| 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |
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The 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Saturday February 8 and ended on Sunday November 16. Matt Kenseth with Roush Racing driving a Ford was crowned the Winston Cup champion, despite winning only one race all year. Chevrolet took home the NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship after capturing 19 wins and 264 points over second place Dodge who had 9 wins and 203 points. Ford finished the year in third place with 7 wins and 200 points, and Pontiac finished in fourth place with 1 win and 125 points.[1]
This was the last year in which Winston was the title sponsor of the Cup series. After it decided not to renew its sponsorship, NASCAR decided on the telecommunications firm Nextel to be the title sponsor of the new series.
In addition, NASCAR instituted a new points system after this season entitled the Chase for the Cup, in which after 26 races, all the points standings in the top ten as well as any position within 400 points of the lead, would be reset, so the drivers in those positions would be eligible for the championship. This was done primarily because of the huge lead Kenseth accumulated during 2003 despite winning one race.
List of full-time teams for the year 2003.
The Budweiser Shootout was held February 8 at Daytona International Speedway. It was won by #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr.. The race featured drivers who have won a pole in the previous season or have won the event before. 2003 marked changes to the race's format, for the first time the race ran at night. The 70 lap event was now split into two segments. After the first 20 lap segment a 10 minute intermission took place allowing drivers to make pit stops and repair their cars. The second segment featured a 50 lap race to the finish with cars restarting double file on all restarts. Drivers were also required to make at least one pit stop under the green flag.
Top Ten Results:
| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |
| 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 3 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | Roush Racing |
| 4 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 5 | 22 | Ward Burton | Dodge | Bill Davis Racing |
| 6 | 49 | Ken Schrader | Dodge | BAM Racing |
| 7 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 8 | 21 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 9 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing |
| 10 | 32 | Ricky Craven | Pontiac | PPI Motorsports |
The Gatorade 125s qualifying for the Daytona 500 were held on February 12 at Daytona International Speedway.
Race One: Top Ten Results
Race Two: Top Ten Results
The Subway 400 was held on February 23 at North Carolina Speedway. Dave Blaney was the pole winner.
Failed to qualify: none
The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 was held on March 2 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Matt Kenseth won this race, the only win of his championship season. Bobby Labonte was the pole winner.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Greg Biffle (#16), Brandon Ash (#02)
The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 was held on March 9 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Bobby Hamilton, Jr. (#35), Jeff Fultz (#57)
The Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 was held on March 16 at Darlington Raceway. This was the last time a Darlington race would be held on this date. Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch by .002 (tied) for the closest finish in NASCAR history, putting Pontiac in Victory Lane for the last time. Elliott Sadler qualified on the pole. This race was the place where Larry McReynolds said one of his famed phrases that has been repeated many times in commercials and media, "They touch! They touch!". He shouted that to Craven's collision with Busch down the frontstretch on the last lap.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: none
The Food City 500 was held on March 23 at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was the 2000th race in Winston Cup history. Ryan Newman was the pole winner for this race.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (#02), Larry Foyt (#14)
The Samsung/Radio Shack 500 was held at Texas Motor Speedway on March 30, 2003. Texas native Bobby Labonte was the pole sitter for this race.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Kerry Earnhardt (#83), David Starr (#75)
The Aaron's 499 was held at Talladega Superspeedway on April 6, 2003. Jeremy Mayfield was the polewinner for this race while Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the first driver to win four consecutive races at Talladega. The "Big One" did not take long; collecting 27 cars on the fourth lap – the largest crash in a Cup race in the modern era. The crash barely included Earnhardt Jr, who started in the back of the field and managed to race his way to victory lane anyway. Earnhardt was involved in a controversial decision at the end of the race where it appeared he went below the yellow line in an attempt to improve position. NASCAR ruled Earnhardt was forced down making it a clean pass.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Brett Bodine (#11), Larry Foyt (#14), David Green (#60) (Note: Phoenix Racing's Mike Wallace had originally failed to qualify, but Green's car was found too low and his time was disallowed.)
