Justin (left) and Terry Labonte at Dover in June Credit: Autostock

Q&A: Terry Labonte

LOUDON, N.H. -- Terry Labonte shares with Ricky Rudd the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series current mantle as the sport's "iron man."

Rudd is the holder of the current string of consecutive Cup starts, 735. Rudd took possession of that honor from Labonte when the Texas veteran suffered injuries that caused him to break his streak in 2000.

By reaching the 800-race plateau, Labonte is now fifth on NASCAR's list for all-time starts in its premier division, behind Richard Petty (1,177), Dave Marcis (882), Rudd (821) and Darrell Waltrip (809).

Labonte, a two-time Cup champion, made his 800th career Cup start Sunday in the Siemens 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway and paused to reflect on his career's past, and its present.

After finishing 16th in the race in his No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, he talked with NASCAR.COM's Dave Rodman about a day that didn't make him look forward to 800 more starts -- but more importantly the emergence of his son Justin, who won his first career Busch Series race on July 10 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Was today at New Hampshire a day that makes you wish there were 800 more starts in the future?

Terry Labonte: (laughing) No, not really. I wish we would've won today, but I kind of look at it as just a number. But then, it is a pretty big accomplishment, I guess, to run 800 races like that.

I still enjoy doing it -- I still like this. It's still fun and the racing is the best part, you know? I don't think you'll see people in the sport today run as long as Ricky Rudd and I have, for a couple of reasons.

Number one, there's a lot more money in the sport today. But I think the wear and tear and all you have to do these days means just as much.

Do you think that will be a loss to the fans, when they don't have long-term icons that they can look up to, and compare the new generation of drivers to?

Terry Labonte: (laughing) Well, I don't consider myself an icon. But when you think about fathers that watched me race (laughing) -- and now they're bringing their own kids, you know? I have people bring me pictures to sign that were taken when they were little kids, and now they're bigger than me.

Justin Labonte and Terry in Victory Lane in Chicago Credit: Autostock

So that's kind of funny at times, but like I've said, I've been very fortunate to be able to do this as long as I have. I guess I don't really have to do this any more, but I still enjoy doing it. (Laughing) It's a good way to waste time, I guess.

Does one thing stand out as the most exciting moment in your first 800 races?

Terry Labonte: Actually, it was last week at Chicago when Justin won his very first Busch race. That meant more to me than any race I've ever won, without a doubt. That was my best weekend; right there -- no question about it.

I know how hard Justin has worked to get to where he is and I think the thing that makes me feel so good about it is that I know how hard it is, to accomplish what he accomplished, and that makes it even more special.

I think if I was an ordinary father and didn't realize how hard this was, then it probably wouldn't have meant as much to me but having done this for as many years as I've done it, and being able to win from time to time, I know how hard it is.

It meant so much to me to be able to watch him win that race.

Is it too early to get a fix on how much that victory might affect Justin's future?

Terry Labonte Driver Page Article Archive Merchandise 2004 Stats

Terry Labonte: Believe it or not, I've already had somebody call who's wanting to hire him next year for another team. I probably want to wait to see what we're going to do, but I think it's definitely a feather in his cap.

A lot of people have noticed how much better he's done (this season). Some of his finishes didn't show as good as he's run, but that was a pretty big accomplishment for him to win that race.

If you look at the Busch deal, there are a lot of guys that are really good that have never won a Busch race, so it was a big accomplishment.

How did you react when Justin celebrated his victory the exact same way you did when you won the Southern 500 last year -- with a checkered flag victory lap and no burnout?

Terry Labonte: It was very neat and I was awful proud of him. I never dreamed that he would have done that. Kids are kids -- they usually tear your stuff up (laughing). It really made me feel good and that was probably why I couldn't talk very good (laughing) in Victory Lane.

But he's a good kid and I'm awful proud of him.

How does it feel to have put together 800 starts in Cup racing, which is a pretty impressive mark?

