[jks812]

Terry Labonte will be a teammate to his brother Bobby at Petty Enterprises starting next month, pending sponsor approval. Terry (and Chad McCumbee) will drive the #45 when Kyle Petty gets out for the summer. Petty is scheduled to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 and then miss the next seven races (one for his daughter's wedding and the other six to work as an analyst for TNT). McCumbee likely will drive at Dover and Chicago. Terry Labonte likely will drive in the other five races. Labonte's addition is key for Petty Enterprises because the #45 car is not in the top 35 in car owner points. Labonte's second of his two titles came in 1996 -- that makes him the most recent champion not in the top 35 since Bill Elliott's title came in 1988. Thus, Labonte would be guaranteed a starting spot each time he starts, while the Wood Brothers would lose that even with Elliott in the seat. This would be the second time the Labonte brothers have run as teammates. Terry Labonte drove in five races for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2005 when Bobby Labonte was there. Terry Labonte ranks fourth in series history with 851 career starts. He won 22 races.

[Racer Duck]

I hope it works out for PE, 'cause I don't have any faith in Terry. His last several years were dismal and nothing he's done recently makes me think he's gonna do anything more than use the Champ's provisional to get into the race. And that ain't gonna help PE at all.

[titans#1]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

I hope it works out for PE, 'cause I don't have any faith in Terry. His last several years were dismal and nothing he's done recently makes me think he's gonna do anything more than use the Champ's provisional to get into the race. And that ain't gonna help PE at all.

ya your rite cus when terry finished third the last time he raced means that he is nothing compared to petty's finishes.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

I hope it works out for PE, 'cause I don't have any faith in Terry. His last several years were dismal and nothing he's done recently makes me think he's gonna do anything more than use the Champ's provisional to get into the race. And that ain't gonna help PE at all.

I agree. He'll get it in the race but thats about all. I would've liked to seen them let McCumbee have all the races and get the time and experience in the car. Putting him in for a race here and there ain't helping him much.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by titans#1

ya your rite cus when terry finished third the last time he raced means that he is nothing compared to petty's finishes.

If you're talking about the road course where he came in 3rd at, that was a fuel mileage thing. Kyle's done that himself.
Terry was good back in the day. But lately I think he's like Bill Elliott, just needs to know when to give it up.

[LSC9901]

I suppose one "hope" is that with the champions provisional there is a guaranteed spot in the race and the hope that Terry can bump them up into the top 35. They should call it what it is .... a freebie spot. I'd love it if they did away with this provision or at the very least make it so you can utilize it for just a couple of years after your retirement.

[salysenior]

Originally Posted by jks812

If you're talking about the road course where he came in 3rd at, that was a fuel mileage thing. Kyle's done that himself.
Terry was good back in the day. But lately I think he's like Bill Elliott, just needs to know when to give it up.

''give it up''.....don't you think a paycheck might have something to do with this????

[jks812]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I suppose one "hope" is that with the champions provisional there is a guaranteed spot in the race and the hope that Terry can bump them up into the top 35. They should call it what it is .... a freebie spot. I'd love it if they did away with this provision or at the very least make it so you can utilize it for just a couple of years after your retirement.

I'd like to see them make it to where the previous years champ is the only one to get a provisional, if they just got to have a provisional spot.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by salysenior

''give it up''.....don't you think a paycheck might have something to do with this????

Actually the thought that they might need it that bad never crossed my mind.
I just hate to see drivers that once were great, get on the track and run the way they do now. Kinda almost makes one forget how great they were at one time.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by jks812

I'd like to see them make it to where the previous years champ is the only one to get a provisional, if they just got to have a provisional spot.

That would only work if the previous years champ was retired. If he was the champ he really should be in the top 35. He would be for the first 6 races anyway and if he fell from grace after 6 races then he deserves to be out of the top 35.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

That would only work if the previous years champ was retired. If he was the champ he really should be in the top 35. He would be for the first 6 races anyway and if he fell from grace after 6 races then he deserves to be out of the top 35.

True, I didn't think about that. Well they could make it only for the champs in the last 5 years. Beyond the 5 years they had to run or attempt to qualify for 75% of the last years races.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by salysenior

''give it up''.....don't you think a paycheck might have something to do with this????

I don't think "Texas Terry" is hurting in the bank account area. And you can live quite comfortably in Corpus Christi on what they're gonna spend hauling him back and forth to the track.

It's obvious to anyone who chooses to see that the only reason they're tapping him is that his champ's provisional guarantees he'll get in (over Elliott). Otherwise they'd have him in all 7 races!

Terry retired .. to big fan fare .. and lots of expense to Rick ('cause Terry didn't do anything to help except wave at the crowd.) Terry's most recent seasons were pathetic 'cause he drove so slow he was a moving road hazard. The "retirement tour" was all about ego... And this is another ego trip for him: "Imagine, the King wants me to drive his car!"

Like I said, I hope it works out for PE, but I'm not holding my breath.

[salysenior]

there are not to many people that know how bad terry got hurt....

[Jeffrey4396]

Wow, just wow. Those of you who think they should just throw Chad in the car are greatly mistaken. I do agree Kyle needs to step aside, but if you just throw Chad in that car to "sink or swim" only bads things will happen. That team is nowhere near being a team that can compete with any driver. If you put Chad in it things will only get worst.

Just because Terry didn't run well in his last few years in a test car for Hendrick doesn't mean he can't wheel a car. Yes lets call it what it is, the Petty's calling on Terry's garaunteed spot. So why does this make Terry a bad person for accepting it? Money? Ego? Wow I've heard some strange things in my life. I've never ever heard that about Terry. I'll take a pass and just assume that those who made those comments must be new to the sport and don't know what kind of a character Terry is. They say the new car drives alot like the older ones. I guess that means there could be a possiblity in Terry having a little success. Besides it wouldn't hurt to use Terry's experience to try and find something that could be wrong with that team.

Go ahead fire away.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey4396

Wow, just wow. Those of you who think they should just throw Chad in the car are greatly mistaken. I do agree Kyle needs to step aside, but if you just throw Chad in that car to "sink or swim" only bads things will happen. That team is nowhere near being a team that can compete with any driver. If you put Chad in it things will only get worst.

Just because Terry didn't run well in his last few years in a test car for Hendrick doesn't mean he can't wheel a car. Yes lets call it what it is, the Petty's calling on Terry's garaunteed spot. So why does this make Terry a bad person for accepting it? Money? Ego? Wow I've heard some strange things in my life. I've never ever heard that about Terry. I'll take a pass and just assume that those who made those comments must be new to the sport and don't know what kind of a character Terry is. They say the new car drives alot like the older ones. I guess that means there could be a possiblity in Terry having a little success. Besides it wouldn't hurt to use Terry's experience to try and find something that could be wrong with that team.

Go ahead fire away.

I'm not new to the sport, been a fan for over half my life. I know what kind of driver Terry was, and thats why it's hard to see him on the track now running like he does. Do you really think the 45 is any better than the 5 was? I didn't say it made him a bad person for accepting the ride. I guess this is how I feel, you have a driver and he was a great driver, now they put him on the track and all of a sudden he goes from being a great driver to being an also ran driver. I just hate having to think of him now as an also ran driver instead of a competitor.