The Virginia 500 was held at Martinsville Speedway on April 13, 2003. Jeff Gordon won the pole.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: none
The Auto Club 500 was held at California Speedway on April 27, 2003. Steve Park won the pole.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Kerry Earnhardt (#83), Hideo Fukuyama (#66)
The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held at Richmond International Raceway on May 3, 2003. Terry Labonte won the pole. Jerry Nadeau, driver of the #01 U.S. Army Pontiac for MB2/MBV Motorsports, was critically injured in a practice session for this race, and hasn't raced since. This race was shortened to 393 laps due to rain
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (#02), Derrike Cope (#37), Hideo Fukuyama (#66)
Results
×Burton entered via winning the Winston Open
The Coca-Cola 600 was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 25, 2003. Ryan Newman was the pole winner. The race was shortened to 276 laps due to inclement weather.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (#02), Brett Bodine (#11), Derrike Cope (#37)
The MBNA Armed Forces Family 400 was held at Dover International Speedway on June 1, 2003. Ryan Newman swept qualifying as well as the race. This was also the last career start for Brett Bodine.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Derrike Cope (#37), Hermie Sadler (#02)
The Pocono 500 was held at Pocono Raceway on June 8, 2003. Jimmie Johnson grabbed the top starting spot. On Lap 7 Ken Schrader gets loose and hits the wall and flips once before catching fire. He was uninjured.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Derrike Cope (#37), Morgan Shepherd (#89)
The Sirius 400 was held at Michigan International Speedway on June 15, 2003. Bobby Labonte was the pole sitter.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: Mike Skinner (#4), Larry Foyt (#14)
The Dodge/Save Mart 350 was held at Infineon Raceway on June 22, 2003. Boris Said was the pole sitter.
Top Ten Results
Failed to qualify: P. J. Jones (#14), Brandon Ash (#02), Paul Menard (#33), Jim Inglebright (#00)
The Pepsi 400 was held at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, 2003. Steve Park won the pole.
Failed to qualify: Kerry Earnhardt (#83), Tony Raines (#74), Shane Hmiel (#43), Christian Fittipaldi (#44)
The Tropicana 400 was held at Chicagoland Speedway on July 13, 2003. Tony Stewart sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Jason Keller (#81)
The New England 300 was held at New Hampshire International Speedway on July 20, 2003. Matt Kenseth won the pole.
Failed to qualify: Tim Sauter (#71), David Reutimann (#04), Carl Long (#46), Larry Foyt (#50)
The Pennsylvania 500 was held at Pocono Raceway on July 27, 2003. Ryan Newman won the pole.
Failed to qualify: Brett Bodine (#4)
The Brickyard 400 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 3, 2003. Kevin Harvick won the pole.
Failed to qualify: Brett Bodine (#11), Ken Schrader (#49), Billy Bigley (#79), Ted Musgrave (#07), Robert Pressley (#4), Jim Sauter (#71), Christian Fittipaldi (#43), David Reutimann (#04), Hermie Sadler (#02)
The Sirius at the Glen was held at Watkins Glen International Raceway on August 10, 2003. Jeff Gordon was the pole sitter.
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (#49), Joe Varde (#35), Scott Maxwell (#43), Larry Foyt (#50)
The GFS Marketplace 400 was held at Michigan International Speedway on August 17, 2003. Bobby Labonte won the pole. Meanwhile through the race, Todd Bodine bounces off Kurt Busch and then into Kenny Wallace, causing Bodine to get airborne and land on Wallace and erupt in flames. Fortunately both drivers escaped.
Failed to qualify: Stacy Compton (#4)
The Sharpie 500 was held at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2003. Jeff Gordon sat on the pole. Fans disagreement over the suspension of Jimmy Spencer and only placing Kurt Busch on probation stemming from the incident the previous week prompted fans to boo Busch as he exited his car in victory lane.
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (#02), Billy Bigley (#79), Derrike Cope (#37)
The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was held at Darlington Speedway on August 31, 2003. This was the last time the race was held on this date. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (#50)
The Chevy Rock and Roll 400 was held at Richmond International Raceway on September 6, 2003. Mike Skinner sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (#50), Billy Bigley (#79)
The Sylvania 300 was held at New Hampshire International Speedway on September 14, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (#50), Derrike Cope (#37), Morgan Shepherd (#89), Carl Long (#46)
The MBNA America 400 was held at Dover International Speedway on September 21, 2003. Qualifying was cancelled due to Hurricane Isabel; as a result, Matt Kenseth sat on the pole on owner points.
