IROC: Bobby Labonte takes first True Value IROC win at Talladega
15 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Talladega, AL-NASCAR Winston Cup Series veteran Bobby Labonte, driving the violet True Value IROC Pontiac Firebird, won his first True Value IROC race by .073 seconds in the second round of the 24th True Value IROC series at Talladega Superspeedway.
Offering an impressive challenge and finishing 2nd was NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Mark Martin who started in 9th position. According to Martin on his finish, "I could not get beside Bobby (Labonte) in time and ran into the back of him instead of beside him." Third place went to first round True Value IROC Daytona champion, Dale Earnhardt who started in 12th position.
Labonte started the race from 6th position where early on he jockeyed for position with NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart and Rusty Wallace. According to Labonte, "It was pretty nerve racking just knowing that you've got eleven of the best guys out there all waiting to see what you are going to do."
In the final seconds through the tri-oval, with a boost from Martin, Labonte was able to hold on to the lead all the way to the checkered flag. Labonte recalls, "I didn't want to be in first place with Dale (Earnhardt) behind me when we got down to it, but I put myself in that position. I was hoping that Mark (Martin) and Jeff (Gordon) would start racing Earnhardt prior to Dale's move. I made a move to block Mark (Martin) and got pushed from there and made it all the way back around."
Competing in the second race of their first True Value IROC series were Indy Racing League drivers Greg Ray and Mark Dismore. The two were joined by fellow Indy Racing League ace Eddie Cheever Jr. in his sophomore appearance. All three drivers finished 7th, 12th and 10th respectively. Significantly, Cheever Jr. added bonus points to his total by leading eight laps.
The purse for the 2000 True Value IROC series totals of $760,000 with $225,000 awarded to the champion based on cumulative point standings at the end of the fourth race.
Text provided by George Signore
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