Bobby Labonte at 2:35pm ET
I'm glad everybody's here today. I'm excited to hear the questions you might have for us.

Carl from proxy.aol.com at 2:35pm ET
Has the reality that you have a great chance to be this year's champion sunk in it?

Bobby Labonte at 2:36pm ET
No, not yet. I'm still thinking that we are a ways from that being one hundred percent. We're going to wait to see if that happens first before we get too excited.

Lee Anne at 2:36pm ET
What advice has Terry given you on the pressures of winning a championship?

Bobby Labonte at 2:37pm ET
No, not really. He's open to anything I might ask him. I think I'm doing OK so far.

Greg Jordan from thenap.net at 2:37pm ET
Over the years, your brother and two time NASCAR champion Terry, has given you advice. Now that you are running so well, do you offer Terry advice or tips you have learned?

Bobby Labonte at 2:38pm ET
No, I think he knows what my advice to him would be. There's not much he can do right now. He's just having to work his way though.

Sheldon from proxy.aol.com at 2:38pm ET
Are you happy with the new aero package that was ran at Talladega? And is it the package that will be ran at Daytona?

Bobby Labonte at 2:39pm ET
I think that will be the same package we'll see in Daytona, with just a few small changes to it. Now that I've had a couple days after the race to think about it, it wasn't as bad as right after the race. Because I went from second to 12th in two laps, which isn't as good as going from 12th to second. So I wasn't too happy about it, but I guess the roles could be reversed next time.

Russ from proxy.aol.com at 2:39pm ET
Noticed you were running up front till the last few laps then got shuffled back, was that due to Dale Earnhardt Jr. running down on the apron and you having to get out of the throttle?

Bobby Labonte at 2:40pm ET
Well, the outside lane was definitely faster at the time. But the reason we lost so many spots, was, yes, because Little E was on the apron and I had to let up on the gas to see which way he was going to go.

Tasha Farley from tnt2.cambridge.oh.da.uu.net at 2:40pm ET
What's your chances in winning at Rockingham?

Bobby Labonte at 2:41pm ET
I'd say pretty good. We did test down there the other day. Goodyear brought a new tire, for the right side at least. We tested on it and we feel comfortable with the changes that were made. And hopefully we can make those changes and be better than other people.

Shaun Blessing from proxy.aol.com at 2:41pm ET
Will you be doing any more testing this season?

Bobby Labonte at 2:41pm ET
Actually we have a test in Homestead coming up next week.

Greg Smith from dsl.lsan03.pacbell.net at 2:42pm ET
I have heard you talk about how Dale Earnhardt has helped you on a few tracks. How has he helped you in your title chase?

Bobby Labonte at 2:42pm ET
I think just observing and watching his focus on the track and definitely trying to run every lap as hard as possible to finish as good as possible.

car18fan from as.indy.net at 2:43pm ET
As competitors week in and week out, is it hard to maintain friendships among the other teams?

Bobby Labonte at 2:44pm ET
I don't think so. We do have one of the longest seasons of any sport. I think we might just want breaks from the schedule more than the people.

Shaun Blessing from proxy.aol.com at 2:44pm ET
What do you think about NASCAR adding two new races next year?

Bobby Labonte at 2:45pm ET
I think it's going to important for all the drivers and all the teams to prepare themselves to be 100 percent week in and week out. With only three weekends off during the season it's going to be really, really hard to stay 100 percent on racing. And keeping a family life afloat will be hard.

Shaun Blessing from proxy.aol.com at 2:45pm ET
Does the defection of many Pontiac teams to Dodge have any impact on your own 2001 program?

Bobby Labonte at 2:46pm ET
I think we have a strong relationship with General Motors, and even though there's not as many Pontiacs out there next year, I don't think, and I hope it won't, hurt us in any way. But that remains to be seen.

mike z from tnt1.minneapolis.mn.da.uu.net at 2:46pm ET
Looking forward to the upcoming off season, how much time do you get off before testing starts up again and any vacations planned?

