labonte failed to return to victory lane over the next few years, but did not finish outside the top five in points. he won his second career race in 1983 in the budweiser chevy, in 1984, his team received sponsorship from piedmont airlines and he won at riverside international speedway and bristol motor speedway the following year, clinching his first nascar winston cup series championship. he dropped to seventh in final points in 1985. the same season, he own in his busch series debut at charlotte in the #17 pontiac for darrell waltrip.