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Posted Friday, March 30, 2007

Allstate Texas Thunder 150 A Family Affair for Labonte's
By Kevin W. Green

Kyle, TX (March 30, 2007) - Terry Labonte will serve as Grand Marshall of the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series opener in Kyle, Texas, on March 31.

The Labonte name has long been a sentimental favorite of NASCAR fans in Texas. Those fans will get to see two generations of Labontes in the Lone Star State as the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series kicks off its 2007 season with the Allstate Texas Thunder 150 on March 31 at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, just south of Austin.

Two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion Terry Labonte, named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers of all-time, will be the Grand Marshal – while his son, Justin, is set to compete in the race.

Terry Labonte, originally from Corpus Christi, compiled a record of 22 wins, 182 top-five and 361 top-10 finishes in 848 NEXTEL Cup races between 1978 and 2006.

Labonte won his first championship in 1984, while driving for Billy Hagan. His second Cup Series title came in 1996 for car owner Rick Hendrick. Labonte opted to cut back from a full schedule after 2004, choosing to run limited events in 2005 and 2006.

In addition to NASCAR's premier series, Labonte competed in 124 races in the NASCAR Busch Series – scoring 11 wins, 47 top-five and 68 top-10 finishes. He also raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, scoring one win in three starts in the inaugural year of the series. In addition, he was invited to race in the IROC series eight years.

Justin, meanwhile, raced in 76 NASCAR Busch Series events between 1999 and 2006 – registering a win in Chicago in 2004. The 26-year-old second-generation competitor also has one start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to his credit.

This will mark the third consecutive season for the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series to visit the 3/8-mile track in Kyle. It will be the first time, however, for the event to serve as the season opener for the West's oldest stock car racing circuit.

Last year's race featured a fierce back-and-forth battle between eventual series champion Eric Holmes and Mike David. The outcome was not decided until the final lap, when contact between the two left David's car spinning and Holmes charging to the finish line.

March 30, 2007

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