Bobby Labonte at 2:47pm ET
Right now, no vacations are planned. And we'll probably start testing the second week of January.

TerriK from pittsburgh-01-02rs.pa.dial-access.att.net at 2:47pm ET
Have you thought about owning your own team(s) down the road? If so, is it something you might do with your brother?

Bobby Labonte at 2:48pm ET
Hadn't thought about it. But I probably won't. Right now I don't feel like I'd be doing that in the near future. But I wouldn't ever rule it out, no.

kelly at 2:48pm ET
Does Tony Stewart help you in the races and in particular, did he help you Sunday at Talladega by trying to protect you from behind towards the end of the race?

Bobby Labonte at 2:49pm ET
I think our teams help each other, and I think we help each other by making each other better. Sunday he was able to help out for a little bit as he was trying to get his lap back. He was following me and trying to help me stay in the lead draft.

mike from proxy.aol.com at 2:49pm ET
In what areas do your team and the No. 20 team share information on the cars, and do you share information on race day strategy?

Bobby Labonte at 2:50pm ET
We share everything. We know exactly what their setup is, they know ours. And Jimmy and Greg talk a lot, and they know what each other thinks about race strategy. That could change with gas mileage, or how the race goes along, but we pretty much share everything.

Christine, MA at 2:50pm ET
What are your favorite things to do when you're off the track?

Bobby Labonte at 2:51pm ET
I spend time with my family first. Also, going to my office, I've made a career out of trying to get organized.

Michelle LaBrie at 2:51pm ET
How much free time do you guys get between testing, and traveling to the races, guest appearances and so on? How do you balance it all?

Bobby Labonte at 2:52pm ET
Usually not very good. There might be a Monday or a Tuesday or Wednesday, if we're not testing or travelling, I'll spend all day at home. But that's pretty rare. A full day at home is pretty hard to find.

Carson from insideheart.org at 2:53pm ET
Are you under any added pressure in the points standings now that your points lead has been reduced after the Talladega race? Or do you even think about the points lead before each race?

Bobby Labonte at 2:54pm ET
So far we've on top of the standings for most of the year. It's closing in toward the end, when we want to further ahead. The closer someone gets, the more we wish it was over. But I'd say it's no different than any pressure we put on ourselves at any other time.

Postrye from dynamic-dialup.toad.net at 2:54pm ET
Who do you want to win the World Series?

Bobby Labonte at 2:54pm ET
I don't know. I've been busy the last few weeks, so I haven't kept up with it. I'd say the Braves if they were still in it, but they're not. So I'm not sure.

Jenn in NY at 2:55pm ET
When did you know you wanted to be a driver? Has it always been a dream since you were a child?

Bobby Labonte at 2:55pm ET
Yeah, pretty much so. We have been in racing all our lives. It seems like just second nature. I guess I never thought about doing much of anything else.

Christine, MA at 2:56pm ET
Where is your favorite track?

Bobby Labonte at 2:56pm ET
My favorite track to race at is Michigan. And between Las Vegas and Phoenix are the two races I like to go to for the surroundings.

Dave from proxy.aol.com at 2:56pm ET
Have you started Tyler racing yet?

Bobby Labonte at 2:57pm ET
No, he's getting interested in going to the races and hanging out in the pits. He's talked a little bit about driving, but not enough to warrant getting into go-karts or anything yet.

Tasha Farley from tnt2.cambridge.oh.da.uu.net at 2:57pm ET
Are you going to change the look of your car in 2001?

Bobby Labonte at 2:58pm ET
I think it's going to stay pretty much the same. I don't see any big changes. There might be a stripe or two, but nothing too big.

Debbie from Canada at 2:59pm ET
What is your favorite track of the races left?

Bobby Labonte at 2:59pm ET
Actually, I'm looking forward to all of them. I like all the tracks we're going to, as far as four in a row. I just hope to go, do the best we can, work real hard and see what happens. We're confident, we just need a little of everything else to go along with it.