Bobby Labonte Racing Ready for 2011 Dirt Track Season

After completing another banner year, Bobby Labonte Racing (BLR) is currently preparing to again battle for dirt late model supremacy. This time, the boys of BLR are doing so at a new location, but with a lot of familiar faces and colors.

Over the month of December, BLR headquarters moved from Archdale, N.C., to its new location in Trinity, N.C.  The shop is owned by Terry Labonte and offers the team more space.  It’s also the location where the newest, winning dirt late model chassis, The Longhorn Chassis is manufactured. The team will compete with the chassis full-time in 2011, including on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship trail.

“Moving the shop down the road to Terry’s place just made a lot of sense for us,” said team owner Bobby Labonte.  “We started building the Longhorn Chassis out of that shop last year and moving everyone under one roof will be more efficient.”

Although in a new location, the team will not be surrounded by strangers as both five-time national champion Earl Pearson Jr. and Brad Neat return to pilot the No. 44 Dodge and No. 41 Chevrolet respectively. Also returning as primary sponsors are Lucas Oil for Pearson Jr. and Red Buck Filtered Cigars for Neat.  Jason Fitzgerald remains as the general manger and the crew chief for Pearson Jr. and Mark Hopper will fulfill the crew chief role for Neat.

Both teams will compete for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship as well as select World of Outlaw events and non-sanctioned national events throughout 2011.

“It’s great to have everything in place for 2011,” continued Labonte.  “All the guys are back and we’re happy to have both Lucas Oil and Red Buck return. Everything is in place to make another championship run this year.”

BLR is coming off a season that was highlighted by eight combined wins by Pearson Jr. and Neat.  Pearson Jr. broke a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series record by winning four races in a row in the month of July after the debut of the Longhorn Chassis.  The team will start its 2011 schedule when it travels to Florida for the 35th annual Winternationals this February.

 

Credit: Bobby Labonte Racing PR