Addition of Neat Gives Team More Resources
ARCHDALE, NC (January 27, 2010) Bobby Labonte Racing will open its 2010 campaign this weekend with three events, beginning Thursday night, at the .58-mile, high-banked Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga. The three nights of racing make up the Super Bowl of Racing VI and is sanctioned by the Southern All Star Racing Series. A $12,000-to-win feature is the main event Saturday night.
The team enters this season with a two-car operation after the addition of Dunnville, Ky., native Brad Neat over the winter. Neat will pilot the No. 41 Red Buck Filtered Cigars Chevrolet as a teammate to five-time national champion Earl Pearson Jr. in the No. 44 Lucas Oil Dodge. The team also welcomes back Jason Fitzgerald, who served as crew chief to Pearson Jr. before spending the last two seasons behind the wheel himself. He now returns to Bobby Labonte Racing serving as team manager over the operation and crew chief to Pearson during race events.
Thursday night will be the first start for Neat at Golden Isles Speedway while Pearson is a former winner of the Super Bowl of Racing.
Team Manager Jason Fitzgerald Comments on the Start of the 2010 Race Season and Addition of Brad Neat:
"Yeah, I think we're really looking forward to the start of this season. It's great to be back with Earl (Pearson Jr.) and the guys. It was great to have everything work out where I could come back with the team this season. I think we can put the pieces back together quickly and run for the championship this season with both teams. When I came back over the winter, it really never felt like I left, and that's good for everyone.
"We normally run extremely well at Golden Isles, and it's a great place to start the season for us. We've done some work to our cars over the winter, and I know both Brad and Earl are anxious to get on the track and see what we have learned. I expect some tweaking over the first three nights here, but hopefully we're ready to go. As long as our equipment does what it should, we expect good finishes and compete for wins. Earl has a lot of success at this track in the past. That includes two or three wins so we're confident.
"I believe that a team can earn success when it has a lot of chemistry. That's what we are looking for at the start of this season. We really believe we have the right guy with Brad (Neat). He's a great addition to Bobby Labonte Racing. We were fortunate enough to bring some of his guys up to the race shop in Archdale (N.C.) and work with us. A guy like Mark (crew chief of the No. 41 Mark Hopper), who has been with Brad all his racing life, and who is really talented, that makes us a better team. Everyone is working well together. We are really excited about having a second car, along with good equipment, a good engine and most importantly good people."
About Bobby Labonte Racing:
BLR is located in Archdale, N.C., and owned by 2000 NASCAR Champion Bobby Labonte. The team was formed in 2007 and immediately won back-to-back Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championships. The team will become a two-car operation in 2010 with the addition of driver Brad Neat. The organization is sponsored by Red Buck Filtered Cigars, Lucas Oil, Sunoco Race Fuels, Coca-Cola, ALLSTAR, Tiger Rear Ends, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Sweet, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld Wheels, Bell, Sparco, Oakley, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Mechanix Wear, Stealth Carburetors, Wrisco Aluminum, Larry Wallace Engines, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, The Decal Source and WD Enterprises.
ARCHDALE, NC (January 27, 2010) Bobby Labonte Racing will open its 2010 campaign this weekend with three events, beginning Thursday night, at the .58-mile, high-banked Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga. The three nights of racing make up the Super Bowl of Racing VI and is sanctioned by the Southern All Star Racing Series. A $12,000-to-win feature is the main event Saturday night.
The team enters this season with a two-car operation after the addition of Dunnville, Ky., native Brad Neat over the winter. Neat will pilot the No. 41 Red Buck Filtered Cigars Chevrolet as a teammate to five-time national champion Earl Pearson Jr. in the No. 44 Lucas Oil Dodge. The team also welcomes back Jason Fitzgerald, who served as crew chief to Pearson Jr. before spending the last two seasons behind the wheel himself. He now returns to Bobby Labonte Racing serving as team manager over the operation and crew chief to Pearson during race events.
Thursday night will be the first start for Neat at Golden Isles Speedway while Pearson is a former winner of the Super Bowl of Racing.
Team Manager Jason Fitzgerald Comments on the Start of the 2010 Race Season and Addition of Brad Neat:
"Yeah, I think we're really looking forward to the start of this season. It's great to be back with Earl (Pearson Jr.) and the guys. It was great to have everything work out where I could come back with the team this season. I think we can put the pieces back together quickly and run for the championship this season with both teams. When I came back over the winter, it really never felt like I left, and that's good for everyone.
"We normally run extremely well at Golden Isles, and it's a great place to start the season for us. We've done some work to our cars over the winter, and I know both Brad and Earl are anxious to get on the track and see what we have learned. I expect some tweaking over the first three nights here, but hopefully we're ready to go. As long as our equipment does what it should, we expect good finishes and compete for wins. Earl has a lot of success at this track in the past. That includes two or three wins so we're confident.
"I believe that a team can earn success when it has a lot of chemistry. That's what we are looking for at the start of this season. We really believe we have the right guy with Brad (Neat). He's a great addition to Bobby Labonte Racing. We were fortunate enough to bring some of his guys up to the race shop in Archdale (N.C.) and work with us. A guy like Mark (crew chief of the No. 41 Mark Hopper), who has been with Brad all his racing life, and who is really talented, that makes us a better team. Everyone is working well together. We are really excited about having a second car, along with good equipment, a good engine and most importantly good people."
About Bobby Labonte Racing:
BLR is located in Archdale, N.C., and owned by 2000 NASCAR Champion Bobby Labonte. The team was formed in 2007 and immediately won back-to-back Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championships. The team will become a two-car operation in 2010 with the addition of driver Brad Neat. The organization is sponsored by Red Buck Filtered Cigars, Lucas Oil, Sunoco Race Fuels, Coca-Cola, ALLSTAR, Tiger Rear Ends, BERT, Butlerbuilt, Hyperco, SHY, Wilwood, Sweet, TWM, Dyers Top Rods, Weld Wheels, Bell, Sparco, Oakley, Hoosier Tire, PRC, Mechanix Wear, Stealth Carburetors, Wrisco Aluminum, Larry Wallace Engines, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, ASI Racewear, The Decal Source and WD Enterprises.
