Labonte charity cycling event leaves city

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Jun. 25—HIGH POINT — A charity bike ride in High Point organized by the foundation of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Bobby Labonte has left the city.

The ride, now called the Labonte Roubaix, will be held instead at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem on Aug. 21.

It was held in downtown High Point for several years until 2020, when it was postponed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, the City Council removed — but later reinstated — the ride as a city-sponsored event as part of an update to the city's special events policy.

The update removed the ride from a list of about 20 events that the city sponsors each year either through direct financial support or by granting concessions like waiving fees and providing free manpower and equipment.

The council's goal with the revised policy was to sponsor only events that are seen as having a community benefit and are more than fundraisers for nonprofits.

The last time the ride was held in High Point, in 2019, the city provided about $7,300 worth of "in-kind services," such as police assistance, fencing and traffic cones.

Organizers of the ride pushed back on the decision to withdraw support and asked the council to reconsider, which it did by returning it to the list of city-sponsored events in May 2020.

Labonte and his wife, Kristin Labonte, who chaired the ride when it was in High Point, were traveling Thursday and unavailable for comment, but they released a statement:

"When the opportunity to work with Bowman Gray Stadium presented itself, we jumped at the chance to make the move to an iconic venue that's excited about the growth potential of the charity bike ride. This venue allows us to introduce a new community to the Bobby Labonte Foundation while still providing a great experience for our longtime High Point supporters."

The statement went on to add:

"Bowman Gray Stadium is also a place that represents Bobby's entire life of work in motorsports. Both Bowman Gray and Greater Winston Salem have welcomed us with open arms and given us free rein to create the best possible experience for participants, sponsors, and JDRF North Carolina Chapter, the organization that will receive the Bobby Labonte Foundation grant this year. Our mission remains the same — to help families in the Triad build strong foundations for children's futures, and we are thrilled to see excitement building for the 2021 Labonte Roubaix."

During its final year in High Point, the ride raised $50,000 for three grant recipients: High Point LEAP, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont and the High Point Swim Club.

The ride had an economic impact of $71,856 with 700 attendees, according to Visit High Point.

pkimbrough@hpenews.com — 336-888-3531