Labonte scores top-10 at Talladega

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS:
1. Brian Vickers, Chevrolet
2. Kasey Kahne, Dodge
3. Kurt Busch, Dodge
4. Matt Kenseth, Ford
5. Martin Truex, Chevrolet
10. Bobby Labonte, #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge
38. Kyle Petty, #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge

OVERVIEW:

TALLADEGA, AL (October 8, 2006) - Bobby Labonte and the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team did it again in the UAW-Ford 500 at the 2.66-mile Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. They collected their sixth top-10 finish of the season Sunday after remaining composed during the long 500-mile race. Labonte started the afternoon in the back of the pack- not a bad place to be at Talladega. He had a lot of visitors there early in the race as many competitors wanted to ‘hang out’ and avoid any wrecks. The ‘big one’ eventually came on lap 137 when 10 cars were collected in Turn One. Labonte did a masterful job of driving through the wreck. The team was down a lap after an earlier pit/caution sequence, but Labonte fought back to regain the lead lap on 175. The 188-lap race was enough time for Labonte to make the charge. He moved from 25th to 10th at the end. He was inside the top-10, but NASCAR scored the Cheerios Dodge 10th at the end. It’s the team’s second top-10 finish in its last three races.

“We had to be patient today,” said Labonte. “We didn’t know if it was going to work out, but that last caution came out and we were in position. The car wasn’t bad in the draft and we worked ourselves up to the front. It was a good day for the Cheerios team.”

Brian Vickers won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race on Sunday, but it didn’t come without controversy. It was another last lap dash with over 20 cars on the lead lap that left everyone on the edge of their seat. The front three on the last lap were leader Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Vickers. The trio raced down the backstretch and Johnson made his move down low. Vickers went to follow as Earnhardt Jr. went to block. The result was Vickers getting into the side of Johnson who then hit Earnhardt Jr. The reaction sent Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson spinning into the grass as Vickers drove around the wreck. The caution came out and immediately ended the race. NASCAR’s ‘scoring loops’ had Vickers barely ahead of Kasey Kahne when the caution lights came on. Vickers had the controversial win much to the dismay of teammate Johnson. Kahne finished second, but NASCAR officials were still trying to officially score the results after the race.

Kyle Petty and the #45 Petty Enterprises Dodge team looked like they had the ‘chess game’ that is Talladega racing figured out before being involved in the ‘big one’. Petty started the afternoon in the 18th position, but moved to the back of the field to avoid any wrecks. Petty was watching and preparing to make his move as the race progressed. The team had to move back on the lead lap after losing a lap. The team was in good position, but the ‘big one’ collected Petty when two cars spun down the banking. Petty was able to get back on the track to pick up valuable points, but ended the day behind the wall. Petty finished 38th.

“We were just doing our own thing and looking to get our lap back,” said Petty. “It just happens here at this track. There wasn’t anything we could have done. You never know which way the cars are going to go. We were collected today. The cars are good, but we just didn’t have the luck.”

The Nextel Cup Series now heads to the 1.5-mile Lowe’s Motor Speedway for Saturday night’s Bank of America 500.