WELCOME, N.C. — Richard Childress Racing signed Bobby Labonte to a part-time schedule driving its No. 21 Chevrolet in the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide  (Busch) Series.
The 2000 Cup champion and 1991 Nationwide champion will compete in 15 races for RCR — an 11-time NASCAR championship-winning organization.
“I’m really looking forward to driving for Richard and the No. 21 team in the Nationwide Series next year,” Labonte said. “I had a great time in the one race I did for them in 2004, so I’m excited about running 15 races with a team that has won a lot of races and a couple of championships. RCR’s Nationwide Series program has been at the top for years and I hope I can help keep it there.”
RCR’s No. 21 team earned six victories in 2007 with driver Kevin Harvick and has earned two of the organization’s four Nationwide championships. Harvick and Johnny Sauter shared driving duties and won NASCAR’s first owner-only championship in 2004, and Harvick won the overall championship in 2006.
Securing sponsorship for the program is ongoing.
“I’ve watched Bobby’s career since he was a rookie in the Cup Series in 1991,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He’s a champion in every sense of the word and, with crew chief Shane Wilson and his championship-winning team, we know they will continue the No. 21 team’s winning legacy.
“We’re working on getting sponsorship all lined up but all of us at RCR are honored to have Bobby driving the No. 21 Chevrolet next season.”