Catchfence

For the second time in as many weeks, NASCAR officials were forced to postpone Sprint Cup racing because of weather. So, for the second week in a row, teams returned to the track on Monday morning for a Noon start time.

Bobby Labonte, driver of the No. 96 DLP Ford Fusion finished 20th in today’s Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips at the Glen. After a long weekend in which the DLP team struggled to find the perfect setup, Labonte and company hit on something in happy hour and were looking forward to a solid day. However, team 96 would face an uphill climb since Labonte qualified 27th for the 90-lap event. Throughout the twists and turns of the day, Labonte made his way through traffic and ran as high as 12th place. Though the No. 96 avoided numerous on-track melee’s his Ford Fusion would fall back and ultimately take the checkers in the 20th position.

“My guys did a good job this weekend,” said Labonte. “We really struggled to get our setup right and Saturday afternoon hit on something that really seemed to work for us. We were lucky to avoid the wrecks out there today and gain some points.”

Tony Stewart won the rain-delayed at Watkins Glen International, holding off Marcos Ambrose who finished second. Carl Edwards was third. Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Max Papis, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top 10.

With Labonte’s top-20 finish, he moved up two spots in NASCAR point standings – he is now ranked 27th.

UPCOMING RACE:

Michigan International Speedway

2:00 p.m. (EST) ESPN television and MRN radio

LABONTE’S Watkins Glen STATS:

Start: 27TH
Finish: 20th
Laps: 90/90
Led: 0
Highest running position: 12th
Lowest running position: 40th
Fastest Laps: 0
Points: 103

LABONTE’S 2009 CUMULATIVE STATS:

Points: 2031
Rank: 27th
Top fives: One
Top 10s: One
Starts: 21
Poles: 0

- Yates Racing/Hall of Fame Racing, Press Release