte to drive some races because his status of a former champion could help provide a backup to get the car into races if there's a problem in qualifying.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-1-2005)
UPDATE 2: The team is petitioning NASCAR for #98, and Tony Raines appears to be the top candidate to fill the driver's seat.(Sporting News)(10-3-2005)
- OT to be paid: Hendrick Motorsports will pay more than $350,000 in back overtime wages to employees after an investigation found the racing company violated federal labor laws. The company, which designs, builds and races cars in NASCAR, acknowledged it failed to pay 214 salaried production workers $351,783 in overtime between July 2003 and July 2005. The U.S. Labor Department said it determined Hendrick violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. "We certainly wanted to make sure our employees received any compensation to which they were entitled, so we were glad to make the appropriate payments," Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex told The Associated Press on Saturday in an e-mail. "We've updated our internal policies and do not anticipate any ongoing issues."(ESPN.com/AP)(10-2-2005)
- Terry Labonte to run DiTech sponsorship at Indy: Driving a #44 ditech.com Chevrolet, Terry Labonte this weekend will
start his 11th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time champion has a pair of Cup dates remaining on his 2005 calendar: Oct. 9 at Kansas Speedway and Nov. 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Labonte's "Shifting Gears" tour will continue next season with 10 yet-to-be-announced races.(Hendrick Motorsports)(8-5-2005)
- Daytona USA to sponsor Labontes: DAYTONA USA, the Official Attraction of NASCAR, will sponsor the #44 Doran Racing Pontiac Doran driven by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champions Bobby and Terry Labonte in the June 30 Brumos Porsche 250 Rolex Sports Car Series race at Daytona International Speedway. In the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this year, Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NEXTEL Cup Series champion, and Terry, the 1984 and 1996 NEXTEL Cup champion, co-drove the #44 Daytona Prototype with Jan Magnussen and Bryan Herta to a ninth-place overall finish. The Brumos Porsche 250, which features the Daytona Prototypes as well as GT class machines, will kick off the Pepsi 400 Weekend on Thursday, June 30 with a new starting time of 7:15pm/et.(DIS)(6-25-2005)
- Executive Changes at Hendrick: In a tactical realignment of his business entities, Rick Hendrick today announced personnel changes affecting the Hendrick Automotive Group (HAG), Hendrick Motorsports and, now, the Hendrick Companies. As part of the refreshed business model, Hendrick introduced longtime Automotive Group executive Jim Huzl as president and chief executive
officer of Charlotte-based HAG. In his new role, effective July 1, Huzl will oversee the direction of one of the nation's largest privately held
auto retailers with 68 franchises, 4,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in revenue. Sharing Huzl's former duties as HAG's chief operating officer will be three new senior vice presidents: Tom Blocker, East Division; Kirk Heppler, West Division; and Gary Davis, who will manage retail operations support. Huzl succeeds Jim Perkins, who will transition to become the first president and COO of the Hendrick Cos., an organization recently formed to manage strategic initiatives relative to Hendrick's various business enterprises. Perkins will continue to serve as a member of HAG's partnership committee.
Bobby Rice, a trusted friend and business associate of Hendrick since 1976, was named executive vice president of the Hendrick Cos. and special adviser to the chairman. Rice also will work in a consultative capacity with Hendrick Motorsports, which fields multiple stock-car racing teams in two different divisions of sanctioning body NASCAR..(HMS PR)(6-20-2005)
- Terry Labonte in for Leffler at Sonoma UPDATE: Terry Labonte is expected to substitute for Jason Leffler in the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy in the June 26 race at Sonoma if Leffler fails to climb into the top 35 in points by then. Drivers in the top 35 are guaranteed starting spots. Labonte is the safety net for the team because he has a champion's provisional, which guarantees him a starting spot. Leffler has run just one road course race, a Busch race in 2000 at Watkins Glen. Leffler crashed at Pocono but remained in the same points position, 36th, meaning he has to improve by one spot Sunday at Michigan to lock in for the race at Sonoma. Leffler says he has wrecked so many cars that "we're bringing cars back to the track that aren't in the best shape" because the fab shop hasn't had enough turnaround time.(Sporting News)(6-13-2005)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing has hired two-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Terry Labonte to pilot the #11 Fed-Ex Chevrolet during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. He replaces Jason Leffler, the #11 team's regular driver, for this one event. "Jason understands that our support of him continues, as he'll race this weekend at Michigan and return to the #11 at Daytona," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "A number of factors led to this decision. Where the #11 is in points, the typically high car count at Sonoma, the number of road course specialists other teams tend to enlist, the unique nature of road course racing - none favors a team outside the top-35 in points. With an experienced veteran in Terry, the #11 will benefit from his 25 years of Nextel Cup racing and his strong performances at road course venues." In addition to his championship-caliber talents, Labonte also brings road course success to the #11 team. Of his 22 career wins, two have come at a road course - the defunct Riverside (Calif.) Speedway in 1984 and 1985. And in his 54 career starts at road courses, Labonte has earned eight poles, 17 top-fives
