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Saturday, February 24, 2001
River park may be named for Labonte brothers
Stock car champs called good ambassadors
By Guy H. Lawrence
Caller-Times
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| Terry Labonte |
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| Bobby Labonte |
Drivers entering Corpus Christi on Interstate 37 could soon be welcomed to the city by a sign proclaiming it the hometown of stock car racing champions Terry and Bobby Labonte.
The sign is part of a larger plan to change the name of Nueces River Park to Terry and Bobby Labonte Park. The Corpus Christi City Council will consider the change at a meeting Tuesday.
Councilman Henry Garrett, a race fan, said honoring the Corpus Christi natives is a good idea, given their racing fame. And he noted the brothers are good ambassadors for the city, regularly mentioning their hometown, even though both live in North Carolina now.
"Every time they ever race, they talk about being from Corpus Christi," Garrett said. "They are real ambassadors of Corpus Christi."
Last year, Bobby Labonte captured the Winston Cup title, NASCAR's top honor. Terry Labonte won Winston Cup titles in 1984 and 1996.
Bobby Labonte races for Joe Gibbs Racing while Terry Labonte races for Hendrick Motorsports.
Race fans like Leah Olivarri are excited about recognizing the Labontes.
"I think Corpus Christi is so lucky to have folks like them from here," Olivarri said. "Every weekend when they are racing, they always announce Bobby Labonte from Corpus Christi. That is such an honor for the city. I would like to name the whole seawall after them."
Tom Niskala, chief executive officer of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, said renaming the park and installing a sign along Interstate 37 is a good way to honor local success stories such as the Labontes and at the same time attract visitors.
The chamber is working on a display in the Corpus Christi International Airport to let travelers know about the Labontes and other local success stories, said Niskala.
The Nueces River Park's location is ideal because of all the traffic coming to Corpus Christi, he said.
"It's good to let a lot of people know when they are coming into Corpus Christi that Corpus Christi is the home of the Labonte brothers and let them know that we have many hometown heroes," Niskala said. "It is one way to say attaboy."
The Labonte Brothers Special Recognition Committee has been formed to raise funding for the sign and name change.
Niskala and Garrett are members of the committee.
Niskala said he plans to raise money from the business community for the sign or billboard near the park and for the airport display.
The Labontes could not be reached for comment. But Yvonne Haag, assistant to the city manager and also a member of the committee, said the brothers are pleased with the city's proposal.
She said the city will try to have the work done before April 1, when the Harrah's 500 will be held at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, the only Texas stop on the NASCAR circuit.
Holding a ceremony close to that weekend increases the chances the brothers can attend.
Staff writer Guy H. Lawrence can be reached at 886-3792 or by e-mail at lawrenceg@caller.com
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© 2001,
a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.
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