The
Iceman Takes his last ride Into The Sunset at Texas This Weekend.
By Dan Peters
Terry Labonte will make his last Nascar
start this Sunday in his homestate of
Texas. He began his storied carreer
in 1978 when he left his native Texas and short
tracks to embark on a 29 year Nascar career that
included a then record 665 consecutive
starts from 1979 to 2000. Throw in two Nascar Nextel
(Winston) Cup Championships in 1984 and 1996. An impressive
career indeed.
The elder Labonte will drive a special #44 Chevrolet
Monte Carlo SS featuring images Of his 12 victories
with Hendricks Motorsports, with his 1999
Texas win prominently
featured on the hood.
Along the way during his 29 years in Nascar, Terry
built relationships that few drivers Had and respect that
few could match. He became nicknamed "The Iceman"
because of
his cool demeanor on and off the racetrack. Later in his career he
also became known as "The Ironman" because of his then
record 665 Nascar Cup Starts.
"Him and my dad had a friendship that was really unique," said Dale
Earnhardt, Jr. "They Hunted together and anybody who hunted
with my dad was cool as hell to me. I never got invited. I was
like , Wow, he likes Terry. Terry must be really cool."
Labonte won his first Championship driving for car owner
Billy Hagen in 1984. It took The Ironman 12 more years to
capture his only other title, but it was the most impressive.
Terry battled his teammate Jeff
Gordon for the 1996 title. "You can't
help but be amazed by someone who
has the talent to win two championships more than a decade
apart, especially when so
much has changed in our sport," Jeff Gordon said. "He's a man
of few words (The Iceman),
but his actions on the racetrack
have always spoken volumes about the type of person Terry
is." Another Hendrick Teammate Jimmie Johnson put it into
perspective how long Labonte Has been
a legend. "My grandfather was a
huge fan of Terry and (brother) Bobby
Labonte," said Johnson, who lived
briefly in Texas as a child
"I don't remember anything (about Texas) except my
grandfather was all about A.J. Foyt (Another
Texan)
and Terry Labonte. He was a household name."
Like A.J. Foyt, The Labonte brothers are members
of the "Texas Sports Hall of Fame" and they have remained
close throughout their careers. "One of the things
I'm going to
miss is not having him parked next to me in the motor coach lot." Said
brother Bobby. "I think he's just as much a
champion off the track as on it. He always helped me when I
needed it."
Car owner Rick Hendrick said "You won't
find anybody in the garage area who'll say anything bad about
him. When you go through life in this sport and you
can walk away and people
have nothing but admiration for you, I think that says a lot."
Texas Motor Speedway plans to honor Terry this
weekend, starting with a dinner in Labonte's
honor Thursday night. Race day, Terry will be the last driver
introduced during Driver introductions and then will
take a parade lap with wife
Kim in a specially prepared Chevrolet Corvette.
"I didn't expect any of it at all. I never really expected
anything," says Terry, who will turn 50 on
November 16 and plans to retire to his 1,500 acre Texas ranch and just
enjoy his son Justin's promising Nascar career. "It's awful nice that
people recognize some of your accomplishments over the years. I'm very
fortunate to have been able to make a living at something I love
doing. I never dreamed that I would be able to have a
career as long as
I've had."
