- Bobby Labonte Racing(defunct)
- Bill Davis Racing(defunct)
- Joe Gibbs Racing
- Petty Enterprises(defunct)
- Hall of Fame Racing(defunct)
- TRG Motorsports(defunct)
- Phoenix Racing(defunct)
- Robby Gordon Motorsports(defunct)
- Stavola Labonte Racing(defunct)
- JTG Daughtry Racing
- Harry Scott Motorsports(defunct)
- Circle Sport Racing(defunct)
- Tommy Baldwin Racing(defunct)
- Go Fas Racing(defunct)
How do y’all feel about that comp? Solid on all tracks. Clean driver. Takes care of the equipment. Wins a race or two each year. What do y’all think?
The 2000 season saw Dale Earnhardt return to form after four seasons of injuries and under-performing that lasted from midway through 1996 through the end of 1999.
The Intimidator lost out on his eighth championship in his final season, by finishing second in points with two wins, both in now iconic finishes, 13 top-5's, and 24 top-10's.
But who could've battled it out with Earnhardt for the 2000 championship? With recent title contenders like Jeff Gordon, defending champion Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, and Rusty Wallace all lacking the consistency needed to race for a championship in 2000, Earnhardt should've had an easy path to number eight, right?
Wrong.
Bobby Labonte finally was able to put the raw speed he had found for the last two years together, and much like his older brother Terry, and use consistency to dominate the 2000 season.
But before we look at Bobby's 2000 campaign, we have to look at his career prior to 2000.
Being the younger brother of a former champion, you would expect Bobby to be gifted a seat in NASCAR's highest level from the onset right?
Not necessarily.
Bobby spent much of his younger years working for whatever team Terry was driving for, and not in a racing capacity. Bobby was given the endearing nickname of "Broom-boy" by Suitcase Jake Elder.
The younger Labonte finally found his groove running late-model's at Caraway Speedway where he won 12 times in 1987, after making a few forgettable starts in the then Busch Series.
After partial Busch Series seasons in 1988 and 1989, Bobby went full-time in the 1990 season where despite going winless, he finished fourth in points.
For the 1991 season, Bobby would return to his family's team again where he won twice, and eventually took the 1991 Busch Series Championship over Kenny Wallace.
1992 would see Bobby return to the Busch Series once again, where he won three races and finished second in points, despite scoring 10 more points than he did in 1991, losing to Joe Nemechek by a mere three points.
At the beginning of the 1993 season, Bobby would move up to the cup series, taking the seat originally meant to be Jeff Gordon's, by driving the #22 Maxwell House Ford for Bill Davis.
Bobby drove for Bills Davis for all of 1993 and 1994 where he posted modest numbers. One top-5 and eight top-10's over the two seasons, along with points finishes of 19th and 21st.
After the loss of the Maxwell House sponsorship, Bobby's future with Bill Davis was murky and uncertain. However, the d
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2000 Bobby Labonte-Texas
2001 Jeff Gordon-Indiana/California
2002 Tony Stewart-Indiana
2003 Matt Kenseth-Wisconsin
2004 Kurt Busch-Nevada
2005 Tony Stewart-Indiana
2006-10 Jimmie Johnson-California
2011 Tony Stewart-Indiana
2012 Brad Keselowski-Michigan
2013 Jimmie Johnson-California
2014 Kevin Harvick-California
2015 Kyle Busch-Nevada
2016 Jimmie Johnson-California
2017 Martin Truex Jr-New Jersey
2018 Joey Logano-Connecticut
2019 Kyle Busch-Nevada
2020 Chase Elliott-Georgia
3 drivers have announced 2008 as their final season in Sprint Cup.
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First of all, 1999 Champion Dale Jarrett will hang up the helmet after the 2008 All-Star Race. Jarrett had an absolutely miserable 2007 with Michael Waltrip Racing, qualifying for only 19 races and finishing 41st in points. DJ has decided he will run the first 5 races of 2008 before handing the keys to David Reutimann, as rookie Michael McDowell will take Reutimann's ride in the #00 starting at Martinsville. Then Jarrett will take one last ride in the Sprint All-Star Race before calling it a career and starting a new chapter for himself in the TV booth for ESPN.
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2000 Champion Bobby Labonte announces that he is done with full-time racing after 2008. Labonte is leaving the door open on racing part time in 2009 and beyond, but sees his days of competing for championships as behind him. Bobby will run one last year in the #43 for Petty Enterprises before moving on from the team. Labonte pulled off an upset win at Bristol in 2007, which it looks like could easily be his final career win, but who knows if the veteran still has a trick up his sleeve.
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And in a surprise announcement, older brother and 2-time Champion Terry Labonte returns to run a partial schedule in the Petty Enterprises #46, sharing the ride with Kyle Petty. Texas Terry plans to run the Darlington races, Bristol races, the 2 road courses, his home race at Texas, and the finale at Homestead, in a deal that will see him being teammates with his brother during the younger Labonte's last full time ride.
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Speaking of Kyle Petty, he is the 3rd retirement, as this will be his 3rd season of running part time in the #46 (his last full-time year was 2005), and Petty has stated that he plans for his starts in 2008 to be his last. Both Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett for sure will be trying to make their final Daytona 500s in '08.
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Bill Elliott and Jon Wood will share the Wood Brothers #21 in 2008. Elliott's schedule will include the first 5 races in the hopes of being able to fall back on his past champion's provisional from Atlanta-Bristol. The veteran and rookie combo hope to bounce back from the iconic team's dismal 2007 season that saw 11 DNQs and just 3 lead lap finishes with 0 top 10s. The #21's former main driver, Ken Schrader, is making a return to BAM Racing in a partial schedule.
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Another duo will be at Bill Davis Racing. 360OTC will no longer sponsor BDR's 2nd entry so it will be renumbered to #27, and split betwee
Always thought Bobby was a solid driver. Always clean, never too aggressive. Lol who is like Bobby in today’s nascar?
