The Driver
No team can win if the driver can't get the job done and Petty Enterprises have gone to one of the best to fill the seat. 2000 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion Bobby Labonte is leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to join Petty Enterprises.
Bobby finished a disappointing 24th in the 2005 standings but that was largely because of ten DNFs on the year including seven DNFs in just the first fourteen races of 2005. Engine problems and just plain bad luck plagued Labonte during the 2005 campaign and a change of scenery might be the spark he needs to turn it around.
The Crew Chief
Should we pit or stay out? Two tires or four? Critical decisions like these often decide the winner of the race. Given my pick of any crew chief in the garage area few would rank higher than the man that lead Dale Jarrett to his 1999 Championship, Todd Parrott. Todd recently signed on to be the crew chief for Bobby Labonte and the #43 team.
This is a bit of a home coming for Todd as his dad Buddy Parrott used to be the crew chief for this same #43 with driver Richard Petty.
The Other Details
Who is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Petty Enterprises who made the announcement? Robbie Loomis who was the crew chief for Jeff Gordon's 2001 Championship team.
Todd Parrott will have another great Champion to share knowledge with and bounce ideas off of as the crew chief on the #45 team car to the #43 is Paul Andrews. Paul was the crew chief for Alan Kulwicki when he won the 1992 Championship.
Of course Petty Enterprises itself has a rich history. The team has won 10 Championships and 262 races in NASCAR's premier series. This is a team that is used to winning and they have assembled people who clearly know how to get the job done.
Clearly if talent, experience and desire are key factors to success in NASCAR then Petty Enterprises should set the racing world on fire in 2006.