and 26 top-10s while leading a total of 411 laps. "I've always enjoyed road course racing, and while no road courses were planned for this year, it's hard to say no when you have the opportunity to drive for an organization that's just as professional as Hendrick Motorsports,"
said Labonte, who is running a limited Nextel Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports. "We want to thank Hendrick Motorsports for allowing Terry to assist us with the #11 team at Sonoma," said Gibbs. "Rick Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports helped get Joe Gibbs Racing up and running when we formed this team back in 1991, and 14 years later, we're once again appreciative of their help."(True Speed Communication/Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-14-2005)
- Labonte OK: #44-Terry Labonte went to a hospital for examination of his foot after hitting the wall in a wreck triggered by Dale Earnhardt Jr. spinning teammate Michael Waltrip on lap 247 in the Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Labonte was released after X-rays were negative.(High Point Enterprise)(5-30-2005)
- Terry Labonte Delievers: Terry Labonte made a special pizza delivery to a group of youngsters Wednesday when he visited the after-school program at the University City YMCA in Charlotte, N.C. The two-time Cup Series champion brought lunch to the kids in one of his #44 Pizza Hut Chevrolets, complete with Pizza Hut car-topper.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(5-5-2005)
- Pizza Hut on the #44: Pizza Hut will be on the #44 Chevy that Terry Labonte drives at the Nextel All-Star Challenge in May at Lowe's Motor Speedway and will also carry the Pizza Hut colors at Pocono in June and Chicago in July. See an image of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(4-21-2005)
UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports announced a program that will feature Pizza Hut as a primary sponsor of Chevy driven by Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers this season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series. Labonte will showcase a Pizza Hut paint scheme on his #44 Chevys in three upcoming NEXTEL Cup events: May 21 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, June 12 at Pocono Raceway and July 10 at Chicagoland Speedway.
In the Busch Series, Vickers' #57 Pizza Hut Chevys will appear May 6 at Darlington Raceway during the track's inaugural
weekend of night racing and Sept. 24 at Dover International Speedway. Those hungry for more information can go to the official Pizza Hut Web site at www.pizzahut.com.(Hendrick Motorsports)(4-23-2005)
- Iron Man Returns: Terry Labonte is scheduled to drive the #44 Iron Man Chevy at the Texas Motor
Speedway in November.. See the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(4-22-2005)
- Hendrick may attend Martinsville: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick is leaning toward attending today's Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. It's the first event at the track since a Hendrick plane crashed on the way to Martinsville last October. Engine builder Randy Dorton, General Manager Jeff Turner, President John Hendrick and Vice President Ricky Hendrick were among the 10 killed in the crash. Besides his brother and son, Rick Hendrick also lost two nieces.(Richmond Times Dispatch)
NOTE: Hendrick is at the track today for the race.(4-10-2005)
- Terry going Retro: #44-Terry Labonte will return in his 1984 championship colors in the Texas spring race. GMAC will sponsor the car that resembles the Piedmont Airlines paint scheme Labonte drove from 1984-1986.(RacingOne see image there or on my #44 Team Scehemes page)(4-7-2005)
- 'Roam for a Home' a Success: Terry Labonte's fourth annual "Roam for a Home" charity motorcycle ride was a rousing success over the holiday weekend. Hosting more than 100 motorcycles and 150 riders, the 650-mile trek served as a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Corpus Christi, Texas, and concluded with a free concert by country music star Blake Shelton.
AND For every Kellogg product purchased in April at a Texas-based Albertson's grocery store, Kellogg's and Albertson's will donate 10 cents to the Hendrick Marrow Program (up to $15,000). If a Hendrick Motorsports driver wins a NEXTEL Cup event in the month of April, the contribution will be doubled.(HMS)(3-31-2005)
- More changes at Hendrick? UPDATE: hearing that Eddie Dickerson, Manager of Hendrick Motorsports Chassis Shop, which was responsible for building all of the Chassis, and hanging all of the bodies, has left the organization.(2-16-2005)
UPDATE: Eddie Dickerson, the director of chassis engineering at Hendrick Motorsports, left the team. Team spokesman Jesse Essex said Dickerson's duties likely will be split among several team members, including Doug Duchardt, who who left his position as director of GM Racing two weeks ago to become Hendrick's vice president of development.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-17-2005)
- Why no Terry Labonte in the Shootout? Terry Labonte, who is eligible for Saturday night's pole winner's Shootout and is running a limited schedule of 10 races, has decided not to participate. He instead will spend the weekend in the Florida Keys before returning next week to help his son Justin in the Grand National race. Labonte was upset after last year's Shootout when teams were allowed to pit near the end of the race, after NASCAR officials announced no pit stops would be allowed. Labonte, who did not pit and wound finishing eighth, said the switch cost him a chance at winning. "What happened last year is the reason I'm not in it this year," he said.(High Point Enterprise)(2-11-2005)
- Hendrick announces new VP's: Hendrick Motorsports general manager Marshall Carlson announced that competition director Ken Howes and longtime General Motors executive Doug Duchardt have been named vice presidents over the organization's racing operations. Transitioning from his role of competition director, Howes has been tabbed as vice president of competition. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native will oversee Hendrick's day-to-day competition-related activities, now encompassing teams, crew chiefs and pit-crew trainers, along with at-track logistics and execution.
