Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images |
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| 2005 Season |
| Final Points Standing | 24th
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| After First 26 Races | 24th
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| Earnings | $4,847,507
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| Starts | 36
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| Poles | 0
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| Wins | 0
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| Top 5 | 4
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| 6-10 | 3
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| Laps Led | 64
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| Lead Lap Finishes | 17
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| Bonus Points | 20
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| Races Led | 4 |
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| 2005 Performance |
| Below is the ranking of the team on each type of track along with the driver's best finish. |
| Track Type | Ranking |
| Flat Tracks | 18th
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| Best Finish | 3rd, New Hampshire
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| Intermediate Tracks | 26th
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| Best Finish | 2nd, Lowe's
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| Plate Tracks | 30th
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| Best Finish | 11th, Talladega
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| Road Courses | 29th
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| Best Finish | 18th, Infineon
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| Short Tracks | 15th
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| Best Finish | 4th, Martinsville |
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2006 Spin
Bobby Labonte jumps into the legendary No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge in hopes that he can not only turn the Pettys' fortunes around, but his own as well.
Labonte has suffered through two of his worst seasons in an otherwise solid career. Until 2004, Labonte had won at least one race in nine consecutive years. However, he and his Interstate Batteries team went winless in '04 and '05 and are currently in the midst of a 72-race winless skid.
There is reason for optimism, though. The Pettys not only hired Labonte in the offseason, but they also brought Robbie Loomis back into the fold as Executive Vice President of Race Operations. Loomis was employed as crew chief for the 43 car before accepting the same role for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports.
Completing the trifecta, the Pettys also hired Todd Parrott to serve as Labonte's crew chief. That gives the operation a crew chief who won the 1999 championship with Dale Jarrett, a driver who claimed the 2000 title and a former crew chief in Loomis who won the 2001 Cup with Jeff Gordon. This is a rare combination of championship-caliber personnel. Their challenge will be to restore the legacy of the 43 car.
If nothing else, this team will be fun to watch.
2006 Recap
Bobby Labonte's season in the Joe Gibbs Chevy was a gut-wrenching effort. He tried to exist in Tony Stewart's world. The engineering favored Stewart, and he and Labonte have opposite driving styles. What was developed for Stewart simply did not work for Labonte, leading to a disgruntled driver looking for another ride.
The season started as badly as possible with a blown motor on the 14th lap of the Daytona 500. There were no signs of improvement until the Phoenix event, where B-Lab finished sixth.
The Coca-Cola 600 was the high point of the year. It was there that a last lap shootout with Jimmie Johnson came up just a fender short of victory.
The team leveled off at 24th in the standings and, although there were four more top 10s, Labonte never seriously challenged for wins.
• The Good: The second-place finish at Lowe's was a near win and a save for a big-money sponsor. After teammate Jason Leffler did not make the show, Labonte took the FedEx colors to a photo finish with Jimmie Johnson.
• The Bad: At the fall Dover event, Labonte started 28th and was quickly lapped. He finished 32nd, seven laps down.
• The Ugly: The Daytona 500 had to be heartbreaking. After only 14 laps, the engine expired, leading to a 43rd-place finish — and a sign of things to come.
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