Bob Labonte, father to NASCAR Cup Series champions Bobby and Terry Labonte, died earlier in the week.
He was 91.
“This week, Terry and I last our Dad,” Bobby Labonte said Tuesday on X. “To many of you who knew him around the garage, you knew he was larger than life. To us, he was our Dad and also a crew chief, a mentor, our biggest fan, our motivation at times, and our hero.”
“He and our Mom dedicated their lives to our racing careers and our family. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our Dad, although we know he is in a far better place. We thank everyone for their support during this difficult time.”
Born in 1933 in Texas, the elder Labonte introduced his sons to motorsports as children, putting them both in quarter midgets. Terry won a championship in the car at 9-years-old and both children were hooked.
Terry reached the Cup Series in 1978 and went on to win 22 times in 890 starts with championships in 1984 and 1996. Bobby reached the Cup Series debut at Dover in 1991 and won 21 times in 729 starts, claiming the 2000 championship along the way.
Bob Labonte, in addition to shepherding his sons to the elite of the industry, also fielded Busch Grand National Series cars for over a decade with series championships won with Bobby Labonte and David Green behind the wheel.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.