Bobby Labonte says 2010 plans uncertain; remaining at TRG possible

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Saturday, November 07, 2009

FORT WORTH, Texas – Former Cup champion Bobby Labonte said he has liked working with the TRG Motorsports team in the few races he has run in the No. 71 car this year and it has shown him enough to make that car a possible seat for him in 2010.

Now whether he actually drives for the team, which has indicated it wants to sign him for 2010, is still to be determined.

Labonte, whose car will be sponsored by CBR MotorCars this weekend, said he wasn’t sure when he would know what he’s doing in 2010, but he felt confident he would have a Sprint Cup ride. Labonte is still considered to have a chance at the No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi car and the 2000 Cup champion’s name is often mentioned with any other possible opening.

He drove most of this year with Hall of Fame Racing, which has used Yates Racing to field its cars this year. He will run the final three races this season for TRG Motorsports, where he has had four starts with finishes of 18th, 22nd, 43rd and 10th.

“It’s a really good group of guys,” said Labonte, who is 30th in the Cup standings and will start 28th in the Dickies 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. “They work hard. We’ve just got to sustain that. I like them. They like me. They’ve got a great product to offer and I’m just trying to make sure [I go to] the right deal.”
 

Comments

11 responses to "Bobby Labonte says 2010 plans uncertain; remaining at TRG possible". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    amalycke said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 9:27 AM

    Bobby Labonte wants to make SURE that TRG doesn't sign him up for a Start and Park. TRG still may be a big flukey in his eyes.

    Mike Skinner should run that #70 TRG backup car for all of 2010, that would be pretty cool.

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  2. 2
    SheilaLovesNASCAR said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 4:42 PM

    I bet that if Hendrick put Bobby in the 5 car, he would do exactly as Mark is doing. He's a Cup champion and hasn't been in a good car for a long time. Too bad Mark won't retire (again).

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  3. 3
    pj4jj48 said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 6:33 PM

    Have met some of the TRG guys and they are a good group of guys. I'd love to see a good driver like Bobby stick with them.

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  4. 4
    beefjurski said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 9:01 PM

    Hasnt had a good car?? He was bad before he started getting bad equipment at Petty and the 96. He may have been in some #18 car owned by some Gibbs guy before he got kicked out and went to Petty.

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  5. 5
    JRSMOKEFAN said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 9:10 PM

    I guess Bobby didn't have any success driving the 18 car only one championship. HAsn't really done much since, either.

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  6. 6
    RacinGurl said:
    Nov 7, 2009 at 10:42 PM

    Best of luck to Bobby. I tend to agree with Sheila. Bobby would make a great driver for the Hendrick just like Terry did.

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  7. 7
    RaceKing said:
    Nov 8, 2009 at 8:02 PM

    If Bobby goes to TRG he's CRAZY! I'm a Bobby fan but he's made the worst decisions since leaving Gibbs. If Bobby goes to TRG he will NEVER win a race again and most likely will be nothing more than a 15th place to 30th place driver at best each week. What kills me more is the few fools on his Facebook page who want him at TRG. For the most part most Bobby fans DON'T want Bobby there (I belong to 4 Bobby fans sites) and most fans wish he'd not go there. Talk has been that Bobby has sponsors in his back pocket. If he does he should try to go to RCR or even EGR and forget about TRG. If Bobby is gonna drive for TRG then he will never be anything more than a Joe Nemechek level driver again. Who in their right mind goes to a team that has never done anything more than start and park their car? What's funny is how all of a sudden Bobby get's in the #71 and people start to talk like something great has happened. I listened to Larry McReynolds and Kenny Wallace and some of these other people a month ago talking about how Bobby would get a good ride for 2010. Well TRG and the #71 sure are NOT a good ride. I wish Bobby well but I'm starting to wonder if it's over! I hope not but believe Bobby career is over when/if his signs to drive for TRG...and I'm not alone!


    This poll was posted at a Bobby fan site and re-posted on his Facebook page: http://www.snappoll.com/poll/311458.php

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  8. 8
    Phoenix987 said:
    Nov 8, 2009 at 10:45 PM

    #7, the reason people say that is because he's running better in the #71 that's underfunded than he did in the #96 car that was pretty much fully funded and had Roush engineering in the car.

