THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 21, 1997 TAG: 9702211017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKINGHAM, N.C. LENGTH: 47 lines
Sometime after his first practice today for Sunday's Goodwrench 400 at North Carolina Motor Speedway, Bobby Labonte should have his first real indication of how his new Pontiac Grand Prix will perform on NASCAR speedways.
He did run at Daytona, finishing 21st on the lead lap. But Daytona requires restrictor plates, which is different than speedway racing, where the engines are unrestricted and the aerodynamic factors are different.
Labonte has had only minimal practice in the Grand Prix outside of Daytona.
``From what we can tell, we're hopeful there's not a lot of changes we'll have to make,'' Labonte said Thursday during a media appearance at Celebration Station in Greensboro. ``I guess we'll know by about noon tomorrow.''
``Our heads will either be spinning or they will be pretty well straight. But I think it's a pretty good race car.''
Labonte and car owner Joe Gibbs switched from the Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the Grand Prix this season because Gibbs had started his own engine program and he needed the assistance Pontiac was willing to give.
Pontiac, in turn, netted one of the top young talents in the Winston Cup series - and a replacement for departing car owner Felix Sabates. The Grand Prix teams struggled with the new car in 1996, although Bobby Hamilton broke through with a victory at Phoenix last fall.
Labonte will also be running in Saturday's Grand National race and ``. . . hopefully we'll learn if the car is going to do something radical from the first lap to the last.''
The one-mile oval at Rockingham has traditionally been one of the best tracks for the Pontiacs. Hamilton seemed destined to win last year at the Rock until Dale Earnhardt tapped him. Ward Burton drove a Grand Prix to his first victory at the Rock in the fall of 1995.
Labonte won't have a lot of adjustment time if his Grand Prix has problems. After a morning of practice, time trials begin at 1 p.m., with the Grand National cars first.
Qualifying is particularly important at Rockingham because of the backstretch pits. The fastest 30 get to pit on the front stretch. The rest have to pit on the backstretch, a huge disadvantage.
``Races can be won from the backstretch, but they're few and far between,'' Labonte said. ``It doesn't happen much. But I like Rockingham. There's two grooves and you can run side-by-side. It's just a fast, neat race track.''
The race will be televised live on The Nashville Network beginning at 12:30 p.m.