Labonte finishes 27th as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season comes to a close at Homestead-Miami Speedway

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 21, 2011) - - Sunday night, Bobby Labonte and the No. 47 Reese Towpower JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota team capped off the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and finished 27th in the 267-lap championship race at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Stewart won the event and claimed the championship over Carl Edwards in a tiebreaker thanks to a record-setting fifth victory in the Chase.

"I said it would probably come down to the last lap," Labonte said. "It was a great fight to the finish and it's good to see Tony win his third championship."

It was a long intense race that ended under the lights due to inclement weather delays. Beginning the race on time, Carl Edwards was the points leader and polesitter leading the 43-car field. Martin Truex Jr. earned the outside pole position, Kasey Kahne started third, Kurt Busch fourth and Brad Keselowski was fifth.

Not longer after, the first of eight cautions for 54 laps occurred. Precipitation was the reason NASCAR slowed the event at lap 12. Crew chief Brian Burns called Labonte to pit road for the pit crew to change four tires and add fuel.

The next yellow flag was due to the No. 35 machine spinning in Turn 4. Labonte returned to pit road this time for right-side tires and a track bar adjustment.

"It's tight then loose and needs more grip to," Labonte began to communicate to Burns.

"The track bar will help rear security and the air adjustment will help the middle," Burns said.

The call for only two tires gave Labonte good track position and he was scored in 19th place on the restart at lap 37. His next stop was at lap 77 for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment under green.

Oil on the track at lap 82 from David Ragan's car slowed the race again. Labonte made his next report before heading in for service on his car.

"It's tight and loose at the same time," Labonte said. "The tires give up more than anything."

"We'll keep putting wedge in," said Burns as he called for four tires and fuel as well at lap 84.

Restarting 32nd Labonte was really loose and earlier in the race had been caught a lap down. When the caution happened at lap 107 ultimately leading to red flag for rain, Labonte was in position to be the Lucky Dog recipient and advance onto the lead lap.

"It's getting looser and looser," Labonte said.

Once the red flag was lifted, Burns decided to have the team unhook the rear bar, pull a half spring rubber out and change four tires.

Labonte went back to work in 27th position.

"It's real tight middle to corner exit," Labonte said. "Loose getting into Turn 1 too."

It was four tires, an air adjustment and a round of wedge out of the left rear on lap 135 under caution. The following caution was at lap 154 and this time Burns called for more wedge out, four tires and fuel.

Approaching lap 200, Labonte was running in 19th place before heading to pit road under green for four tires and fuel.

More rain slowed the event at lap 212. Finally, NASCAR turned the field loose at lap 230 with Kyle Busch out front.

At lap 248, Labonte had to have a splash of fuel under green and it would be his last stop of the night. Labonte went on to finish 27th in the final race of 2011

"It's been a long season for us, but we're really looking forward to a fresh start next season," Labonte said. "I'd like to thank everyone at JTG Daugherty Racing and all of our sponsors for the opportunity and look forward to 2012."

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