Duchardt, who most recently managed General Motors' North American motor sports initiatives as director of GM Racing, has been named Hendrick Motorsports' vice president of development, a position in which he will control race-car evolution through design, engineering and production in the chassis and engine areas.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-7-2005)
- Labonte's to run Watkins Glen road race: Kevin Doran, president of Doran Racing, and Bobby Labonte announced yesterday that they will join forces and plan to field a car in three Grand American Rolex Series races in 2005, including the race at The Glen during the SIRIUS Satellite Radio at The Glen August 11-14. This weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona International Raceway will be Doran Labonte's first event. They will also participate in the Paul Revere 250 at Daytona June 29-30 and will run a third time at Watkins Glen International on Friday during the Grand American Rolex Series race on August 12. The two races will be held in conjunction with NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events. Bobby Labonte drives the Interstate Batteries Chevy for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR. His older brother, Terry Labonte, a two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, is doing a limited NASCAR schedule in 2005 and 2006 with Hendrick Motorsports in the Kelloggs Chevy. The Labonte brothers along with endurance sports car superstar Jan Magnussen, will comprise the driver roster for the two races this summer. The Rolex Series Daytona Prototype will be registered as a Doran Labonte Racing entry. It is a bright red DORAN JE4 powered by a Pontiac engine, and carries #44. Doran Racing also fields the gold Crown Royal Special Reserve DORAN JE4 Lexus #77 of Didier Theys, Matteo Bobbi and Fabrizio Gollin. All of the Grand American Rolex Series races will be televised on Speed. For more information, please see www.doranracing.com and www.bobbylabonte.com. For tickets and additional information, including pricing, please contact the Watkins Glen ticket office at 866-461-RACE, log on to the official Watkins Glen website at
www.TheGlen.com(Watkins Glen PR)(2-5-2005)
- Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductees: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series veteran Terry Labonte and long time drag racing veteran Lee Shepherd will be the next inductees into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 14, at Texas Motor Speedway during the Samsung/RadioShack NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend. Labonte and Shepherd join inaugural award winners Johnny Rutherford and A.J. Foyt as members in the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. Labonte has won on short tracks, intermediate tracks, superspeedways and road courses in his 26-year NASCAR career. The 2006 season will be his final one as a driver. Along the way "Texas Terry" won the 1984 and 1996 Cup Championship after finding his love for racing at the age of seven in quarter-midgets in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Shepherd was one of the best drag racers ever to compete in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and International Hot Rod
Association (IHRA). The soft-spoken Texan won four straight NHRA championships in 1981-84 and was on his way to a fifth consecutive title the drag racing world was rocked by news that he had died in a testing accident in Oklahoma on March 11, 1985. Shepherd was the first driver to win both the NHRA and IHRA Pro Stock championships.
In addition to Labonte and Shepherd being inducted, the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame has announced other award winners.
Jim Hall of Midland, Texas, has been named the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Bruton Smith Legends Award winner. Hall helped revolutionize open-wheel racing with his development of the famous Chaparral race car. Tony Kanaan won the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Championship and earned the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Racer of the Year Award. Texas Motor Speedway added soft walls in the past year and in so doing Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame has honored the designer of the SAFER barrier walls, Dr. Dean Sicking, with the Vision Award. It is no secret the amount of time and resources Kyle Petty gives to charity, and in particular the Victory Junction Gang. Kyle and his wife Pattie will be honored with the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Sportsmanship Award. The 2005 Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon will be on Thursday, April 14, in The Grand Ballroom at Texas Motor Speedway. The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame benefits the children of Happy Hill Farm in Granbury, Texas, in association with Speedway Children's Charities.(TMS PR)(1-14-2005)
- Terry Labonte Announces 2005 Race Schedule: NASCAR veteran Terry Labonte, who in October announced plans to drive partial schedules with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005 and 2006, laid out his calendar for the upcoming NEXTEL Cup Series season. Driving a Kellogg's-sponsored #44 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, the two-time Cup Series champion will kick off the first leg of his "Shifting Gears -- Lone Star Style" tour Feb. 27 at California Speedway. Entering his 27th year of NASCAR competition, Labonte, 48, will compete at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 3, followed by the first of two Texas Motor Speedway appearances April 17. He will also enter a pair of races -- the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge and the Memorial Day-weekend 600-miler -- at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. The June 12 event at Pocono Raceway will kick off the second half of the 10-race slate, prior to dates at Chicagoland Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. Labonte's 2005 season-finale will come Nov. 6 at Texas.(Terrylabonte.net)(1-11-2005)
