Chat Transcript: Bobby Labonte

Bobby Labonte: Welcome to everybody! Thanks for getting online today. We are excited that we won the race in Atlanta. We had a big time, I guess you could say, especially Sunday night when we got home!! Haha

Question from: [mojgrfan18] It appears you must be more comfortable with the new Chevrolet Monte Carlo than you were with the Pontiac. What is it that is different between the two cars?

Bobby Labonte: I know that the Chevy bodies are better, and I know that our team is stronger, so with that combination our cars feel really good.

Question from: [gogreen] What was going through your mind right before that pass and after?

Bobby Labonte: Right before I was upset that he passed me, because I should have gotten a better restart, and when we got back by him, I was just driving my heart out. Everyone seemed to be getting up on the wheel right there at the end of the race, compared to the rest of the day.

	Credit: Autostock

Question from: [Lu] The best part of the day was seeing Tyler's face in the winner's circle. I know you've been working on getting him into racing. How's that going for you?

Bobby Labonte: It is going good! We are still in the process of building a track in Salisbury and everything is going good there. We are still racing a little bit. We raced some this past winter and he seems to be enjoying it.

Question from: [elliottgal] I would like to know where you will keep that trophy. Haha

Bobby Labonte: I haven't found a place for it yet! There is a trophy case at the shop that I might be able to keep it there, but it is pretty big though!

Question from: [champs] If you could choose only one track to race on for the whole year, would it be Atlanta?

Bobby Labonte: No. I vote for the Brickyard, because it pays more! Haha

Question from: [Leslie] What major changes do you think this sport has undergone since your rookie year?

Bobby Labonte: Obviously the TV package is one. It costs more to race now, and it also pays more, but it certainly costs more. The exposure and coverage we are receiving now is just phenomenal.

Question from: [SCBobbyFan] How do you like the new rule changes regarding fan access to the garage area? What effect has this had on you and your team?

Bobby Labonte: I think it has been safer for the spectators, and the competitors have had an easier time getting in and out of the garage. The crews can also work more efficiently now. It is just like everything else -- you aren't sure about it until you do it. It seems to be working pretty good so far in our situation.

Question from: [tugboat] With the personnel changes at Joe Gibbs Racing happening, it looks like you guys are making all the right moves. Did you expect to be so successful so soon or are you happily surprised that things are coming together so quickly?

Bobby Labonte: I thought over the winter with the testing and everything that our confidence was up because we made some good changes and things were moving in the right direction. I knew we could be competitive, but we needed to go prove we could be. We are moving towards that, especially during three of the first four races. It certainly makes us feel better about the changes we have had.

Question from: [Bogar] What, Bobby, is your most embarrassing or funniest moment of your career? Was it the picture of you crashing that pickup into that tree without that rear-view mirror? I remember Jeff Burton submitting that.

Bobby Labonte: That wasn't a real clear picture! I am not sure that was me. I will have to check with my publicist on that one. HAHA. People thinking I kicked the car at Bristol was embarrassing, but just for the record, I never made contact with the car.

Question from: [novanutsteve] Is there any talk about a third car this year or next?

	Credit: Autostock

Bobby Labonte: No, there hasn't been. Obviously not for this year, and we haven't spoken about anything like that for next year either.

Question from: [tri13] Bobby, how do you feel about the common template issue?

Bobby Labonte: It seems like NASCAR has done a great job getting all the cars to look alike. They have a lot of templates for them, and being a Chevy driver, we won two out of four races, so we are excited about our race cars being competitive. The common templates must be working pretty well.

Question from: [Cozzy18] Great race, Bobby!! You mentioned on your post race interview your restarts were terrible, but your car was strong enough to pull you ahead. How can you improve on that, and what could it do for your team and season?

Bobby Labonte: Some places are harder for restarts than others, and at Atlanta the line is a little further down than I would like to see it. If you are running second, you have a better shot at it. We need to do better through practicing, so it should improve during the season!

Question from: [number1fan18] How do you think you cars will run on tracks less than a mile and a half? Have you tested at any small tracks, and if so which ones?

Bobby Labonte: We haven't tested at any tracks shorter than, I think, Las Vegas or Homestead, and I think we will be pretty good. We haven't tested on any short tracks, but we haven't tested a lot for the whole season anyway. I feel confident that Fatback will have the cars set up for those tracks also.

Question from: [bobmayn24] You and Jeff had a great race for the finish. Would you race just any driver like that, or do you have to have a lot of trust in his driving capabilities?

Bobby Labonte: I would say that you would have to trust the guy you are racing and how you race him, and Jeff and I have raced for a lot of years together. We race hard and that is what it is about, and I know that he would race me as hard as I race him, or even harder sometimes! But each driver might be a little different in some ways.

Question from: [Freak4Bobby] My question for you is, the Battery Pack seems to do well on the longer runs, but sometimes not so good on taking the green. Do you set your car up that way, or does it just work out to be that way? And are you most comfortable with that setup?

