Lee Spencer reported this on Foxsports this morning as being a "done deal", however, I also have SIRIUS radio and listened to Rick Benjamin and "Chocolate" Meyers who weren't so quick to jump the gun. Now it seems it is a "done deal" as reported by ESPN
TRG will put Bobby Labonte in the 71 car in place of David Gilliland for the seven races Bobby has been displaced from Yates. To do so is extremely smart, as Bobby has an incredible record at Atlanta, with12 top fives, 13 top 10's and led 959 laps in 33 starts . Gilliland, on the other hand, has not done so well this year.
The latest entry list has Bobby as the driver of the 71 and Bobby will then qualify for the Champion's Provisional over Bill Elliott, should he not get enough seat time to get comfortable in the car for qualifying. If he was a late entry, ie, after the deadline, the legal mumbo jumbo isn't clear on whether he would have qualified for that provisional.
In any case, the opportunity to drive in the TRG car will let Bobby continue his streak of consecutive starts. This one will be his 568th start, one back of Jeff Gordon for 8th on the all time list.
Cheer and debate with
6,000,000+ fans!
Charlotte
Michael
Britney
more
Comment!