- Labonte's buy a sports car for the Rolex 24 at Daytona...UPDATE: hearing that Bobby and Terry Labonte bought themselves a Doran JE4 Daytona Prototype and will be running in the Feb. 5-6 Rolex 24 At Daytona and will additionally run two other races in the Rolex Series: the Thursday-night June 30 Paul Revere 250 at Daytona and at the Friday Aug. 12 Watkins Glen Cup race weekend. I'm hearing they MIGHT also run July 31 at Birmingham's Barber Motor Sports Park, which is a free date between Cup's Pocono and Brickyard dates. Their Pontiac-powered Doran JE4, built by Doran Designs, will be maintained by the car's constructor, Kevin Doran, through another company, Doran Racing. The Brothers Labonte have actually tried to get a Rolex 24 team together for the last two or three years. So it's something they've wanted to do but, for one of any of the myriad reasons that racing deals can fall apart, just weren't able to get an effort off the ground until this year.(12-17-2004)
UPDATE: Past Nextel Cup champions Bobby and Terry Labonte will be teaming with IRL IndyCar Series' star Bryan Herta of Andretti-Green Racing and former Formula One driver Jan Magnussen for the Feb. 5-6 Rolex 24 At Daytona. The four will be one of two team cars fielded by Doran Racing. "Bobby tested the car at Homestead the second week of December,' team owner Kevin Doran said of the 2000 Nextel Cup champ. "He put in a couple of 10-12 laps stints and he was completely comfortable with the car by the second stint.' While the upcoming Rolex 24-Hour will be Bobby Labonte's first such race, older brother Terry ran in five 24-hour races at Daytona in the early to mid-1980's. Indeed, the two time Cup champion Terry Labonte scored his first Cup championship in the same year in which he had earlier scored a GTO-class victory and a sixth-place overall finish in the classic twice-around-the clock race. Interestingly, in that Rolex 24 victory, Labonte teamed with his Cup car owner of that year, Billy Hagan. Gene Felton rounded out the driving team.
Doran's second car will be driven by Italians Fabrizio Gollin, Matteo Bobbi and Doran Racing veteran Didier Theys. As a car owner, Doran won the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in 1998 and 2002 and Theys went on to win the Grand American Sports Racing Prototype championship in 2002.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-1-2005)
- Hendrick Awarded: Team owner Rick Hendrick is the latest winner of the Buddy Shuman Award: Buddy Shuman was a popular NASCAR driver in the early 1950s who died in a hotel fire in 1955. The award has been given annually since 1957, honoring someone from the NASCAR community for contributions to the sport. Hendrick, a popular figure in the garage area, lost his son, his brother, two nieces and two key team officials among the 10 persons who died in an Oct. 24 crash of a team plane on the way to a race in Virginia. Hendrick's team has won five Cup championships and fields cars in both the Cup and Busch Series.(Augusta Chronicle/AP)(12-5-2004)
- Dorton Honored: The late Randy Dorton, the chief engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, who was killed in an October plane crash, was honored as Clevite Engine Builder of the Year. The award was accepted by his widow, Diane Dorton.(ESPN/AP)(12-5-2004)
- Labonte presents check to Ronald: Terry Labonte and Kim Labonte presented a check for $100,310 on Friday to Ronald McDonald House Director Charmaine Keller for the local Ronald McDonald House. The donations were collected from this year's Roam for a Home trek. The check brings the total to $194,060 the amount that has been given over the past three years by the Roam for a Home organization. In March, members of the organization and other volunteers raise money and make a motorcycle trip from Corpus Christi to Austin and back. The nonprofit Ronald McDonald House provides a place for families to stay while their children receive medical care at Driscoll Children's Hospital.(Corpus Christi Caller)(12-5-2004)
- Crew Chief Changes at Hendrick? UPDATE 3: hearing Hendrick Motorsports will make some changes with the #5 Kelloggs team [2005 driver Kyle Busch] and #25-Brian Vickers, supposedly starting with the crew chiefs.(11-18-2004)
UPDATE: Nextel Cup rookie Brian Vickers is expected to get a new crew chief next season and be reunited with Lance McGrew, the crew chief with whom Vickers won the 2003 Busch Series championship, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Vickers’ crew chief for the #25 GMAC/ditech.com Chevrolet this season, Peter Sospenzo, will remain with the Hendrick Motorsports organization in another capacity, sources said. Officials with Hendrick said Sunday no announcements on personnel changes will come until after the season.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-21-2004)
UPDATE 2: After a lackluster rookie year in the #25 car, Brian Vickers will be reunited with his Busch Series crew chief, Lance McGrew. They won the Busch title in 2003, and some were surprised when McGrew didn't join Vickers during his rookie year in Cup. Vickers' current chief, Peter Sospenzo, will join Terry Labonte's limited run in 2005 [in the #44], and Jim Long, who was crew chief for Labonte's #5 Kellogg's Chevy, will work on the NBS program with rookies Boston Reid and Blake Feese and possibly a driver or two from the Cup stable. Alan Gustafson, who previously was the team engineer for the #25, will be Kyle Busch's crew chief on the #5.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(11-22-2004)
AND Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today announced key personnel changes affecting each of his organization's stock-car teams going into the 2005 NASCAR campaign. Racing veterans Jim Long, Lance McGrew and Peter Sospenzo will each
assume fresh responsibilities next season, while lead engineer Alan Gustafson has been promoted to crew chief. As part of the
restructuring effort, team executive Brian Whitesell will also transition into a new role. "With a new shop opening and drivers moving to different teams, it made sense for us to look at our organizational structure in a different light," Hendrick said. "These changes will create more opportunities for our folks and help us work together more efficiently."
