Texas Speedzone - Texas Terry's Last Cup Ride this Sunday the Dickies 500 at TMS

LABONTE’S LAST RIDE

Ft.Worth, TX (November 1, 2006) - “Texas” Terry Labonte will make the 848th and final start of his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series career in the Dickies 500, and the two-time Cup champion will receive quite a send-off at Texas Motor Speedway.

The pre-race activities will be centered around Labonte, and there will be plenty of opportunity for his home state fans to say farewell to the 49-year-old Corpus Christi native.

“I'm looking forward to it,” Labonte said. “I've always enjoyed racing at Texas. It's going to be a little bit different, I think, going out there knowing it's your last race. You know, like I have said before, I've been doing this for a long time, been very fortunate over the years to be with some good teams and win some races and a couple of championships. I just felt like it was the right place for me to run my last race was in Texas.”

In addition to a special video tribute and gift presentations to Labonte, Texas Motor Speedway and NASCAR worked jointly in providing a special pre-race tribute for him. Labonte will be the final driver introduced, regardless of his qualifying position, and he and his wife, Kim, will be given a parade lap around the track in a Chevrolet Corvette at the front of the field of driver parade vehicles.

Following the command for “Gentleman, Start Your Engines,” Labonte will lead the field on the parade lap before falling back to his qualifying position for the pace laps. Justin Labonte will be alongside his father as the two will pace the 43-car NEXTEL Cup Series field prior to the green flag. Justin will be driving the 1978 Stratagraph Chevrolet Monte Carlo that his father drove to his first Cup win at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in 1980. Terry will be in the special paint scheme Chevy Monte Carlo featuring some of the top wins in his career, including his 1999 win at Texas, which is portrayed on the hood.

“I kind of guess I have a little bit to think about because I'm sure it will be a little bit different when I get there and take it all in,” Labonte said of the pre-race festivities planned. “But I still feel the same way about my decision. I think my wife asks me that about every other week. But I still feel good about it, and I'm still looking forward to going to Texas and running that race. Hopefully we're going to have a good run. That's my biggest concern, I think, is hoping we run good. But as far as how I'll feel after the race is over, I don't really think I'll feel any differently. I might be wrong.”

Race fans also will have the opportunity to pen their best wishes to Labonte on a giant eight-foot tall postcard located in the “10 Years Strong Experience” outside Gate 4 on the frontstretch.