Robby Gordon Complains About Past Champions Provisional

[SpiderGearsMan]

#7-Robby Gordon, who had to drive his way into the Daytona 500, is not a fan of the past champion's exemption, and he singled out Terry Labonte. "I think that should be based if you were with that team when you win the championship, not just because you win a championship, because that takes a spot from teams that are working really hard to get in the Daytona 500," Gordon said. "Rules are rules and we made it fair and square by being fast enough. I'm proud of my team and I'm proud to be in the Daytona 500." Labonte, who ran only 12 laps in the first duel because of a vibration, does not have a backup car and did not want to jeopardize his chances of running Sunday, so he retired early. That's a luxury Gordon didn't have. "Obviously I've got a lot of respect for Terry," Gordon said. "This is not a Terry Labonte thing. There are only eight cars that make the Daytona 500. He takes one of those spots. Now seven guys make the Daytona 500. Four make it in qualifying races, three make it on speed. It's just not right. Why take a free ride when the rest of us have to bust our butts to get into the 500?"(Daytona Beach News Journal)
AND Labonte's side of the story, though, was simple: he was simply taking advantage of the rules in place. With the #32 FAS Lane team he drove for without the money to buy a backup car, crashing in the Duels meant starting in Sunday's Daytona 500 would be impossible. "That's the only car we got," he explained. "That wreck was right in front of us, there, and we just couldn't take a chance on wrecking it. I think we practiced enough [Wednesday], in a pack, and what little we did today, the car's really good but we just couldn't risk it."

[SpiderGearsMan]

Terry Labonte won the championship 28 years ago

[SpiderGearsMan]

DAYTONA BEACH --

The starting grid for Sunday's Daytona 500:

1. Carl Edwards, Roush Fenway Racing No. 99 Ford

2. Greg Biffle, Roush Fenway Racing No. 16 Ford

3. Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevrolet

4. Matt Kenseth, Roush Fenway Racing No. 17 Ford

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet

6. Regan Smith, Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Chevrolet

7. Marcos Ambrose, Richard Petty Motorsports No. 9 Ford

8. Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet

9. Jeff Burton, Richard Childress Racing No. 31 Chevrolet

10. Elliott Sadler, Richard Childress Racing No. 33 Chevrolet

11. Michael McDowell, Phil Parsons Racing No. 98 Ford

12. Joey Logano, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota

13. Kevin Harvick, Richard Childress Racing No. 29 Chevrolet

14. Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota

15. A.J. Allmendinger, Penske Racing No. 22 Dodge

16. Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet

17. Robby Gordon, Robby Gordon Motorsports No. 7 Dodge

18. Ryan Newman, Stewart-Haas Racing No. 39 Chevrolet

19. Jamie McMurray, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 1 Chevrolet

20. Kasey Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet

21. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford

22. Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 Toyota

23. Brad Keselowski, Penske Racing No. 2 Dodge

24. Dave Blaney, Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 36 Chevrolet

25. David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford

26. Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip Racing No. 56 Toyota

27. Aric Almirola, Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Ford

28. Kurt Busch, Phoenix Racing No. 51 Chevrolet

29. Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 Chevrolet

30. Clint Bowyer, Michael Waltrip Racing No. 15 Toyota

31. Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota

32. Bobby Labonte, JTG Daugherty Racing No. 47 Toyota

33. David Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Ford

34. Joe Nemechek, Nemco Motorsports No. 87 Toyota

35. Juan Pablo Montoya, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet

36. Casey Mears, Germain Racing No. 13 Ford

37. Paul Menard, Richard Childress Racing No. 27 Chevrolet

38. David Reutimann, BK Racing No. 93 Toyota

39. Landon Cassill, BK Racing No. 83 Toyota

40. Trevor Bayne, Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford

41. Tony Raines, Front Row Motorsports No. 26 Ford

42. David Stremme, Inception Motorsports No. 30 Toyota

43. Terry Labonte, FAS Lane Racing No. 32 Ford

[Grumpy]

Does Danica still start 29th beings she had to switch to her back up car, I know nothing about NASCAR?

[chevy3100truck]

Danica will start tail end with the backup (along with anyone else with a backup car or engine change)

[SpiderGearsMan]

no biggie when danica can catch a draft ..she rocks

[ls7gto]

Terry Labonte won the championship 28 years ago

WOW, it was that long ago? time sure doesnt stop

[Brian Lohnes]

Spidey, did you see the Kenny Wallace show on Speed last night? It was weird. The guy looks like a skeleton and he spent a bunch of time explaining why he drove for crap ass teams the last few years. It was a strange show.

[TC]

no biggie when danica can catch a draft ..she rocks

Ya rocks right into the wall!!!!.........

She's a hazard, shouldn't even be there.........I agree with Robby on the free ride..........

[Caustic Frog]

Terry Labonte won the championship 28 years ago

SPIDEY! c'mon he won it in 1996 too, you're slippin!

[Silver68RT]

Yeah, I don't think the past champion's provisional is fair with so few spots to fill. I also think it sucks that Joe Nemechek, Mr. Start-and-Park himself is in the show. How many laps do you think he's going to do before he pulls it in and collects his check? That's not racing. They ought to make last place pay $1, and make those guys race for it. Michael Waltrip and Kenny Wallace would at least go racing and try to win the thing.

That wreck wasn't Danica's fault. Aric Almarola ran into the guy in front of him, knocked him sideways, and they both came flying down into Danica. He's a menace, caused a lot of wrecks.

[Cyclone03]

I like the front row locking in on single lap qualifing.
The dual 125's are cool too.
But "locking in the top 35" is BS the qualifing should be open to all on time and 125 finish.
Position 43 and 44 provisionals only after setting a qaulifing time,that would make top 44,AND crashing out of a 125.

[Grumpy]

Ya rocks right into the wall!!!!.........

She's a hazard, shouldn't even be there.........I agree with Robby on the free ride..........

For starters the wreck wasn't her fault and if you'll watch her interview after the race she wasn't whinning, bitchin or pointing fingers like many of the sports has been drivers would have been doing. Another thing is NASCAR needs her, their ratings will be up with her in the field, you can bet on that.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Spidey, did you see the Kenny Wallace show on Speed last night? It was weird. The guy looks like a skeleton and he spent a bunch of time explaining why he drove for crap ass teams the last few years. It was a strange show.

damn , missed it

[SpiderGearsMan]

Yeah, I don't think the past champion's provisional is fair with so few spots to fill. I also think it sucks that Joe Nemechek, Mr. Start-and-Park himself is in the show. How many laps do you think he's going to do before he pulls it in and collects his check? That's not racing. They ought to make last place pay $1, and make those guys race for it. Michael Waltrip and Kenny Wallace would at least go racing and try to win the thing.

That wreck wasn't Danica's fault. Aric Almarola ran into the guy in front of him, knocked him sideways, and they both came flying down into Danica. He's a menace, caused a lot of wrecks.

aric aldimeola

nascar's fault for going back to the death pack