Labonte Looking for Spring Win at ‘Dega

TALLADEGA, Ala. (April 4, 2003) – With a victory in this weekend’s Aaron’s 499, Terry Labonte could become Talladega Superspeedway’s “Man For All Seasons.” The driver of the No. 5 Kellogg’s / got milk? Chevrolet has posted two of his 21 career victories on the sprawling 2.66-mile oval, winning the summer race in 1989 and the fall event in 1997. Talladega’s spring race has produced seven different winners in the last seven years, and Labonte came close to being one of them, leading a race-high 88 laps in the 1998 event before eventually finishing fourth behind Bobby Labonte, Jimmy Spencer and Dale Jarrett. Although winless in the track’s spring event, Labonte has finished second three times -- most recently in 1989. He did win a pole position at Talladega in 1995, one of multiple Hendrick Motorsports front-row starts at TSS. Others pole sitters include Darrell Waltrip (1988) and Jimmie Johnson (2002). SAFETY FIRST Labonte was awarded the Nationwide Safe Move of the Race Award for evasive action he took to avoid contact after Tony Stewart and Jimmy Spencer collided during the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 on March 30 at Texas Motor Speedway. After steering around the wreck, Labonte went sliding through the infield grass along the front stretch and avoided serious damage to his No. 5 Kellogg’s / got milk? Chevrolet. The award is presented by the Performance Racing Network, which will donate $1,000 to Speedway Children’s Charities in Labonte’s name during pre-race ceremonies for the May 25 Winston Cup event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. LABONTE ONLINE The fourth installment of Terry Labonte’s 2003 NASCAR diary was posted earlier this week on RPM.ESPN.com. The two-time champion talks about the importance of family and fans to a driver’s career. Two of Labonte’s Final Four picks from his last entry two weeks ago have advanced to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Finals this weekend in New Orleans: Texas and Kansas. Labonte’s pick to win it all, Kentucky, was beaten in last weekend’s regional.