Labonte Fades Late, Finishes 7th in Target House 300
FONTANA, Calif., (Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004) - Bobby Labonte used some unique pit strategy and nearly pulled off a victory, before finishing seventh Sept. 4 in the Target House 300 at California Speedway.
It was good, Labonte said. We had a good time. The Banquet Chevrolet was pretty good. It has been, obviously, a long time since I have run a Busch race. I ran one race for Richard Childress earlier in the year and had a good day. These guys did a great job. These guys at Joe Gibbs Racing that put this car together at the Busch shop. The Cup guys helped out, and we had a variety of other people here today helping out.
Labonte, who started 22nd, methodically worked his way up through the field and spent the final half of the 150-lap race in the top 10. He pitted on Lap 76, while many drivers opted to stay out and when those drivers had to pit around Lap 118, Labonte inherited the lead. He held the lead until Lap 130.
On Lap 131, he pitted and the crew opted to take only two right-side tires and gas and Labonte returned to action in eighth-place. On Lap 134 a caution for debris slowed the race and Labonte pitted with the remainder of the field on Lap 136. He opted for only two left-side tires and a splash of gas, which helped Labonte restart in fourth position on Lap 138.
Labonte moved to third on Lap 141 and was trailing only eventually winner Greg Biffle and second-place Casey Mears when a caution for debris slowed the field on Lap 144.
On the restart, Labontes car was slow to get up to speed, and he fell to seventh by lap 148. He ended up in the seventh position.
It was a great effort by the crew. I wish we could have held on to third, but we didn't get going and fell back to seventh, but still a good day for us, Labonte said. I got 150 laps more experience (for Sundays race). I have been struggling anyway and there are no secrets about that, so today was a good day for us so hopefully it will carry on until tomorrow.
Labonte will start 37th in the NEXTEL Cup Pop Secret 500, which will start at 7 p.m. (EDT) Sept. 5 and be broadcast live on NBC and MRN.
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