Bobby Labonte to Participate in Jimmy Rollins BaseBOWL

Archdale, N.C., May 11, 2010 - Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, will practice his "hook" before heading to the Pocono Raceway for Sunday's Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500. Labonte will participate in the annual Jimmy Rollins Celebrity BaseBOWL Tournament on Thursday, June 3 in Philadelphia. The event is hosted by the Rollins Family Foundation to benefit the Arthritis Foundation. The event is closed to the public.

"NASCAR asked if I was interested in going up to Philadelphia and participate in this event," said Labonte, a fair-weather bowler. "I enjoy bowling, and this is a good cause for what sounds like a great Foundation. I've never met Jimmy, but everything sounds like he hosts a first-class event. I have my own Foundation (Bobby Labonte Foundation) and it's nice to help out other athletes with theirs. I'm looking forward to it and have to thank NASCAR for the opportunity."

Labonte, driver of the No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet, will be heading to Pennsylvania where he has had much success in his Sprint Cup career at the Pocono Raceway. He has three wins at the track including a sweep of both events in 1999.

The Big Labonte: Bobby Labonte hasn't bowled since his younger days, but found he still had a little something in his arm during a charity event Thursday in Philadelphia.

The 2000 Sprint Cup Series champion rolled a 137 and broke 100 in the second game of Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Jimmy Rollins' BaseBowl Tournament. Labonte was the only NASCAR driver participating in the event saturated with Philadelphia-area sports celebrities and several Phillies including pitcher Roy Halladay, who pitched a perfect game against Florida on May 29. (Scheduled to pitch at home Friday night against San Diego, he did not bowl.)

"There were a lot of great people there and I hope I made an impact," Labonte said. "I was very impressed with what the Rollins family is doing. I found out Jimmy is a big NASCAR fan.

"I talked with Roy a little bit, mostly about the cause. He could've been one of those guys that want to talk about what they did, but he didn't mention it."