From wheel to reel
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On the track, NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte has "been there and done that" — 510 starts, 21 Sprint Cup wins, including the 2000 Sprint Cup title, and more than $55 million in prize money. He spent 11 years with Joe Gibbs Racing and the past three with Petty Enterprises and now drives the No. 96 car for Hall of Fame Racing.
Off the track, he enjoys fishing. We exchanged e-mails recently while he was in Charlotte promoting Safe Search Schools, a program to teach children Internet safety.
How'd you get your start fishing? Earliest memories?I guess I got my start when we lived in Corpus Christi, Texas. We did a lot of surf fishing because we lived right there at the beach and had time to kill — those were definitely some fun times.
Does your brother fish? Does the competition spill over from the track to the water?Yep, Terry (Labonte) and I fished a lot together when we lived in Corpus. Yeah, we're both competitive guys and will probably both tell you we could outfish the other any day of the week!
What track infield has the best fishing?You know, I'm not sure, but I'll take a wild guess and say Lake Lloyd at Daytona — it's pretty big and would probably have some decent holes. Then again, I'm guessing not many fish like the sound of our cars at 200 mph, so there might not be any good fishing at any of the tracks.
How much opportunity do you get to fish near tracks? Where is it good?Honestly not that much. When I'm at the track my schedule is usually jam-packed with practicing and appearances, but I've actually fished several times in the past month, which is a lot for me these days. I've got a pond behind my house, so I'll get out there whenever I can.
Saltwater or freshwater? Favorite species in each?Freshwater. I guess this is kind of a boring answer, but my favorite now is bass fishing. There's just something about the excitement of bass fishing. You know, you're not just sitting around waiting for a bite so much. It's fishing that doesn't require a lot of time or for me to travel too far. Second favorite would be fly fishing, but that's harder for me to find time to do.
Most memorable catch? Biggest fish?In 2000, I went fishing off the coast of Mexico, near an island called Isle Mejor, I caught a good-size sailfish. Terry was with me. That was a fun trip.
If you could use only one lure what would it be?Top-water lure. I've had the most luck with it.
Who else (another driver) is an avid angler? Who do you fish with?I know Ryan (Newman) is a big fisherman, but most of the time I'll just go with (brother) Terry or some of my other family. My nephews are small, but they are pretty into it, and my son Tyler likes to come with me. He's not real big on cleaning the fish but likes to fish anyway.
