Bobby Labonte (b. 1964) is a race car driver who, among other achievements, won the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He's also an analyst for Fox NASCAR, and in 2020, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In 2002, Labonte attended a press conference announcing the marketing campaign between NASCAR and the Muppets. Labonte would be driving a car decorated with a design featuring Pepe the King Prawn. As seen in a sizzle reel for the conference, Pepe talked with Labonte, repeating Labonte's name in a singsong manner as Labonte bobbed his head along.

On whether or not he would trust riding with Pepe as his driver, Labonte stated, "With his four hands, I think he would be able to handle the car better than the other Muppets.”^[1]

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