A Big Week

It has been a big week for sure. On Tuesday,the 44th and first African American president of the United States,Barack Obama,was sworn in. Congratulations to our new president. Regardless of party affiliation or ideology,I wish the new president well and hope that he does great things for our nation. In NASCAR, driver Elliott Sadler married his girlfriend Amanda Prince last Saturday. Congratulations to the newlyweds. In Charlotte,N.C.,it was the NASCAR Media Tour,in which media from around the nation and the world converged on the Charlotte area and were given tours of race shops along with Q&A sessions with drivers and team owners. As a Bobby Labonte fan,I am very excited about his new ride with Hall of Fame Racing,though technically he will be a Robert Yates Racing driver. Labonte will drive the #96 Ask.com Ford for Hall of Fame Racing,which receives engines from Roush Fenway Racing and Robert Yates Racing. Also,Tony Stewart is well underway with getting Stewart/Haas Racing ready for the 2009 season. Stewart annouced a new sponsor for SHR this week-Burger King,in addition to Stewart's main sponsor,Office Depot,and the U.S. Army,which will sponsor teammate Ryan Newman's car for a number of races this season.

In college basketball, the North Carolina Tarheels got their game back this week when they defeated Miami on Sunday 82-65 and delivered an impressive game on Wednesday when the Tarheels defeated Clemson 94-70. Tyler Hansbrough sustained injuries during the Clemson game when he was accidentally hit in the mouth during a scramble under the basket and had a tooth loosened. Hansbrough wore a mouthpiece the rest of the game. I pray that he has a speedy recovery. The Tarheels' next game will be at Florida State next Wednesday.

Finally,A New Team For Labonte

After leaving Petty Enterprises in December, fans of driver Bobby Labonte had been wondering where the 2000 NASCAR Cup champion would drive next. The most prominent rumor was that Labonte would be driving the #41 at Earnhardt/Ganassi Racing,then as recently as Monday, rumors had Labonte driving the #8 EGR ride. Then late Tuesday in a sudden and surprising turn of events,came the annoucement that Labonte will drive the #96 Ford for Hall Of Fame Racing. HOF recently merged with Robert Yates Racing. HOF will have the benefit of the engine-building program shared by RYR and Roush Fenway Racing. Ask.com has reportedly been named the sponsor of the #96 car.

With the 51st running of the Daytona 500 on February 15th approaching, fans were becoming concerned about whether Labonte would have a Cup ride this season. Fortunately,the waiting is over. Bobby Labonte is not the first person in his family to drive the #96. Bobby's brother Terry Labonte,the 1984 and 1996 Cup champion, drove the car (though it was then a Chevrolet) for a few races in the 2006 or 2007 season if memory serves.

I am so happy not only as a Bobby Labonte fan but also for Bobby Labonte himself. I wish Bobby well in the #96. Bring on the 2009 season. Go Bobby!!!!