GUSTAFSON TO LEAD KELLOGG'S RACING: Gustafson, 29, has been named crew chief of Hendrick's #5 Kellogg's
Chevrolets, which next season will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rookie Kyle Busch as driver. A native of Ormond Beach, Fla., Gustafson cut his racing teeth working as a mechanic at local short tracks in his home state while taking mechanical engineering courses at nearby Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Gustafson moved to North Carolina in 1996 to pursue a career in motor
sports, gaining experience with various teams before joining Hendrick's in-house chassis effort in 1999. He was named lead
engineer for the No. 5 Cup Series team the following year.
LONG MOVES TO BUSCH SERIES: After leading the No. 5 NEXTEL Cup team for the past three years, Long will slide into the crew chief position with the No. 5 Lowe's-sponsored NASCAR Busch Series operation. The team has earned a championship, eight victories and six pole positions over the past two seasons. An announcement regarding driving duties for the No. 5 Busch Series
team is forthcoming.
McGREW AND VICKERS REUNITED: A Baton Rouge, La., native, McGrew, 36, has been named crew chief of the NEXTEL Cup No. 25 GMAC Financial Services team, a move that reunites him with driver Brian Vickers. The duo already has an impressive track record, winning Hendrick Motorsports' first-ever Busch Series championship together in 2003.
SOSPENZO JOINS LABONTE EFFORT: A three-time winner on the NEXTEL Cup circuit, Sospenzo will work exclusively with two-time Cup Series champion Terry Labonte as crew chief of the new #44 Hendrick Motorsports team, which will attempt a 10-race schedule in 2005.
WHITESELL NAMED TEAM MANAGER FOR 5, 25 & 44: Whitesell, 40, will take on the newly created position of team manager for the Nos. 5, 25 and 44 NEXTEL Cup teams. A native of Stuarts Draft, Va., he most recently held an identical post with Hendrick Motorsports' Nos. 24 and 48 efforts.
Shop foreman Mark Thoreson and lead engineer Darian Grubb will share Whitesell's former duties with the "24/48" operation. The Nos. 5, 25 and 44 teams will be housed together in a new facility adjacent to the 24/48 building on the Hendrick Motorsports grounds. The new state-of-the-art shop is scheduled to open before the 2005 season.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(11-22-2004)
- GM head of racing to Hendrick? General Motors' Doug Duchardt, head of the company's world-wide racing operations, is apparently being wooed by car owner Rick Hendrick to move to North Carolina to take a key position at Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick's racing operations were hard-hit by the plane crash three weeks ago that killed 10. Among those killed were John Hendrick, the company's president; Randy Dorton, the legendary engine builder and head of the company's engine department; and general manager Jeff Turner.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-13-2004)
- Hendrick Motorsports update: Ken Howes, Hendrick Motorsports’ director of competition, played a major role in “talking the team through” the aftermath of the plane crash that killed seven employees of the team on Oct. 24. “He just took responsibility for taking us through that,” said Jimmie Johnson. A team spokesman, Patrick Perkins, said that Bobby Rice, a close business associate of Rick Hendrick, would oversee the operation for the time being while Hendrick recovers from the loss of his brother John, son Ricky and nieces Kymberly and Jennifer. Also lost in the crash were general manager Jeff Turner and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Jeff Gordon’s stepfather, John Bickford, will take on a more prominent role in the business side, and controller Scott Lampey will oversee financial operations. Jeff Andrews and Jim Wall will combine in directing the engine department.(Gaston Gazette)(10-30-2004)
- Labonte not only with Kellogg's OR: hearing that Terry Labonte will only run the #44 Kellogg's scheme in five races each of 2005 and 2006 and will run the other races in other Hendrick Motorsports associate sponsor schemes such as Carquest, ditech.com, GMAC, Delphi and Quaker State.(10-21-2004)
OR have also been told that Kellogg's will be on Labonte's car for all 10 races each season, but that the #5 Chevy with Kyle Busch would have an associate sponsor as the primary whrn Labonte races.(10-22-2004)
- How can Labonte run the #44? been asked by some folks how can Terry Labonte run the #44 when Petty Enterprises owns it. No team owns a number, NASCAR 'owns' the number. However, Petty Enterprises last ran the #44 a few times in 2003 with Christian Fittipaldi, but not in 2004 as sponsorship has not been found. On Tuesday [Oct 12th] Terry Labonte said on Speed CHannel's Wind Tunnel, that he asked Kyle Petty planned to use the #44 and was told no, and asked if he could use it for 2005 and 2006 and was told he could.(10-14-2004)
- Labonte Announcement Oct 12th UPDATE - OFFICAL: Hendrick Motorsports has a press conference scheduled with Terry Labonte for Tuesday morning (breakfast with Kellogg's -- get it?), when Labonte supposedly will announce he is cutting back to a limited schedule for 2005 and 2006. Kyle Busch is slated to be Labonte's full-time replacement, moving up from the Busch Series. Supposedly, Labonte will drive the #44, his first number in NASCAR, while Busch will get the #5.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(10-10-2004)
TV: SPEED Channel will interrupt regularly scheduled programming Tuesday, Oct 12th at 9:30am/et to bring viewers LIVE coverage of the Hendrick Motorsports press conference with team owner Rick Hendrick and two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Terry Labonte. SPEED Channel's Bob Dillner will be on-site for post-announcement interviews.(Speed Channel PR)(10-11-2004)
The Press Conference: Fox's Mike Joy hosting the Terry Labonte announcement, on stage at the table are: NASCAR's Mike Helton, Team Owner Rick Hendrick, Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte and Ken Schrader with Labonte's family in the front row.
