NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte helped promote the new opening of the Interstate All Battery Center Retail Store at 220 Airport Road in Ames Thursday night by signing autographs for more than 300 fans.

Labonte, who drives the No. 18 Interstate Batteries car on the Winston Cup NASCAR circuit, was signing autographs from 6:30—8 p.m. last night. Two hundred people who came early enough to receive wrist bands were guaranteed autographs, but that didn’t stop others from showing up to get a glimpse of their favorite race car driver.

“The atmosphere tonight has been awesome,” store owner Matt Breen said. “We have had people camping outside the store since nine o’clock this morning. I could not be more flattered — he is an awesome spokesman for the company.”

So how did one of NASCAR’s finest end up coming to Ames, Iowa?

“He is racing nearby in Kansas City this weekend, and our warehouse where we get a lot of our Interstate Batteries products, located in Des Moines, wanted to have an employee appreciation event for its employees,” Breen said.

“We were looking for a location where we could feed people in through the front of the building and out through the back. This store seemed like the natural choice being right next to the airport, so it worked out great.”

The 2000 Winston Cup points champion signed everything from framed pictures to winter jackets for people of all ages. One of those lucky people was David Yoder, junior in exercise and sport science.

“I came out here tonight because I am a big NASCAR fan and Bobby Labonte is one of my favorite drivers,” Yoder said. “I have been out here just under two hours, and I wanted to come and show my support and wish him the best of luck this weekend.”

Labonte has been to victory lane 19 times during his career, but has won only once thus far this year, at the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 9.

“This week he is doing three autograph sessions, but this is the only one in Iowa. He will have another one in Kansas City tomorrow,” Breen said. “Then after that he told me that he won’t do any more for the next couple of months, so this is a special occasion and couldn’t be more deserving for the people of Ames.”

Sunday’s NASCAR race, the Banquet 400 presented by Con-Agra Foods, takes place in Kansas City at the Kansas Speedway.