NASCAR's Labonte Ends Contract With TRG, Gets Two New Rides

After 17 races into this season, Bobby Labonte has terminated his contract with TRG Motorsports and owner Kevin Buckler. Labonte didn't like the idea of having to start and park while racing for TRG. "I just don't want to do it," the 2000 Cup Series champion said. "I don't want to do the start-and-park thing."

His best finish this year was 21st in the Daytona 500 and at Bristol, but had to deal with the start and park situation in recent races. TRG Motorsports had an eight race sponsorship deal through Taxslayer.com, but most of those races were early this season during tax season. Labonte's best run was at Talladega where Labonte was in the Top 15 for much of the race with being as high as second at one point, but got taken out in a late wreck and finished 23rd.

"We didn't have the success that we really wanted, and kind of got to the point where Kevin was in a position that he was going to have to do some start-and-park races," said Labonte. "He's in a little different place right now with his race team, and I felt I had to find different opportunities that would allow me to race. That's what we were supposed to do to start with, and that's what we were doing up until then. I just felt like we needed to go down different avenues so he would do what he needed to, and I could race."

With Labonte out of the No 71, he will race in the No. 7 car owned by Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM). Gordon won't be able to race this weekend in New Hampshire due to a personal conflict.  "I thought it would be a great evaluation of my race team with somebody else driving the car," Robby Gordon said. "I really look forward to the feedback that Bobby gives us."

The original plan for the weekend for RGM was to make the race and do a start and park with PJ Jones driving the car. However with Labonte available that all changed for Gordon.

Gordon said that they will race the entire weekend with Labonte in the car. Gordon also said that if he can get some money and sponsorship together that he would like to have Labonte race a second entry for RGM at Indianapolis. Gordon hopes the information and feedback about his cars and setups to the team and organization will help RGM with a second opinion.

The No. 7 is in the Top 35 in owner points, so Labonte wont have to use his champions provisional this weekend.

After New Hampshire Labonte will race for James Finch's '09 chevrolet at Daytona and at Chicagoland, and might race for Phoenix Racing if they can get some sponsorship for the car in future races this season. Phoenix Racing won the Aarons 499 last year with Brad Keselowski. Labonte is going to make his 600th career start in the Cup Series, and will be able to use the champions provisional if needed for the '09 entry. Pheonix Racing will have Hendrick Racing power under the hood for Labonte.

Hopefully another ride will be able to have Labonte race the rest of the year, instead of start and parking.

"I'm a racer, first of all," said Labonte. "I want to race and I want to win. There is no more special feeling than wining races and being competitive. That's what you do. Bottom line, that's what you do."