Labonta PI race team
Switch to Olds for '86
When Terry Labonte flies around
the NASCAR Winston Cup tracks this
year, he'll be piloting a shorter, sleeker
craft through all the turns and
grooves, hoping for an advantage that
translates into better performance for
the Piedmont Race Team.
It's precisely that search for
aerodynamic advantages that led
Labonte and the team to the
Oldsmobile Delta 88 — their new car
for 1986. In tests this year the new No.
44 has already outperformed the
Chevrolet Monte Carlo that I^abonte
has driven throughout his Piedmont
sponsorship, and the team expects it
to average 1 to IV2 mph faster under
similar race conditions.
And with the average Winston Cup
victory measured in seconds or less,
any advantage can mean the dif
ference between running the best and
just running well.
"We went to the Oldsmobile
because we thought it would be a
better car," Labonte said. “It has the
same 358 cubic inch engine, but
better aerodynamics. We think it's a
big step in the right direction."
For example, at Daytona Beach in
December, the team clocked a
203-mph lap, more than two miles an
hour faster than their previous best
time in the Chevy. And the record
time was clocked while using the
smaller carburetor that NASCAR
requires this year, further evidence
that the Oldsmobile gives more power.
The Olds also has a sloping back
window, similar to the Ford
Thunderbird which had outstanding
success on the superspcedways in
1985. Compared to the Chevy, it's
about a foot shorter and one to two
inches narrower—a little larger than
the Ford.
"The sloping back won't necessarily
make you run faster, but it should
make you more stable under race
conditions," Labonte said.
That stability and speed will be first
put to a competitive test on February
9 at the 1986 Busch Clash in Daytona
Beach, a 50-mile sprint of all pole
position winners in 1985. The Clash,
which Labonte won last year with a
dramatic rush to the front on the
opening lap. kicks off the new season.
Although the team had a good year
in 1985 with a record $601,850 in
earnings (4th highest of the NASCAR
field), finished in seventh place in
Winston Cup points, won two races
and held three poles, they hope to
improve that record with more wins
and more consistent performance in
1986.
And if their pre-season testing is
any indication, Labonte and the
Piedmont team should accomplish
that goal.
Labonte
Tickets for the Carolina 500 at the North Carolina Motor Speedway in
Rockingham March 2 are now available at the Piedmont Gift Shoppe.
Winston Tbwer seats are $50.00 and Grandstand seats are $35.00 each.
Complimentary pit passes are available on a first-come, first-served
basis. Call extension 5510 or come by the Gift Shoppe for tickets and
more information.
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
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NO
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February 16
DAYTONA 500
February 23
MILLER HIGH LIFE 400
March 2
CAROLINA 500
March 16
MOTORCRAFT 500
April 6
VALLEYDALE MEATS 500
April 13
TRANSOUTH 500
April 20
FIRST UNION 400
April 27
SOVRAN BANK 500
May 4
WINSTON 500
May 18
BUDWEISER 500
May 25
COCA-COLA 600
June 1
BUDWEISER 400
June 8
VAN SCOY DIAMOND MINES 500
June 15
MILLER AMERICAN 400
July 4
PEPSI FIRECRACKER 400
July 20
SUMMER 500
July 27
TALLADEGA 500
August 10
THE BUDWEISER AT THE GLEN
August 17
CHAMPION SPARK PLUG 400
August 23
BUSCH 500
August 31
SOUTHERN 500
September 7
WRANGLER JEANS 400
September 14
DELAWARE 500
September 21
GOODY'S 500
September 28
HOLLY FARMS 400
October 5
CHARLOTTE 500
October 19
NATIONWIDE 500
November 2
ATLANTA JOURNAL 500
November 16
WINSTON WESTERN 500
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