Terry Labonte: It's just something you never really think about when you start out. You never really think, 'Oh boy, I want to run 800 races.' That just never comes to your mind. It's a lot of races (and) I've been fortunate to be able to do this for a long time.

The only thing that ticks me about it a little bit is when I got hurt and missed a couple of races (Indianapolis and Watkins Glen) because it broke my consecutive streak. Looking back at it now, I'm a little disappointed because of that.

At the time I wasn't, but I still know I made the right decision by not running those races. But still, I hate that it happened. It would have been even neater to have a consecutive streak like that.

What's enabled you to run 800 races, along with good health, of course?

Terry Labonte: I've been with good teams over the years -- good owners and good teams. That's the key. I've only driven for, I guess, about four different car owners (Billy Hagan twice, Junior Johnson, Richard Jackson and Rick Hendrick) in 26 years, so that's not very many different teams, really.

Do you see drivers in the current era attaining a mark similar to yours?

Terry Labonte: You probably won't see a lot of people run that many races that come into our sport today. It's too hectic and there are too many demands. People point you in too many directions and it's harder than it used to be.

If today's drivers aren't going to reach 800 starts, what are realistic career goals for them?

Terry Labonte: Naturally any time you can win races and win a championship, that's key. But today, if you win just one championship it's quite an accomplishment. It's hard to say.

I think it would be quite an accomplishment to win either a Busch championship or a Cup championship (because) those are extremely difficult to win.

Justin has won championships. It's just a different level for him to compete in. He's been successful in every series he's raced in. The equipment and money are different here.

What's been the biggest change you'd cite, in your time in the sport?

Terry Labonte: We've seen a lot of things change. The crowds, naturally, have gotten much bigger. The television coverage has gotten much bigger. There are many new racetracks and markets -- that's probably been the biggest things that's helped our sport.

By going to markets and places like Indy and Chicago and Kansas and Texas and Southern California, that's enabled us to take our sport to a lot of new fans that had only watched it on TV but now can see it in person.

That's been the biggest thing. The TV viewership is bigger. It's bigger on networks than it was on cable.

When you stood ready to make your first start in this series, at Darlington, did you ever think it would race in New Hampshire, along with some of the other places the Nextel Cup Series goes?

Terry Labonte: I still can't believe we race here at New Hampshire (laughing). They have a tremendous crowd up here -- an unbelievable crowd. The people pack the place.

But no, when I ran my first race down there at Darlington and went to some of the races at the old Nashville Speedway and even the old Texas World Speedway, I never would have imagined it would grow into what it is today.

Is the money in the sports maybe the biggest change you've seen, over the years?

Terry Labonte: Oh, yeah. In 1984 when we won the championship, our (total) sponsorship was $850,000 for the year. That would get you about four races today. The overall cost of it has skyrocketed.

It has for the fans and everything. The costs of traveling and hotels have gone up. All the costs for the teams and owners and everybody have really gone through the roof.

How do today's young drivers compare to those who were racing when you came into the sport?

Terry Labonte: I think that 90 percent of them are good kids and they do a good job. I think they realize they have a big opportunity here and they try to do the right thing. I think the majority of them look up to the veterans and have a lot of respect for them.

There might be a couple of them that don't. You always have that. There are some young guys coming up today that have a tremendous amount of talent and that have their heads on straight.

What do you think of the green-white-checker mandate in Nextel Cup?

Terry Labonte: All you have to do is look at last weekend's (Gateway) truck race and I think that pretty much sums it up. All that does is give the guy who is running second the opportunity to take out the guy leading, and the guy running fourth to take out the guy who is running third.

Nothing good is going to come out of it. They would have been better off to try and do like they were doing to try and get the cautions sped up. If it ends under caution, it ends under caution.

Nobody wants to see it end under caution, but you don't need to add laps to the race. I don't care if it's one lap or 10 laps. I can guarantee you that the true race fans don't like it. The people that like to come and watch the wrecks love it."