SCENEDAILY
7:05PM ET FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2008
BY KENNY BRUCE
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bobby Labonte may be considered by many to be the driver most overdue for a win, but that's one tag the 43-year-old wouldn't mind shedding. And the sooner the better.

"I guess that's good in a way, but I'd rather be the guy that's won the most and wants to win more," Labonte said during Wednesday's media day at Daytona International Speedway.

Despite a Cup championship (2000) and 21 career wins, the trophy case in the Labonte home hasn't been updated since he scored a pair of wins in 2003 while he was still competing for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR's Cup Series.

Now beginning his third year at Petty Enterprises, Labonte says he's confident the organization is moving in the right direction, pointing to the offseason acquisitions of crew chief Jeff Meendering and technical director Derrick Finley.

"I think this year, starting off I feel more confident ... in the team and our ability to get better as we go," Labonte said. "But the biggest difference is just the confidence in the people pushing in the right place. The people were pushing harder [before], but it was harder to push sometimes because there were things restraining you. Now I feel like it's a little more open. You can push and actually see the movement. You can see the mountain moving a little bit."

Meendering "has all the talent and everything it takes," Robbie Loomis, executive vice president of racing operations for Petty, said. "That he has worked side by side with Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte is more than a bonus. It's experience that can't be bought.

"We've all read about Chad - he's somebody I've worked with and admired for his attention to detail and focus. ... Jeff knows how to win and how to get the job done."

A win would erase what's currently a 108-race winless streak for Labonte. Likewise, a Petty Enterprises entry hasn't darkened victory lane since the 1999 season.

Petty says he sees a win in his team's future. Loomis, though, is more Specific. "I'll be honest with you, I feel we'll win in the first eight races," he said.

Brash talk or confidence in the path the team has chosen?

"We've worked real hard this winter, and I feel confident in our race team that we can accomplish the goal of winning a race," Labonte said. "It's tough out there, especially with a two-car team and the resources that we have compared to the resources that other teams have. I say that and Jimmie Johnson made it look easy ... and other teams make it look easy sometimes. It's like, 'Look, there they are, winning again.'

"A lot of it is the confidence that you have in the race team, the resources that you have. The competition's tighter. It's just a lot harder, but obviously we want to get back into victory lane as soon as we can."

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