TALLADEGA, Ala., April 21 -- Bobby Labonte was able to hold off two former Indianapolis 500 winners in the closing laps Saturday in an International Race of Champions (IROC) event at Talladega Superspeedway.
Labonte took the lead coming off the fourth turn heading to the white flag when he passed David Green. He was able to stay ahead of charging CART driver Kenny Brack and Buddy Lazier of the Indy Racing League. Brack was the 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner and Lazier captured the Indy 500 in 1996.
The final dash to the checkered flag was set up when NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Jarrett crashed in the fourth turn wall with three laps to go. Lazier also spun across the tri-oval grass, but caution flag laps do not count in IROC and he was able to maintain his position on the restart.
When the green flag waved, Brack pushed Green into the lead with three to go, but Labonte was able to make the winning pass off turn 4, led the final lap and won.
"I think with about 12 or 15 laps to go, I got shuffled back when I tried to get by Dale Jarrett," Labonte said. "I went all the way to the back and that might have been the deciding factor. Jeff Burton and I were passing cars pretty good on our way back to the front. When they had that yellow flag for the accident, I was running third and I knew I would be inside of the second row, which is a good place to be.
"When they had the restart with three to go, I got a push from Eddie Cheever and went by Jeff Green. With that many laps to go, I was in the right place at the right time on the restart. I got by Jeff Green, and that was that."
NASCAR's Ricky Rudd was fourth, followed by Cheever of the IRL. Labonte recorded his second straight IROC win at Talladega.NEWLN:
