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NASCAR WCUP: 'Slugger' Labbe added to crew at Mattei Motorsports

2 December 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

HARRISBURG, N.C.- Richard "Slugger" Labbe has been added to the crew lineup as car chief for the No. 7 NationsRent Chevrolet fielded by Mattei Motorsports.

Labbe, who was heavily pursued by several teams near the end of the 1999 season, will assist crew chief Bobby Kennedy with the overall operation in the shop and at the racetrack. Labbe comes to Mattei from Hendrick Motorsports, where he worked as car chief on the No. 25 Chevrolet driven by Wally Dallenbach.

"I turned down two opportunities to become a crew chief to come here and work with this team," said Labbe, who spent 1998 as crew chief for the No. 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford. "At this time, I didn't want to be a crew chief, but wanted to work closely with one. Working side-by-side with Bobby will give me a great opportunity to have a significant impact on this team."

Kennedy, who just completed his first campaign with Mattei, is eager to draw on Labbe's knowledge and experience.

"Slugger brings us experience from two of the best race teams in the business in Hendrick and Yates, which is invaluable since we basically built a new race team here during the past year," said Kennedy. "Having him here now will give us a big boost heading into testing next month."

Testing for the NationsRent Racing Team is scheduled to begin Jan. 17 at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 2000 Daytona 500 on Feb. 20. The team and driver Michael Waltrip will be looking to improve on last year's fifth place finish in "The Great American Race."

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