Bobby Labonte Closes in on His 200th Career Top-10 Finish

Bobby Labonte drove the underfunded TRG No. 71 Taxslayer.com Chevrolet to a 10th place finish in the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

That's even with a last-lap brush with the barrier.

Labonte ran a really great race, starting in 37th position but by the second caution on Lap 49, he was running in second place.

His pit crew just put on tires and add fuel on stops and Labonte required few adjustments to the car.

It was his 199th career top-10 finish and the first top-10 finish for TRG Motorsports and for once, trouble didn't find him at Talladega.

Normally, it seems like Labonte's car is a magnet for trouble, as he's collected in the big one and not of his doing.

"I'm really happy I was able to bring TRG Motorsports and Taxslayer.com their first top-10 finish of the year and looking forward to the next three races in the No. 71," said Labonte.

"It was a typical race for Talladega, and you are always happy when you can bring the car back to the hauler in one piece."

Labonte now has collected top-10 finishes, for five teams now; Bill Davis Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Petty Enterprises, Hall of Fame Racing and TRG Motorsports.

He would love nothing more than to reach the milestone this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway and collect No. 200 at the Dickies 500.

It definitely will be cool to see him reach this milestone, even better to see him and the TRG boys doing a Texas two-step in victory lane.

Laugh if you must, but he's back in the saddle in a Chevy and damn, he's racing again.

It would make my day to see him back in a Chevrolet full-time in 2010 and guess Labonte fans can dream he's in the No. 07 Ask.com/Academy S+O car for RCR.

Photo Credit: trgmotorsports.com