NASCAR: Justin Labonte

Has anyone heard of this kid?

In my limited knowledge of nascar yes i have heard of him he is the 22-year-old son of two-time Nextel Cup Series champion Terry Labonte... If my memory serves me right he will be racing in the NASCAR Busch Series running a 15-race schedule with the U.S. Coast Guard as the primary sponsor

Not familiar with Justin, but surely the Labonte name as in Bobby and Terry.

Any relation?

not sure i know him, why you asking?

Was Labonte in the races this past weekend?

Originally posted by Ben
Was Labonte in the races this past weekend?

That's what i was going to ask,i know bobby and the other labonte have been driving.

Justin Labonte i believe is Terry's kid. i didn't realize that he was that old though. watch out for him and Dale Jarrets kid Jason, these guys will be making a name for themselves when they get some seat time in the busch series.

Anyone one know what races he will be in?

i think the Busch series but im not to sure of that one.

He must be pretty good as Justin won the 2003 Late Model Stock Championship at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., duplicating the feat accomplished by his uncle in 1987. Justin had seven wins in 24 starts.

[click here] Caraway Speedway is an awsome track. If you ever wanted to 'explore' a southern hidden gem of a saturday night race track, go there !!


You would be real suprised to find out MANY great NASCAR driver's make a one or two year stint there, on there way up.

(Someone look in their NASCAR Press Guide to see the history of names.)

Looks like Justin will be racing in the next California race. Three generations of Labonte's are trying to help get his career, and return to Cup racing, on track.

He will be racing 15 Cup races this year if all goes well.


You may be watching the next Labonte to carry the name in NASCAR. And if history repeats, he will be good.


He had a bit of inexperience in his first attempts and he admits this, but he is a smart kid, with the right teacher's around him.


..

is he classified as a rookie

I think if you dont run more than 5 races in one year, you dont spoil your rookie status.

I believe he is still a rookie.




[Edited on 04/10/03 by smirkley]

Seems I made a mistake according to the tv interview just on cable.

Justin is going in the Busch legue not Cup as I suggested above.

Either way he is resatrting his career in a better frame of mind and a bit wiser..

a little bit more about justin

ANOTHER LABONTE

When Justin Labonte tested at Texas last week, it was his first time driving on a track at the same time with his father and uncle.

The 23-year-old son of two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte makes his 2004 Busch debut Saturday, starting 37th in the O'Reilly 300, in the state where his father was born. It will be his 24th career start, only second since 2000.

``He has run well in a lot of different cars he's raced. It's a big step in the Busch Series,'' said Terry Labonte, also the car owner.

When Justin was passed by his uncle during testing, it felt weird. Now it could happen in a race. Nextel Cup driver Bobby Labonte, also a past season champ, will start ninth in the Busch race.

Justin started racing go-carts at age 12, then moved to the local racing circuit in North Carolina. He plans to run a more extensive Busch schedule in the No. 44 U.S. Coast Guard Dodge, continuing the family business.

``I never told him that he couldn't do it,'' Terry Labonte said. ``I did want to make sure that he didn't feel like he had to do it just because I did and Bobby was doing it. As long as he knows that, if that's what he wants to do, I'm going to help him all I can.''<