Talladega Superspeedway
TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Dollar General and Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) visited victory lane at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Saturday afternoon following the NASCAR Busch Series race. Bobby Labonte pushed teammate Tony Stewart to the lead during the green-white-checkered sprint to the end and then passed Tony Stewart by a car length to win the Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race. Tony Stewart finished second, 0.052 seconds behind Labonte, giving Kevin Harvick Inc. its second one-two finish in a NASCAR Busch Series race.
The NASCAR Busch Series garage opened Thursday for NASCAR tech inspection followed by two practice sessions that afternoon. The Dollar General stores Chevrolet rounded out the first practice 23rd and final practice 34th on the speed charts. Busch Series teams returned Friday afternoon for Busch Pole qualifying. The No. 77 qualified 34th on the starting grid.
Labonte started on the 17th row and by lap 40 was up to 11th. The Dollar General stores Chevrolet was bump drafting with the No. 20 and Labonte quickly made it towards the front of the field. Labonte reported to crew chief Wally Rogers that he was pleased with the handling of the Dollar General stores Chevrolet. Throughout the race, the Dollar General stores crew only made minor adjustments to help free up the handling of the car for Labonte.
Labonte and Rogers were confident with the Dollar General stores car that they would be able to make a strong run at the finish. The field was slowed on lap 111 for a multi-car incident on the track. The field was stopped for a red-flag condition for 16 minutes. Throughout the caution and red flag condition, there was radio communication between teammates Labonte and Tony Stewart, planning their run for the last remaining laps. As the field took the green flag on lap 114 of the scheduled 117 lap event, Tony Stewart, starting seventh, and Labonte, starting eighth, bump drafted each other towards the front of the pack. On lap 116 debris was spotted and brought out another caution on the track resulting in a green-white-checkered finish. Tony Stewart radioed to Labonte that the plan worked out and to try it again on the restart.
As the field took the green flag for the two-lap sprint to the end of the race, Tony Stewart popped out line with Labonte behind him for the lead. The two Kevin Harvick Inc., cars were nose to tail for a one-two finish. Coming off the tri-oval, Labonte bumped Tony Stewart and got a run on the outside of the No. 33. As the two cars neared the checkered flag, Labonte edged next to Tony Stewart to take the air off the spoiler which slowed the No. 33. This enabled Labonte to jet ahead of his Kevin Harvick Inc., teammate to cross the start/finish line first.
“I just had a run on Tony,” said Bobby Labonte during his victory lane interview. “I just stayed glued to his bumper the whole time. Eddie [D’Hondt] was telling me how far ahead of the No. 24 car we were. In the end I just wanted to make sure that we didn’t get side-by-side for him (the No. 24) to catch up. Then I got up alongside of him (Tony Stewart) and I thought, I can’t believe this thing is going to pass him like that. Just thanks to Kevin and all the guys at Kevin Harvick Inc. The Dollar General Chevrolet did pretty good today.”
Bobby Labonte, driving the No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet, won his 10th NASCAR Busch Series race in 184 starts. Labonte’s last Busch Series victory came at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in March of 1998. In two weeks, Labonte will return behind the wheel of the No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The NASCAR Busch Series win at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway was the first for Dollar General.
Kevin Harvick Inc. co-owner and driver Kevin Harvick will return to the No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet Monte Carlos SS at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Cars will hit the track Friday, May 4, 2007 for the NASCAR Busch Series practice sessions and qualifying, followed by the Circuit City 250 event. The Circuit City 250 can be seen live from Richmond (Va.) International Raceway on ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. ET Friday, May 4, 2007.
STATS RECAP
Date: April 28, 2007
Track: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Driver: Bobby Labonte
Event Name: Aaron’s 312
Race 10 of 35
Started: 34th
Finished: First
Busch Series Owner Points Standings: 14th
NEXT ON SCHEDULE
Date: May 4, 2007
Track: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Event Name: Circuit City 250
Broadcast Times:
TV – NASCAR Countdown pre-race coverage can be seen live on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Followed by the Circuit City 250 on ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Radio – The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will broadcast pre-race coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET.
See more at www.whowon.com
