FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2011
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Bobby Labonte Racing Hopes to Collect First Knoxville Nationals Win

TRINITY, N.C. (September 29) - One of dirt late models most prestigious events is on deck, the 8th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. Paying $40,000 to win on Saturday night, the half-mile, semi-banked Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway dirt oval has produced some of racing's most exciting and thrilling events in motorsports.

Bobby Labonte Racing's (BLR) Earl Pearson Jr., driver of the No. 44 Lucas Oil Dodge, and Brad Neat, driver of the No. 41 Red Buck Cigars Chevrolet, are ready to tackle the three days of racing which begin tonight, September 29 and culminate on Saturday, October 1.

Pearson's most recent events at Knoxville Raceway have yielded a sixth-place finish in 2008, 10th in 2009 and 14th in 2010. He looks to reverse the trend this week.

"The Knoxville Nationals is another crown jewel event," Pearson said. "There's big money and a lot of glory on the line. It's a one of the races that each driver feels like he has to win to make his career complete. I haven't been to victory lane yet this year, and I can't think of a better place to put a halt to that then at Knoxville. It's a special weekend and I want a trip to victory lane there on my resume."

In Pearson's last LOLMDS event, at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway, he started seventh and finished 14th. He remained sixth in the championship point standings, 1,385 points behind leader Scott Bloomquist.

Neat has taken home two second-place finishes in the B-Main races at Knoxville Raceway (2010, 2009). Last week Neat was leading at Brownstown, but spun after running through a hole in the track. He finished in seventh-place in and stayed seventh in the championship standings, 40 points behind Pearson.

"Last week we were leading the race and I ran through a hole in the track and spun out," Neat said. "I guess those are the breaks, but I had a really good car. I know that we're capable of running up front and winning races. Maybe we'll bring horseshoes to the track at Knoxville."

Action kicks off tonight with a $7,000-to-win feature event.