By Rick Houston
First wins in NASCAR are always special, but when Bobby Labonte captured the 1995 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there was more to the story than just a checkered flag.
A lot more.
During the offseason, Labonte had not been feeling well. He had no energy. He’d lost weight, and looked all but haggard. Finally, Labonte visited a doctor who revealed that he had Grave’s disease, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a disorder of the immune system that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones.
His new boss, Joe Gibbs, lined Labonte up with appointments at the Mayo Clinic and after treatment, he was on the road to recovery. Less than six months later, he was in victory lane for the first time in a career that would eventually lead him to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
This is Bobby Labonte’s story.
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