Track: Daytona International Speedway
Event: Daytona 500
Date: Sunday, February 24, 2013
TV/Radio: FOX, MRN
Duel 1 Labonte Finished: 11th
Duel 1 Labonte Started: 20th
Daytona 500 Qualifying: Posted 39th (46.738 sec – 192.563 mph)
Duel 1 Recap:
After starting 20th in Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway, Bobby Labonte’s first appearance in the top 10 was at lap 7 of the 150-mile qualifying race. As the race advanced, his No. 47 Kroger/USO Toyota Camry was tight-handling off of Turn 4 during the 60-lap event at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Also, when the 23-car pack made pit stops at different times, it broke the field up. Labonte came in alone at lap 38 for right-side tires. A caution around lap 52 involving Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne and others brought the field back together. With four to go, NASCAR turned the field loose. Labonte was credited with a 11th-place finish.
Bobby Labonte Duel 1 Post Race Quotes:
“I thought we were in a good position, but then I was too conservative coming into the pits,” Labonte said. “I didn’t have anybody to judge off of. We got back out there and just missed catching the lead draft. I guess after it was all said and done the cars we were going to catch was in that wreck. We were far enough behind it to miss it and we almost finished in the top-10. It was a good day.”
“The last three laps were the ultimate excitement going three-wide not knowing where to go,” Labonte continued. “We didn’t pit there at the end to put on tires. So, you are in a bad place having old tires, going three-wide while the car’s not handling as good. They all were probably handling a little rough. We had a respectable day and look forward to racing in the Daytona 500 on Sunday.”
Duel 1 Finishing Order:
1. Kevin Harvick
2. Greg Biffle
3. Juan Pablo Montoya
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Kurt Busch
6. Tony Stewart
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Casey Mears
9. Dale Earnahrdt Jr.
10. Joey Logano
11. Bobby Labonte
12. David Gilliland
13. Joe Nemechek
14. Michael Waltrip
15. Scott Speed
16. David Reutimann
17. Danica Patrick
18. Regan Smith
19. Martin Truex jr.
20. Denny Hamlin
21. Brian Keselowski
22. Carl Edwards
23. Trevor Bayne
Bobby Labonte stats:
Career Starts: 690
Wins: 21
Top-five: 115
Top-10: 201
First Start: 06/03/1991 Dover
First Pole: 09/11/1993 Richmond
First Win: 05/28/1995 Charlotte
Last Pole: 04/04/2004 Texas
Last Win: 11/16/2003 Homestead (324 races since)
Driver DOB: 05/08/1964
Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX
Crew Chief: Brian Burns
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The Kroger Co. Partners with the USO again this season:
The Kroger Co., the nation’s largest traditional grocery retailer, employs more than 339,000 associates who serve customers in 2,422 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states. The Kroger family of stores includes: Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s.
Honoring Our Heroes, Kroger’s partnership with the USO, will continue in 2013. Kroger has joined forces with customers, associates and key partners to provide more than $5 million since 2010 to help the USO carry out its mission – to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families around the world. For more than 70 years, the USO has been lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families, at home and around the world.
For more information about Kroger, please visit www.kroger.com. To learn how you can help the USO in its mission to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families, please visit www.uso.org.
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Tailgater of the week:
Do you have what it takes to be the “TAILGATER OF THE WEEK”?
Are you the ultimate “Grillmaster” at the race track?
Do you want to win an all expense paid trip and be the VIP guest of JTG Daugherty Racing at the big race in Las Vegas in 2014?
If you answered yes, then get out to the track and let us know where you are tailgating! Each race weekend during the Sprint Cup season JTG Daugherty Racing will be scouting the infields and campgrounds, looking for the best tailgaters at the track. The best, most enthusiastic tailgaters each race weekend will win a custom prize pack and become eligible for our “TAILGATER OF THE YEAR” competition.
You can let us know where you are tailgating by tweeting us your location. Throughout the weekend, leading up to the green flag, our team members, owners and maybe even Bobby Labonte himself will be patrolling the infield and campsites looking for the best tailgaters. So, fire up your grills with Kingsford® Charcoal, heat up a can of Bush’s® Grillin’ Beans and clean up your messes with Clorox® and Scott® Brand Products!
Simply follow us on Twitter @NASCAR47 , send us a tweet with your tailgate location and include the hash tag #TweetYourTailgate
Next week we will publish all of the details, and the competition starts during the weekend of the 500!
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Bobby Labonte Making Several Appearances In Daytona:
Thursday, February 14
NASCAR Media Day
Friday, February 22
3:30pm Walmart Autographs for Fans
Location: 1101 Bellville Road, Daytona Beach, FL
Saturday, February 23
7 PM to 10 PM Kroger vendor dinner with Bobby Labonte and Brad Daugherty at Hammock
Sunday, February 24
8:50 to 9:05 AM Sprint Chalet Q&A for Sprint Guests
9:10 AM to 9:40 AM Toyota Pit Pass Q&A for Fans
9:45 AM to 10 AM Kroger Vendor Brunch for Partners
10:30 AM Sponsor Meet & Greets at 47 Hauler
