Justin Labonte Fills In For Mike Bliss During Pepsi 400 Test
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (June 14, 2005) -- With Mike Bliss still recovering from
recent hernia surgery, NASCAR Busch Series driver Justin Labonte got behind the
wheel of the No. 0 NetZero Chevrolet fielded by Haas CNC Racing during a one-day
test session at historic Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the
47th annual Pepsi 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Saturday, July 2.
Labonte, the son of two-time NASCAR champion Terry Labonte, was a perfect fit
to fill in for Bliss during the test at the legendary 2.5-mile tri-oval. He
wheels the No. 44 United States Coast Guard Chevrolet for Haas CNC Racing in the
Busch Series.
"Mike had surgery last week and they called me last weekend and asked me
to drive it and I didn't really have anything to do," Labonte said.
"I'm just trying to help out as much as I can. They've got a new car they
needed to test and we're here shaking it down for the day.
"Any laps that I can get on the track are a help to me. I'm here to help
out as much as I can. I try to give them good feedback and get the cars as good
as we can for when they come back with Mike."
Also testing at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday was C.W. Smith, who
was shaking down his Busch Series car in preparation for the Winn Dixie 250
presented by Pepsico on Friday, July 2.
The 24-year-old Labonte is excited about returning to "The World Center
of Racing" for the Winn Dixie 250 presented by Pepsico. In February's
Hershey's Take 5 300, Labonte finished 18th and in the Aaron's 312 - the most
recent superspeedway race in Talladega - he came home seventh.
"I'm excited," Labonte said. "We had a good car at Talladega.
We're bringing the same car we had here in (February). We were pretty good in
the practices and qualified eighth but just got real tight in the race. It was
just inexperience on my part that we missed the setup. I think coming back here
for the second time, I think we'll have a better car and be able to stay up
there better."
One thing Labonte can count on when he returns to Daytona International
Speedway in July is help from his father Terry, who is running a limited NEXTEL
Cup Series schedule this year. Terry Labonte has spent a significant amount of
time assisting Justin, who is competing in his first full season in the Busch
Series.
"He has helped out as much as he can when he's around," Justin
Labonte said. "He always tries to come to every race he can. He's enjoying
his semi-retirement. He's in the Keys right now fishing. He comes to most of the
races and sits on the pit box."
Justin Labonte also gets some help from his uncle Bobby Labonte, who drives
the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet in the NEXTEL Cup Series.
"It's hard to go over (to the NEXTEL Cup garage) a lot because he's busy
and I'm busy," Justin Labonte said. "We kind of hang out at night in
the motorhome lot. He usually will tell me what I did wrong in the race. He'll
say I should've done this. He helps out a lot too."
Someday, Justin Labonte would like to compete with his father Terry and uncle
Bobby in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the most prestigious sports car race in
America and the kick off to Speedweeks. Terry and Bobby Labonte competed in the
Rolex 24 earlier this year while Justin watched from the sidelines.
"Maybe next year," Labonte said. "We're working on some stuff.
I'm going to test with them at Watkins Glen in a few weeks. So hopefully if I
don't tear it up they'll let me come back and race with it.
"I'd love to race it. I had fun when we came down here and watched.
Hopefully we'll be able to put something together."
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