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ORIGINAL: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;...v=ap&type=lgns

Labbe fired as Mayfield's crew chief

October 27, 2005

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Slugger Labbe was fired Thursday as crew chief for Jeremy Mayfield with four races left in the Chase for the championship.

Mayfield is currently 10th in the Chase standings, 216 points behind leader Tony Stewart, and has failed to make a charge toward the Nextel Cup title. He also qualified for the Chase last season but never recovered from early troubles and finished last in the 10-driver field.

``We've qualified for the Chase for the championship for the second year in a row, but we have high expectations for this team, both for the remainder of the 2005 season and for next year,' car owner Ray Evernham said. ``We're confident that we can re-energize this team to bring home solid finishes in these last four races and move up in the Chase.

``We are already planning for next year, and we recognize that we need to make several changes to regain the momentum this team had earlier in the year and to ensure we have the right people in the right places to win races and a championship.'

Team director Kenny Francis will replace Labbe as crew chief for the rest of the season.

Labbe, who won two Daytona 500s as crew chief for Michael Waltrip, was in his first season with Mayfield. He was rumored to be in discussions for the vacant crew chief job with Elliott Sadler's team, which may have led to his release by Evernham.

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