    The 71 is one of the few new teams that actually do anything. They might S&P every week but when they get the funding they run every lap. Notice how Bobby hasn't start-and-parked for TRG yet?

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  9. 9
    TDM said:
    Nov 9, 2009 at 1:31 AM

    #7 How do we know that he has sponsors in his back pocket, that is strictly a rumor and speculation from the Nascar talking heads. What other teams are available, its been pretty much said that EGR is taking Jamie, the 07 has no sponsor to speak of, and in fact when you listen to the talking heads when they talk about RCR its about 3 cars the 29, 31 and the 33, not one mention of the 07 in the last week. So correct me if I am wrong, but what is left besides TRG or would you prefer him in a #09, or part of the resurgence Front Row Motorsports, I am being sarcastic when I use the word resurgence and Front Row Motorsports in the same sentence.

    As to his fans on facebook, I am one of them, and I have stated many times, that I would love for Bobby to be reunited with Doug Randolph in the 07, however without a sponsor I don't see that happening. The way I look at it, there are only 2 top teams in Nascar, maybe 3 but there is no room at the Inn for Bobby, so we must make do with what is left.

    There are alot of things that make a team successful, 1 being equipment and 2 being chemistry. Bobby and Slugger already have one important component of racing which is chemistry, and from what I understand Kevin Buckler is going all in next year, no more start and parking he is there to race. As a long time Bobby fan, who has been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, I trust Bobby to make the right decision. Whatever he decides I am positive it will not be a knee jerk decision, or taking a ride just for the sake of a ride, been there done that with the HOF and Yates debacle.

    I think what Kevin Buckler and this small TRG team have done this year is impressive, what also impresses me is the LONG list of accomplishments that Kevin has on his resume, he is here to win, not to collect $$$$, racing is his life, plus he is excited to have a driver of Bobby's caliber in his stable.

    Sorry for the diatribe, but I felt it needed to be said.

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  10. 10
    RaceKing said:
    Nov 11, 2009 at 2:38 AM

    #9...what has TRG done this season that is so wonderful? A 10th place finish with Bobby was awesome but truthfully wouldn't had worked out without help from 2 wrecks at the end! Don't get me wrong I'm glad Bobby finished 10th. Now I agree that it's a rumor that Bobby has sponsors in his back pocket...but if he does then I believe RCR would put Bobby in a ride or even EGR might decide to run the #8 again if there was a sponsor. I just wish someone would tell me what TRG has done this year that's so special? 2 OK runs with Bobby have been great but what else have they done? Also I believe if TRG is the best I could do then I'd be looking for a ride in the truck series or even the nationwide series. I don't want him there but I'm sure he could get a better situation than TRG! What resources does TRG have to be good...they get everything from RCR and EGR? I do believe that Bobby and Slugger are awesome together but that's not enough to be a contender. I have to laugh every time people say that Roush did anything to help Bobby out...sorry #8 but didn't happen! I believe when Bobby signs with TRG (and he will I believe) that 20th place to 30th place finishes is how it all plays out with very few top 10's. Sorry but I agree with the majority that believe TRG will be a mistake for Bobby and puts him right there with the likes of Sterling Marlin,Joe Nemechek, and the rest of the "Happy to be Racing" side notes!

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  11. 11
    TDM said:
    Nov 12, 2009 at 1:38 AM

    TRG gave Bobby the chance to prove to all the naysayers that he can still drive with the best of them after Yates/HOF dumped him for Erik Darnell and his sponsor. He just needs the equipment to get it done. Unfortunately there are no openings with an elite team in any of the series. Now if your last name was Menard or Townley you could buy your ride, but if you don't have a sponsor in your back pocket and talent means squat these days, your pretty much sol. Bobby has made choices that some of his fans don't agree with, but in the end it is his choice, and Bobby will do what he does best, getting the most out of his equipment for whatever team he drives for, as a fan that is all I can ask for!

    It's obvious he is not ready to quit and retire, he still has the fire and he is still wants to race, so does Nemechek and Marlin, unfortunately Nascar has taken a wrong turn when it comes to the $$$$ being needed to race, as long as you have super teams, ie; HMS, JGR, RFR, it's not going to change!

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