Former series champ to run all Daytona, Talladega events
Bobby Labonte, the 2000 champion of NASCAR's premier series, has signed to drive for Go FAS Racing in all four superspeedway events next season, the team announced Wednesday.
Labonte, 50, will drive the No. 32 Ford in both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, including the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 22. Labonte will inherit the wheel from his brother, Terry, a two-time series champion who retired from racing after a partial schedule with Go FAS last year.
The team, formed by a merger of co-owners Frank Stoddard and Archie St. Hilaire before the 2014 season, said it will continue to use Roush Yates engines. The team also announced that Texas-based C&J Energy Services will return as a primary sponsor for the fifth straight season.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to go racing next season with Go FAS Racing and C&J," Bobby Labonte said in a release provided by the team. "The people at C&J are good friends of our family, and like me, have a passion for the sport. I want to thank them and Frankie for allowing me the opportunity to take over where my brother left off."
Labonte, who first raced in NASCAR's top series in 1991, has 21 victories in 721 career starts. All of his victories and his lone series title came driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, his team from 1995-2005. He also claimed a championship in 1991 in what will become the NASCAR XFINITY Series next season.
Labonte ran most of the 2013 season, but competed in just three races last year for three different car owners. His best finish was 15th place in the Daytona 500, wheeling the No. 52 Chevrolet for Harry Scott Jr.
GoFAS ran a similar schedule last season for Terry Labonte, who competed in both Daytona and Talladega races. His best effort was 11th place in the midsummer Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. The elder Labonte also qualified ninth and finished 33rd for GoFAS in the final race of his career.
"We had an outstanding finish in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona last July with Terry, and we look forward to continuing those strong results with Bobby," Stoddard said. "We have a busy offseason to get ready for 2015, but everyone is excited about what the season holds for us."
Go FAS participated in a full schedule last season with a variety of drivers, led by Travis Kvapil's 16 races. Kyle Fowler, Joey Gase, Timmy Hill, Blake Koch, Terry Labonte, Eddie McDonald, Boris Said and JJ Yeley also drove the No. 32 Ford in 2014.
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