Terry Labonte announced he will run a limited schedule, running 20 races in 2005 and 2006, 10 in each year. In 2005 his first scheduled start will be at California Speedway Feb 27th] and the final 2005 race will be at Texas Motor Speedway [Nov 6th] and that Darlington would 'probably be one of those races.
Kyle Busch was announced as the new #5 Kelloggs driver in 2005. Decisions on shop, crew and equipment will be made and announced at a later date. Speed cut away as the Q&A was to start. It was mentioned Kelloggs will be part of it, no word on the car number yet, rnor has it being #44.
An AP report: Two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte will race a limited schedule in 2005 and 2006, joining the growing list of veteran drivers slowly easing out of racing. Labonte is scheduled to run about 10 races next season in the #44 Chevrolet, followed by 10 races in 2006 in what will be his final season. "I thought a while about just walking away and I couldn't do it, but I didn't want to do a traditional farewell tour," the 47-year-old Labonte said. Nineteen-year-old Kyle Busch will take Labonte's spot in the #5 Chevy and is to run a full-time Nextel Cup schedule in 2005. He is the younger brother of current Nextel Cup points leader Kurt Busch. Labonte was in the #44 when he won his first points title.
Labonte is following in the footsteps of 49-year-old Bill Elliott, who scaled back to a part-time schedule this season. He said his decision was inspired in part by Elliott's example. Rusty Wallace also has announced that 2005 will be his final season; other longtime NASCAR mainstays probably aren't too far behind. Car owner Jack Roush said in August that 45-year-old Mark Martin indicated next season will be his last, and the two have called a news conference for Thursday.(Charlotte Observer/AP)
AND while since Terry Labonte is being mentioned here.....Fans will have the opportunity to meet Tony the Tiger and two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte on Wednesday, Oct. 13 when the “Tonymobile” visits the Hendrick Motorsports Museum.(more info at the HMS Site)(10-12-2004)
- Terry Labonte Announcement AND: #5-Terry Labonte has scheduled a press conference next week to announce his plans. Labonte is expected to announce his semi-retirement and run a partial schedule next year.(Tennessean)
AND Labonte said Saturday he will run a schedule of at least 10 races each in 2005 and 2006 for Rick Hendrick, his car owner since 1986 [actually since 1994]. A formal announcement will be made at an Oct. 12 press conference at the Hendrick shops. Labonte, who has driven #5 for Hendrick, will switch to car #44, the number he drove for Billy Hagan from 1979-1986.(High Point Enterprise), so looks like Kyle Busch will move up to Cup in 2005.(10-3-2004)
- Terry Labonte to tie DW: Sunday's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event will mark #5-Terry Labonte's 809th career start on the circuit, tying him with Darrell Waltrip for fourth on NASCAR's all-time list. The only drivers with more starts are Richard Petty (1,177), Dave Marcis (882) and Ricky Rudd (830).(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-23-2004)
- Labonte #7 Now: With Terry Labonte's 18th-place finish Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, he earned $89,230, which lifted him past Bill Elliott into seventh place on NASCAR's list of all-time money winners. Now at $36,924,624.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-19-2004)
- Kim Labonte Attends DOD Conference: Kim Labonte, wife of two-time Nextel Cup Series champion #5-Terry Labonte
and mother of NASCAR Busch Series driver #44-Justin Labonte, has accepted an invitation from Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld to participate in the Defense Department's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC 68). Rumsfeld attended the Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway Saturday. The program, which will be held September 11 - September 17, will give participants an opportunity to learn first-hand about U. S. military personnel, their equipment and capabilities, and national defense strategies. As a JCOC 68 participant, Kim will visit military bases of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Locations will include Hawaii, Korea, Japan and Guam among others. Very few people, even those employed by the Department of Defense, get the opportunity to interact with such an encompassing cross-section of military leaders and service members of all ranks. Participants will fly on military aircraft; experience aircraft landings and launches from Navy ships; observe amphibious landings, urban area combat techniques, special operations assaults, and other warfare demonstrations. Justin Labonte is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard in the Busch Series and won his first series race at Chicagoland Speedway July 10. The Coast Guard announced last week that they would be partnering with Justin for the full Busch Series schedule for 2005 after running a partial season this year. Kim's trip will begin in Honolulu, Hawaii where the Coast Guard has a large base.
