Hearing Bobby Labonte, driver of the #18 Interstate Batteries Chevy, is the top candidate to replace Jamie McMurray in the #42 Texaco-Havoline Dodge at Chip Ganassi Racing, which would allow #97-Kurt Busch to drive the #2 in 2006 and McMurray to head to Roush Racing and drive the #97. Both McMurray and Busch signed deals to go to those teams in 2007 and both are trying to get out of their contract to run with their new teams in 2006.(10-21-2005)
see UPDATE 2 and some notes on my #18 Team News page.
UPDATE 3: hearing that Bobby Labonte has signed with Ganassi Racing for next season. Supposedly they are only waiting for the lawyers to finish up with the paperwork. There was no mention as to whether or not Interstate Batteries would be going with him.(11-1-2005)
UPDATE 4: Perhaps the final piece to the puzzle is Ganassi securing a new driver for McMurray. Bobby Labonte has been in the rumor mill however Labonte, who is attending the 2005 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, told PRNs Garagepass I figure if you dont run good you might as well start some stuff. Until something happens theres nothing to say about it because theres only two people that hold the key to the situation and a lot of people can talk about it but they dont know what theyre talking about.(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)…clear as mud?(11-1-2005)
