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Sunday, May 05, 2002

Compiled by Chris Dolack

Two-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte has three wins at Richmond, site of today's race. He answered questions Tuesday during a conference call:

Q: Why have rookies had so much success in recent seasons?

A: The biggest difference is you see young drivers have an opportunity to be with top-notch teams from the start. Jimmie Johnson, he had a great run in California. He's got a lot of Jeff Gordon's cars that Gordon won races with last year. Years ago rookies would come in and be with teams that aren't on top of the list as far as the equipment. Things are different today. Young drivers are able to take advantage of that.

Q: With so many changes to cars, does that even the playing field with the younger drivers?

A: A little bit. It seems like aerodynamics are more critical than they have ever been. You hear people talk about that during the race. You pick up that aero push and things like that. The tires today are not like the tires we ran a few years ago. That could help a young guy because he never got used to the old tires. It's hard to say.

Q: At 45, do you believe you still have a lot of racing left in you?

A: I think so. I definitely feel like I do. And I think that I feel good about our team and the direction it's headed. I think we've got a team that realistically can win a race or two this year and finish in the top 10 in points. That's not our goal. Our goal is to win the championship, but if we win a race or two and we finish in the top 10, we've really got something that we're building on for next year.