After an initial orientation, the JCOC team will travel by military aircraft throughout the Pacific theater. Due to a refocusing of military resources in the United States on Operation Iraqi Freedom, the conference adjusted what has been a U.S.-based agenda to one
focused on the key command centers engaged in winning the global war on terrorism. This conference was initiated in 1948 by Secretary Forestal and is the Department's premier civic leader program. Only fifty U.S. citizens are selected from hundreds of candidates nominated by military commands worldwide. JCOC 68 participants pay all of their own expenses, including travel to and from the conference, lodging and meals.(PR)(9-14-2004)
- Terry Labonte working on 2005 deal, part-time UPDATE #44?: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said Saturday veteran Terry Labonte has agreed to drive in the Nextel Cup Series for two more years, but will not run a full-time schedule. "I know he'll run at least 15 races, if not more," Hendrick said. "Beyond that, that's all we know right now. We're waiting to talk to sponsors and they're going to tell us the number and the color (of the car). Right now, I don't know who's going to be doing what. I just know we're going to be there." Hendrick said he would like to wait until the Chase for the Nextel Cup is well under way before making any more announcements, so to not distract his teams that are participating. Labonte had indicated earlier this season that he was contemplating several options – including retirement, running a limited schedule or running for another team – for next season. Should Labonte move to a partial schedule, it will likely open the seat in his current ride, Hendrick's #5 Chevrolets.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-11-2004)
UPDATE: Terry Labonte, met with owner Rick Hendrick last week to discuss his future. Labonte is expected to run a limited schedule over the next two seasons, possibly reviving the #44, the number he won his first title with, while Kyle Busch moves into the #5 Chevrolet.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(9-13-2004)
- What's Up with Terry Labonte? UPDATE NOT Retiring: What's in store for Terry Labonte, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch? Hendrick Motorsports expects to have the #5 and #25 Nextel Cup teams under one roof next season, copying the successful model shared by Jeff Gordon's #24 and Jimmie Johnson's #48 crews. Vickers will be in the #25 car next season, but a Hendrick source says a final decision has not been made on whether Labonte, 47, will run the full 2005 season in the #5 car. He could retire or semiretire, allowing Busch, 19, to step into that ride. The source says the choice is up to Labonte, who has won two Cup championships.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(8-31-2004)
UPDATE: #5-Terry Labonte, testing at Richmond on Tuesday, hinted at big news. The two-time champion, who reportedly is mulling a limited schedule similar to Bill Elliott's this year, said he will be revealing his future plans later this season. "We're probably going to announce something not too far off, and I'm very excited about it," said Labonte, 47. "I can't tell you what it is. I can tell you I'm not retiring."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(9-1-2004)
- Two more years for Terry Labonte...part-time? UPDATE 2: #5-Terry Labonte, after 25 years on the tour, will likely run another two years, according to team sources, who expect the 47-year-old racer to sign a new contract for a limited schedule of 10 to 15 races with car owner Rick Hendrick.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-7-2004)
UPDATE: Two-time series champion Terry Labonte would not confirm Saturday a published report that he will remain with Hendrick Motorsports next season but run a partial schedule. Labonte said last month that he was uncertain of his future. Labonte has been with Hendrick Motorsports since 1994 and has won 12 of his 22 career races with the team. Despite his competitiveness, Labonte said a partial schedule is intriguing. "It'd be nice to have an off weekend," he said. "It might be nice to not go to some of the tracks you particularly care for." If Labonte runs a partial schedule, it could allow Hendrick Motorsports to put 19-year-old Kyle Busch, who is challenging for the Busch series title this season, into a Cup ride for select races next year to gain experience.(Roanoke Times)(8-8-2004)
UPDATE 2: the NASCAR Scene reports that if Labonte runs a limited schedule, it would be in the #84 Chevy with Kyle Busch running the #5 Chevy.(NASCAR Scene)
AND hearing it will be part time and the crew chef for Labonte would be Alan Gustafson, currently the team engineer for the #5 car.(8-13-2004)
- #800 for Terry Labonte: Terry Labonte is expected to make his 800th career Cup start at New Hampshire. He is the fifth driver in NASCAR history to compete in 800 or more Cup races. Richard Petty heads the list with 1,185, followed by Dave Marcis (883), Ricky Rudd (821 - current) and Darrell Waltrip (809).(ThatsRacin.com)(7-19-2004)
- Labonte not happy word got out: Bobby Labonte said during a break in Brickyard 400 testing this week that his older brother is not ready to retire and is unhappy that his talks with Hendrick Motorsports have gone public. Terry Labonte, 47, finished in the top 10 of the points last season and won the Southern 500, his first victory in more than four years. Bobby said the two-time NASCAR champion sought to clarify his future with owner Rick Hendrick while exploring what other options he might have. "It was supposed to have been handled really clean and neat, but unfortunately somebody spoke out of turn," Bobby said. "He doesn't want to quit driving. The situation might be for him to not drive there, so he has to look elsewhere. He was going to go ask for permission and say, 'What are you going to do with me?' instead of them coming to him and parting on bad terms. He really tried his hardest to do it the right way."(Indianapolis Star)(7-9-2004)
