Atlanta could be perfect antidote for B. Labonte

Veteran has struggled mightily in second half

Bobby Labonte  Driver Page  2003 Stats  Article Archive  Merchandise

HAMPTON, Ga. -- After a strong start to the 2003 season, Bobby Labonte hasn't had a top-five finish since he stumbled away from a fiery crash at Chicagoland Speedway in mid-July.

That may change this weekend.

Labonte, a six-time winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will share the front row for Sunday's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 with polesitter Ryan Newman. It's Labonte's best qualifying effort since he started on the Bud Pole at Michigan in August.

	Labonte had nine top-five finishes in the first half, but he's only had one top-five in the second half. Credit: Autostock

Despite the runner-up finish, Labonte said he left little, if anything, on the racetrack.

"I don't know that I could have gone any faster," said Labonte. "I wasn't out of the gas at all and I feel like I hit all my marks and I felt like my line was good."

Labonte enters Sunday's race with 11 top-five finishes in 21 starts at AMS. Even after all his success, Labonte is stumped about what makes him so tough to beat at Atlanta.

"I've been running here since I ran a Goody's Dash Series race in 1982," Labonte said. "I finished third in that race in '82 and I guess that just gave me confidence here. I don't really know what it is."

Labonte won from the fourth starting spot here in the most recent Atlanta race last March. He said winning here takes one thing: speed.

"There's a lot of speed that goes on through here," he said. "You get on the gas and get it. You slip up a little bit and you lose your breath, and it takes a little while to get back there."

What kind of chance does Labonte have of pulling off the season sweep at Atlanta, just ask Newman.

"You can never count Bobby Labonte out here," he said.