Richard "Slugger" Labbe Biography
Crew Chief of the No. 98 Menards Ford Fusion
Birthday: June 14, 1968
Marital Status: Married to Angie
Hometown: Saco, Maine
Resides: Kannapolis, N.C.
Like so many others involved in NASCAR, Richard “Slugger” Labbe was introduced to racing at a young age. Slugger’s father, Ray, worked on cars in the NASCAR Busch North Series and often brought his son to the track. In 1984 at the age of 15, Labbe went to work on the crew of a Late Model stock car team and his own racing career was born. His entry into NASCAR came two years later when he began working in the NASCAR Busch North Series.
Slugger made the decision to head south in 1989 and moved to Hickory, N.C. to compete in NASCAR’s Busch South Series. Working as a mechanic for legendary NASCAR Busch Series driver Tommy Houston, the team finished second in the NASCAR Busch Series South championship that year.
In 1991, Labbe moved into the NASCAR Nationwide Series, working with driver Terry Labonte. That team experienced a great deal of success in three seasons of series competition, capturing five victories during that time. When Labonte made the move to NASCAR’s premiere division in 1994, Labbe followed and assumed the duties of front tire changer and mechanic for Labonte’s No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team. Labbe was promoted to car chief in his second year with the organization and helped his team win the Unocal pit crew championship on its way to a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 1996.
1998 proved to be an even better year for Labbe as Robert Yates Racing (RYR) came calling and offered him the opportunity to take the lead on the No. 28 entry driven by Kenny Irwin, Jr. With Labbe calling the shots, Irwin, Jr. earned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors. Labbe remained at RYR through the end of the 2000 season.
Labbe accepted a position with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in September, 2001 and took the reins of the No. 15 team working with driver Michael Waltrip. The partnership was a good one and during their two years together, the pair won three races including the 2003 Daytona 500.
In 2005, Labbe made the move to Evernham Motorsports and served as crew chief for Jeremy Mayfield. Success came swiftly and the duo not only won the race at Michigan International Speedway, but qualified for a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Labbe returned to Yates Racing in 2006 and worked with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett for the first 20 races of the season. After spending the first half of 2007 at MB2 Motorsports/Ginn Racing, Labbe headed to High Point, N.C. and Bill Davis Racing.
Labbe began the 2008 season working with Formula One Champion Jacques Villeneuve before taking on a coaching and mentoring role with NASCAR newcomer Scott Speed as he climbed the ranks of the ARCA Re/Max Series, the Camping World Truck Series and the Sprint Cup Series. Labbe coached Speed to his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Dover (Del.) International Raceway during the spring event there and then to his first pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in the fall.
Labbe moved to TRG Motorsports in 2009, leading David Gilliland in the team’s first foray in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing. This season, Slugger finds himself atop a Richard Petty Motorsports pit box. Leading Paul Menard in his fourth full-season of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, Slugger hopes to bring sponsor Menards its first victory in Sprint Cup Series competition.
Career Highlights
2008: Coached Scott Speed to his first career NASCAR victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.
2005: Fourth career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win (Michigan International Speedway).
2003: Victorious at Daytona International Speedway (Daytona 500) and Talladega Superspeedway with driver Michael Waltrip at Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
2002: Won first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway in July.
1998: First NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief job with Kenny Irwin at Robert Yates Racing.
1996: Part of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship team with Terry Labonte.