LABONTE CLOSES OUT SEASON FOR THE NO. 77 DOLLAR GENERAL STORES TEAM

Source: Janice Goss
Date: 11/20/2006

Labonte and the No. 77 Dollar General stores team posted the fastest lap time during the first practice session on Friday afternoon at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, and rounded out the final practice session in 19th. The Dollar General stores crew was confident with the car. Busch Series teams qualified on Saturday afternoon. The No. 77 team had a late draw, and Labonte put the Dollar General stores Chevrolet sixth on the starting grid.

As the green flag dropped over the field on Saturday night the field was slowed on lap three due to a caution. Labonte reported that the Dollar General stores machine was a “tick free” in traffic. The field went back to green flag racing for more than 40 laps and Labonte was searching the track surface for the best line around the 1.5-mile speedway. Running the high-side of the track, Labonte reported that the Dollar General stores car was tight-handling from the middle to the exit of the corner.

On lap 53, the No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet was tapped on the right-rear quarter panel by another competitor, causing damage to the car and was sent for a loop on the track. Labonte nursed the car down pit road with right-front fender damage and flat spotted tires. The Dollar General stores team went to work repairing the damage and replacing the tires. When the No. 77 returned to the track for green flag racing, the Dollar General stores car was the last car on the lead lap, running in the 24th position.

A few laps later the caution flag waived over the field once again and Labonte reported that something was dragging underneath the car and causing sparks. He made a number of trips down pit road for the team to evaluate the car, it was discovered that the cross member that protects the oil pan had been bent and was dragging on the track surface. The Dollar General stores crew took a hammer over the wall to pound the support bracket back into position.

Labonte crossed the stripe in the 29th position in the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series season finale. Labonte competed in five Busch Series events for Kevin Harvick Inc., earning two top-10 finishes. The No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS finished 24th in this year’s NASCAR Busch Series owner points standings.

The No. 77 Dollar General stores team will return to Kevin Harvick Inc. and regroup for the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season starting at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February. Bobby Labonte will share the No. 77 Dollar General stores car with two-time Busch Series champion, Kevin Harvick, and Busch Series driver, Kertus Davis.

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