Bobby Labonte: I just like a certain feel in a race car sometimes, and it just tends to be that way after 10 laps of a run. At Atlanta, I just don't really care and it seems to work either way. It is just my driving style that the car seems to work better after about 10 laps on the tires.

Question from: [JG24JJ48] I saw that you gave Jeff just a tiny nudge to be able to pass him. Did you get to talk to Jeff about it?

	Credit: Autostock

Bobby Labonte: No, but that was just what I thought was pretty good, hard racing. I had such a good run off the corner that I got into him a little bit, but no, I didn't talk to him afterwards.

Question from: [BUD8] Who would you say is going to be you biggest competitor in chasing the Championship?

Bobby Labonte: I would say right now it is way too early in the year. I wouldn't even begin to answer that. I think there are a lot of guys that have had back luck already, or even some other that have had good success. I am not worrying about anyone else right now; I just want to be there at the end. We are a long way away from talking about the Championship.

Question from: [MeanGreen18] Since yours and my favorite NFL team is the Dallas Cowboys, how do you feel about Aikman and Staubach getting into NASCAR?

Bobby Labonte: I think it is great to have people like that getting into racing, following Joe Gibbs's footsteps! Those guys are sports guys and they still want to be competitive also.

Question from: [tugboat] It seems that the motors you're running are stronger this year than they have been the last couple of years. Have there been any changes in the motor department at Joe Gibbs Racing or has having a first class mechanic in Jimmy (Magic Man) more available to the shop made the difference?

Bobby Labonte: Our engines are really, really good right now. Going from the Pontiac to the Chevy, we now have better drag numbers. Jimmy is going back and forth, and also attending meetings that crew chiefs cant make doesn't hurt also. It all helps out.

Question from: [RJBII] I was curious how "Coach" Gibbs responded to your "down year" last season and what he has done to help you to come back for another winning season?

Bobby Labonte: I think making changes to the situation and rearranging, reorganizing and regrouping and just not sitting still. You can't sit still in this sport.

Question from: [Ken] Bobby, do you plan to use the car you won with yesterday to race at Texas or Charlotte?

Bobby Labonte: I know we are taking it to Texas next, and after that we will have to wait and see.

Question from: [gypsyhrt] I was wondering about the racing facility you were opening -- can you give details about that?

BOBBY LABONTE  •  Driver Page  •  Season Stats  •  Insider's View

Bobby Labonte: The track in Salisbury will be a quarter-midget track only, and as soon as we raise money and sufficient funds, hopefully we can start construction as soon as possible so the kids can start racing by the end of the year.

Question from: [Thogwummpy] Great job Sunday! Seeing you in the Victory Junction Gang commercials of late, you already have a reputation as being quite active in charitable work. How many projects and organizations are you involved with at this time?

Bobby Labonte: About 4 or 5 right now. Victory Junction is at the top of the list, then Cody Unser (First Step Foundation), the Todd Beamer Foundation, and we are doing the quarter-midget deal trying to raise money for that through golf tournaments and things like that. We have also done Toys-for-Tots with Joe Gibbs Racing a few times.

Question from: [Daveho] Any thought about you publishing a book about your life?

Bobby Labonte: No, I haven't thought about that, to be honest with you. I don't know. I haven't really had an urge to do that.

Question from: [one] Bobby, now that you and Tony are champions, what other goals do you have in the racing industry?

Bobby Labonte: I think at this point in time is to become a multi-champion. We want to also keep Joe Gibbs Racing at the top of the sport. That would be awesome.

Question from: [Corey3] Hi Bobby, my name is Kendra and I am 6 years old. I am a really young fan of yours. What did you think of Tony telling you not to let lap cars go by?

Bobby Labonte: I knew the point he was trying to make, but I had already figured it out before that. But it was good to talk to him! Haha

Question from: [hawk83] Bobby, NASCAR wants to take away races from some tracks like Darlington and Rockingham. What is your opinion?

Bobby Labonte: I think Rockingham had one of the better races of the year, along with Atlanta. I know Darlington isn't a big market area, but they do have pretty good racing there. If we are looking at just racing, that is important, but I don't think we can survive off that so we will have to wait and see. I don't make those types of decisions.

Question from: [sportzjunkee] It seems like you are more aggressive this year. Have the "young guns" changed the older drivers driving styles?

Bobby Labonte: You know, it is kind of funny. I feel like I drove harder last year than I have this year, but you are only as good as your car is. I think that is the difference from this year and last year. I don't know that other drivers have changed my style. I just have race cars that are capable of running up front.

Bobby, our time is up. Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share? :)

Bobby Labonte: Thanks to everybody! It looks like we had a great crowd today, as I was watching at the same time. I thank you for supporting us, NASCAR races, for watching us on TV, and I am looking forward to running at Darlington and hopefully we will be back online soon.