Bobby Labontes consecutive start streak will come to an end at 704 races. Labonte is not entered in the Quaker State 400 Sprint Cup Series race Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, which will bring an end to the second-longest active starts streak in NASCAR behind Jeff Gordons 705 starts. Labonte confirmed his status on a chat with fans on the JTG Daugherty Racing website. ‘I will not be racing this week’ he wrote. ‘It is disappointing the way it is happening. I have had a couple of offers this morning, but I have declined them because I dont want anybody else that has an opportunity to do what I do, what they love, to have to sit on the sideline for my sake.” JTG will use A.J. Allmendinger in the #47 Toyota at Kentucky. Allmendinger drove for the team two weeks ago at Michigan, while Labonte drove the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing. Phoenix Racing will use Austin Dillon this weekend, which left Labonte without a seat after two consecutive rough races. Labonte has not missed a start since he began racing full-time in the Cup Series in 1993. Hes won 21 races and the 2000 championship while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kentucky will mark the first Cup race without a Labonte in the field since the 1978 season finale at Ontario. Older brother Terry Labonte has 884 starts. Ricky Rudd holds the NASCAR record of 788 consecutive starts.( Associated Press ), see the full list of consecutive starts on my All-Time NASCAR Sprint Cup Starts page .
