Justin Labonte
Encyclopedia
Justin Labonte is a former NASCAR
Busch Series
(now Nationwide Series) driver. He is the son of NASCAR driver Terry Labonte
, and the nephew of Bobby Labonte
. He currently does not have a ride in the Nationwide Series, and is rumored to be racing late models on North Carolina
short tracks. Labonte was born in Trinity, North Carolina
.
and Concord Motorsport Park. He also ran the Legends Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway
, where he won back-to-back championships in 1996 and 1997. During those two years, he split 25 career victories at Ace and Concord. In 1998, he moved to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
, where he finished 3rd in points and posted thirteen top-tens. He also won the Consistency award for finishing nearly 97% of all possible laps during the season. The next season, he had three top-tens in seven starts.
with his father in the Busch Series. Qualifying nine times, he had a best finish of 14th at Myrtle Beach Speedway
. He ran more races in 2000, his best finish a 20th at Nashville Speedway USA. He also made three starts in the ARCA series, posting two top-five finishes. In 2001, he ran a limited ARCA schedule, making five starts, including a race at Nashville Superspeedway
, where he led 70 laps.
Labonte began running late model stock series in 2002 at Caraway Speedway. In his first season at the track, he won one feature event and had ten top-tens in twelve starts. He followed that up by winning the track championship the next season. Labonte also returned to the Busch Series in 2002, attempting but failing to qualify for three races in the #04 Victory Junction Gang Dodge for Kerry Scherer. He made his first start in three years in 2003, starting 23rd and finishing 29th at Michigan International Speedway
in the #06 Dodge Intrepid
for Scherer.
In 2004, Labonte announced he would make a limited run in the Busch Series that season in the #44 car owned by his father and sponsored by the United States Coast Guard
. At the Twister 300, Labonte passed Mike Wallace
on the last lap to win his first career race. Out of seventeen starts that season, it was his only top-ten, but finished 35th in points. For 2005, Labonte's team merged with Haas CNC Racing
, and he posted two top-tens and finished seventeenth in points. At the end of the season, he was released from his contract. He ran his only Busch race of 2006 at Memphis Motorsports Park
in the #5 for Hendrick Motorsports
, finishing 22nd. He also made his Craftsman Truck Series
debut at Texas Motor Speedway
, driving the #24 Bill Davis Racing
Toyota Tundra
to a 22nd finish place finish.
He most recently raced in the Craftsman Truck Series
in 2007 driving Michael Waltrip
's #00 Aaron's
Toyota Tundra. He finished 27th at O'Reilly Raceway Park, followed by a 12th place finish at Martinsville.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
(now Nationwide Series) driver. He is the son of NASCAR driver Terry Labonte
Terry Labonte
Terrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had...
, and the nephew of Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
. He currently does not have a ride in the Nationwide Series, and is rumored to be racing late models on North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
short tracks. Labonte was born in Trinity, North Carolina
Trinity, North Carolina
Trinity is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,690 at the 2000 census.-History:The community was named after Trinity College, which later became Duke University. The "World's Longest Hot Wheels Track" was built at the Kyle Petty Farm in Trinity, North...
.
Pre-NASCAR
Labonte began racing at the age of 15 at Ace SpeedwayAce Speedway
ACE Speedway is a 4/10Mile Oval in Elon, NC, The track opened in 1956 as a 1/3 mile dirt oval and was expanded to a 3/8 mile dirt oval and in 1990, the track was paved and was under the NASCAR Winston Racing Series banner...
and Concord Motorsport Park. He also ran the Legends Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, where he won back-to-back championships in 1996 and 1997. During those two years, he split 25 career victories at Ace and Concord. In 1998, he moved to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
CARS Pro Cup Series is a stock car auto racing series in the United States. It is sanctioned by the Championship Auto Racing Series. The series races throughout the United States primarily on short tracks.-History:The sanctioning body was formed by Hooters owner Robert Brooks...
, where he finished 3rd in points and posted thirteen top-tens. He also won the Consistency award for finishing nearly 97% of all possible laps during the season. The next season, he had three top-tens in seven starts.
NASCAR
In 1999, Labonte began sharing the #44 Slim Jim Chevrolet Monte CarloChevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
with his father in the Busch Series. Qualifying nine times, he had a best finish of 14th at Myrtle Beach Speedway
Myrtle Beach Speedway
The Myrtle Beach Speedway, originally named Rambi Raceway, was built in 1958 and is located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.The speedway is a semi-banked asphaltic oval track that spans...
. He ran more races in 2000, his best finish a 20th at Nashville Speedway USA. He also made three starts in the ARCA series, posting two top-five finishes. In 2001, he ran a limited ARCA schedule, making five starts, including a race at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
, where he led 70 laps.
Labonte began running late model stock series in 2002 at Caraway Speedway. In his first season at the track, he won one feature event and had ten top-tens in twelve starts. He followed that up by winning the track championship the next season. Labonte also returned to the Busch Series in 2002, attempting but failing to qualify for three races in the #04 Victory Junction Gang Dodge for Kerry Scherer. He made his first start in three years in 2003, starting 23rd and finishing 29th at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
in the #06 Dodge Intrepid
Dodge Intrepid
The Dodge Intrepid is a large four-door, full-size, front-wheel drive sedan car model that was produced for model years 1993 to 2004. It was mechanically related to the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, Eagle Vision, and also the 300M sedans...
for Scherer.
In 2004, Labonte announced he would make a limited run in the Busch Series that season in the #44 car owned by his father and sponsored by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. At the Twister 300, Labonte passed Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
on the last lap to win his first career race. Out of seventeen starts that season, it was his only top-ten, but finished 35th in points. For 2005, Labonte's team merged with Haas CNC Racing
Haas CNC Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, is a NASCAR racing team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which runs Chevrolet Impalas. The team is owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and runs the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala driven by Stewart and the #39 United States...
, and he posted two top-tens and finished seventeenth in points. At the end of the season, he was released from his contract. He ran his only Busch race of 2006 at Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis International Raceway is an auto racing park located across the Loosahatchie River from Memphis, Tennessee, approximately ten miles south of Millington, Tennessee. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and 1.8-mile road course...
in the #5 for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
, finishing 22nd. He also made his Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
debut at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, driving the #24 Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year...
to a 22nd finish place finish.
He most recently raced in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
in 2007 driving Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
's #00 Aaron's
Aaron's
Aaron's, Inc. is a lease-to-own retailer. The company focuses on leases and retail sales of furniture, electronics, appliances, and computers. It is divided into three major divisions: sales and lease ownership; corporate furnishings; and manufacturing. The incorporation of manufacturing as well...
Toyota Tundra. He finished 27th at O'Reilly Raceway Park, followed by a 12th place finish at Martinsville.