USER PROFILE: BAHAMUT443 (KEVIN)

I keep hearing rumors that Dodge is pulling out of NASCAR possibly as early as next season. Do you believe that this rumor is true??? I realize that they have already cut their truck program down to nothing, could Nationwide or Sprint Cup be next??? Do you think Honda may be on the horizon???

SceneDaily Staff:

While Bobby Labonte admits that his Petty Enterprises team needs to use the final 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup races to get prepared for next season, he also has some goals left to attain this year.

Labonte enters this weekend's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 20th in the standings, but he wants to gain significant ground before season's end.

“These last 10 races are going to be important for everyone on the No. 43 Dodge [team]," he said. "Obviously we want to work on preparing for next season, but we also have some goals that we want to accomplish. Each year that I’ve been at Petty Enterprises we have improved on the point’s finish from the previous year. Last year we finished 18th in points.

"We are in a very good position to improve on that this year. There are a lot of tracks left on the schedule where we could easily turn in a few top-10 finishes and challenge for wins. If we can do that, we can fight our way inside the top 15.”

Labonte is currently 357 points behind the driver in 15th, Red Bull Racing's Brian Vickers.

He sees this weekend's race as a chance to gain some ground. He started second and finished 10th in this event earlier this season and is hoping to build on that performance.

"The first race at New Hampshire was probably the best all-around race that we’ve had this year," Labonte said. "The car was fast in qualifying and we started on the outside of the front row. The race didn’t play out like we wanted it to, but we were still able to get a top-10 finish. A carbon-copy of that weekend would be huge for us this week.

"We could pick up a lot of points, but it would also go a long way in establishing some consistency for us that will hopefully carry to the end of the year.”

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service:

Bobby Labonte hasn't exactly been a regular at the top of the speed charts this year, but in Saturday's final Cup practice, he posted the third fastest time behind Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin.

Though Labonte will start 21st Sunday because of Friday's qualifying rainout, he's optimistic about the prospects of his No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge.

"It's real good," Labonte said of the car. "I'm a little concerned about getting too tight as the race goes on. . . We unloaded, and I don't think that we have changed a single thing to it. Because we unloaded so well, I think that will help us tremendously tomorrow because we won't spend so much time trying to catch up.

"I feel confident about our chances (Sunday), but it won't be easy. We've got to pass a bunch of cars, starting (21st), but I think I have a car underneath me that can do it."

Just curious, who do you think will sponsor Bobby Labonte in 2009???

Enjoy the race!!!