Bobby Labonte to part ways with TRG Motorsports

[Nodqfan144]

From Scene Daily

Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion, plans to part ways with TRG Motorsports, sources said Tuesday. An announcement is expected Wednesday that Labonte has left the team.

Labonte possibly could end up in the No. 7 Robby Gordon Motorsports car and run the full race this weekend at New Hampshire.

Labonte drove seven races for the TRG Motorsports at the end of the 2009 season, and with sponsorship from TaxSlayer.com for several races at the start of 2010, signed with the organization last November.

But sponsorship for the remainder of the 2010 races has not been secured, and Labonte has parked early in three of the last five events.

He was 31st in points with no top-20 finishes in his 16 starts this year. The team and crew chief Doug Randolph parted ways a few weeks ago.

The 46-year-old Labonte has not won a Cup race since 2003 and has not finished higher than 18th in the standings since leaving Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2005 season. He drove three years for Petty Enterprises and then drove last year for Hall of Fame Racing/Yates Racing and TRG. His last NASCAR victory came in 2007 when he won a Nationwide Series race while driving for Kevin Harvick Inc. at Talladega.

[scott b]

I've been wondering, if at some point, a veteran like Bobby could end up in the #83 for a few races.

I know that for marketing reasons, Red Bull leans toward younger drivers.  But with their current situation, I think they'd be very wise to take a veteran who doesn't have a good ride (Bobby, Robby Gordon, Joe Nemechek) and put him in the seat just as a measuring stick to evaluate the program and the other drivers who've shared the seat, and also to give a little more guidance to Scott Speed in the other car.

I hope something works out, it's tough out there but he deserves something better than start & park... and at least it would let him "audition" in decent equipment for any rides that do open up.