Labonte ready for new streak to begin

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- Beginning with the fall race in 1994 and lasting until the fall event in 2000, Bobby Labonte was somewhat untouchable at Michigan Speedway. In that span of 13 races, Labonte recorded three victories, eight top-fives and 12 top-ten finishes. A streak he is very proud of and one he hopes to start again this weekend. In addition, his only finish outside the top-10 during that time was a respectable 12th place which isn't too bad by most people's standards.

"We had a great run going there at Michigan," said Labonte. "We wouldn't always qualify great, but it seemed we didn't have any problems getting the car set-up for the race. Over that span, I was involved in some fuel-mileage battles and some good hard-nosed racing. There have been some events that have had very few caution-flags and thus you end up with a fuel mileage battle, but there were some that come down to the wire with two or three of us battling for the victory. It's a little unpredictable in terms of what type of race we might end up getting, but either way, it's a lot of fun."

About the only thing that is predictable at Michigan Speedway is the racing being two and three wide. Boasting one of the widest racing surfaces on the circuit, Michigan is a place where you will see drivers all over the place during the course of an event.

"It's such a wide racing surface you can go almost anywhere you want," explained Labonte. "Most everyone will try and stay on the bottom, but once you have some rubber down on the track, you will see some of the guys moving up the track and experimenting a little during the race. I enjoy it because it's not just a one-groove racetrack. You can actually pass both high and low there."

Labonte's streak of five consecutive top-three finishes came to an end this past weekend in Pocono with a disappointing 17th place showing. Given the fact that Labonte was on such a tear at Michigan over that span of 13 races, there would be no place better, Labonte says, to begin a new streak.

"After the race this past weekend in Pocono, I told Fatback (Michael McSwain) that it just gives us an excuse to start a new streak," Labonte said. "Maybe this one though will be a streak of victories. That would be awfully nice."

When asked by the fans what his favorite track is, Labonte wittingly answers, "Wherever we're racing at this weekend of course." In all seriousness though, he eventually shares with everyone that Michigan has always been his favorite track.

It could be in the fact that he made just his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series start at the 2-mile oval just over 10 years ago or that he has had three victories in the Winston Cup Series and a victory in the Busch Series at the D-shaped oval as well. Whatever it is, Labonte is excited about returning to the Irish Hills region of Michigan this weekend in hopes of adding to the win column and gaining some points on current point leader Matt Kenseth.

"Since I first hit the track in a car I owned in the fall of 1991, I have loved coming to this track," admitted Labonte. "I think I finished around 40th or so in that first race, but I just felt really comfortable on that track. My first year with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1995 I had won my first career NASCAR Winston Cup race at Charlotte, but a month later we won here and then came back later in the summer and swept that event also. I always thought that was pretty cool that we were able to do that. I have always enjoyed racing up there and have been very open when people ask me what my favorite track is. I always answer Michigan. I have a lot of tracks that I like to race on, but when it comes down to it, that is my favorite track."