- 2005 uncertain for Labonte at Hendrick? UPDATE 2: #5-Terry Labonte said Thursday his future with Hendrick Motorsports and the series remains up in the air beyond this season. Labonte, 47, is currently working under a year-to-year contract with owner Rick Hendrick and has said he didn't expect to drive past age 50. The quick rise of Hendrick's young talents, Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch, have prompted questions about how soon Labonte, a two-time Cup series champion, would leave the Hendrick organization. "I told Rick last year I didn't know how much longer I wanted to do this and we needed to be up front about it so they could make plans for their future down the road," Labonte said. Labonte said several possibilities remain open beyond this year, including remaining with Hendrick, driving for another team and driving a partial schedule the way veteran Bill Elliott has with Evernham Motorsports this season. "I will be honest with you, there are probably only a handful of teams I would consider driving for and it would have to be a Chevy. I'm not going to drive for another make of car and Rick and I are partners in a Chevrolet dealership," Labonte said. "If somebody came up and said they had a three-year deal, I wouldn't do it because I don't want to run three more years." Labonte's name has been mentioned in connection with Richard Childress Racing's #30 Chevrolet, which has Dave Blaney signed through the end of the year, and a new third team planned for Joe Gibbs Racing [that would give J.J. Yeley another year in Busch and makes sense]. Retirement, whether at the end of this season or later, would be a difficult decision, Labonte said. Earlier Thursday, Busch, 19, confirmed his original contract with Hendrick expires this season, although it includes an option year Hendrick can pick up, but hasn't yet. "Supposedly, I am going to have some contract conversations sometime in September, or whenever they give me a piece of paper that I can sign," Busch said. "I hope they give me something to sign because my deal is up. I'm sure they are going to give me something." Busch said he would like to run in the Cup series next year, but if he did, either a current Hendrick driver would have to leave, or the organization would need to expand to a fifth Cup team. Hendrick spokesman Pat Perkins said Thursday it was "a given" Busch would remain with the organization. Perkins also said Busch was slated to run in the Busch Series again next season, but added, "Anything can happen."(see full story at ThatsRacin.com)(7-2-2004)
UPDATE: Terry Labonte is nearing the end of his racing career and hinted Friday that this season could be his last. Labonte, a two-time champion, is in his 26th full season in NASCAR's top series. He's on a year-to-year contract with car owner Rick Hendrick, and after finishing last season 10th in the standings with a victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway decided the end might be near. "I told Rick last year that this year would probably be my last," the 47-year-old driver said Friday. "You have to sort of decide those things in advance in order to make plans and move ahead." Labonte is struggling with the decision. After consecutive seventh-place finishes in Dover and Pocono, he realized he was still having fun racing. But when he ran into Bill Elliott, who has partially retired and will make just his third start of the season in the Pepsi 400 on Saturday night, Labonte started thinking about retiring again. "When I saw Bill and he said, 'I'm having so much fun, I'm having the time of my life,' I said 'Man, you are killing me,' " Labonte said. So Labonte seemed unsure Friday about what the future holds. Should Hendrick decide he wants to hand the keys to the #5 Chevrolet to young Kyle Busch next season, Labonte said he could consider driving for another team. Labonte is only certain of a few things. He knows that when he does retire, it will be for good and he's not likely to consider occasional NASCAR races or events in smaller series. And he has no interest in owning a team, even if it was with his son, Justin, as the driver.(NASCAR.com/AP)(7-3-2004)
UPDATE 2: Car owner Rick Hendrick said that he'll sit down with Terry Labonte soon to discuss the future. Labonte could cut back to run only selected tour events, opening up his current ride to promising young Kyle Busch. "When the year started, it was decided that Terry and the sponsors would sit down after Daytona," Hendrick said. "I think we were planning on talking in the next week or two. We want to look at what Terry wants to do, and we want to get the sponsors involved in the decision-making process, too. We haven't made any decisions, and we were hoping we'd stay out of silly season and do it on our timetable. So I think in the next couple of weeks we'll make that decision and make an announcement."(Winston Salem Journal)(7-5-2004)
UPDATE 2a: Hendrick sources say Labonte, one of the most respected and popular drivers in the garage, could continue to race for HMS for the remainder of his career. But if the organization decides to move Kyle Busch up to Cup in 2005, one option for Labonte could be the Cup team [Hall of Fame Racing last news back in March] expected to be owned by former Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, with technical assistance from Hendrick.(FoxSports/Sporting News), Hmmmm.....how about a year in the #11 FedEx Chevy at JGR, teaming with brother Bobby, with J.J. Yeley taking over in 2006.(7-5-2004)