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (#50), Morgan Shepherd (#89), Billy Bigley (#79), Scott Wimmer (#27), Christian Fittipaldi (#44), Tim Sauter (#71)
The EA Sports 500 was held September 28, 2003 at Talladega Superspeedway. Elliott Sadler won the pole. An early wreck took place on lap 10 when #19-Jeremy Mayfield had a tire go down, during pit stops #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. made contact with #43-Jeff Green resulting in damage to his car's nose. Earnhardt Jr. would go a lap down on lap 62 after damage repair to his car. On lap 143 the 3rd caution came out when leader #48-Jimmie Johnson was sent spinning down to the inside of Turn 1 after Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped #15-Michael Waltrip who slapped the side of Johnson, Johnson's car slid back up the Turn 1 banking barely missing a few cars. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the lucky dog during the caution and got back on the lead lap. On lap 158 Johnson retired to the garage with engine problems. On lap 182 with 7 laps of racing left #38-Elliott Sadler who was racing four wide near the front of the pack down the backstretch went to block #97-Kurt Busch. The #38 car made contact with the #97 and was turned around, as the car spun it became airborne flipping through the air then landing on the roof near the entrance of Turn 3. The car continued to slide across the grass to the track pavement in Turn 3, when the car caught the pavement it tumbled 5 more times before coming to a stop. Elliott Sadler was removed from the car and was ok. The race was red flagged as track workers cleaned up debris. Michael Waltrip lead during the restart with 5 laps to go, Waltrip lead all of the last five laps with drafting help from teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr., as the checkered flag waved cars were running 5 wide mid pack when #9-Bill Elliott made contact with #18-Bobby Labonte creating a small wreck in Turn 1. Waltrip celebrated the win by popping out of his car's newly installed emergency roof hatch after doing donuts on the infield grass.[2]
Top Ten Results:
| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Make | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| 2 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt Inc. |
| 3 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 4 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 5 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 6 | 97 | Kurt Busch | Ford | Roush Racing |
| 7 | 44 | Dario Franchitti | Dodge | Petty Enterprises |
| 8 | 32 | Ricky Craven | Pontiac | PPI Motorsports |
| 9 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Dodge | Penske Racing |
| 10 | 09 | Mike Wallace | Dodge | Phoenix Racing |
Did not Qualify: Jason Leffler (#0), Kevin Lepage (#4), Steve Park (#30), Kyle Petty (#45), Mike Bliss (#80), Todd Bodine (#54)
The Banquet 400 was held at Kansas Speedway on October 5, 2003. Jimmie Johnson sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Larry Foyt (#14), Johnny Sauter (#4)
The UAW-GM Quality 500 was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 11, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (#49), Hermie Sadler (#02), Mark Green (#14), Jeff Fultz (#55)
The Subway 500 was held at Martinsville Speedway on October 19, 2003. Jeff Gordon sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Mark Green (#14), Morgan Shepherd (#89)
The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 26 – October 27, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole. The race was suspended after 39 laps due to rain and resumed the following day. A crash involving Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 4 laps left caused the race to finish under caution.
Failed to qualify: Jeff Green (#43), Buckshot Jones (#00), Larry Foyt (#14), Mike Wallace (#09), Billy Bigley (#79), Shelby Howard (#27)
The Checker Auto Parts 500 was held Phoenix International Raceway on November 2, 2003. Ryan Newman sat on the pole.
Failed to qualify: Derrike Cope (#37), Brandon Ash (#02)
The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was held at North Carolina Speedway on November 9, 2003. This was the last fall race held at Rockingham. Ryan Newman sat on the pole. This was the last victory of Bill Elliott's career.
Failed to qualify: Hermie Sadler (#02), Tim Sauter (#71), Rich Bickle (#79)
The Ford 400, the final race of the season, and the last race ever under the "Winston Cup" name, and the last for Pontiac in the series, was held at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2003. Jamie McMurray sat on the pole. With one lap remaining, Bill Elliott was leading when he cut a tire between turns 1 and 2, handing the win to Bobby Labonte, the only lap he led. Matt Kenseth, who had clinched the Winston Cup title at Rockingham one week earlier, finished 43rd due to a blown engine on lap 28, his worst finish of the season.
Failed to qualify: Ken Schrader (#49), Kyle Petty (#45), Mike Wallace (#09), Derrike Cope (#37), Rich Bickle (#79)
| Pos. | Driver | Pts. | Pts. Behind | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Kenseth | 5022 | Champion | 1 |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 4932 | -90 | 3 |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 4815 | -207 | 2 |
| 4 | Jeff Gordon | 4785 | -237 | 3 |
| 5 | Kevin Harvick | 4770 | -252 | 1 |
| 6 | Ryan Newman | 4711 | -311 | 8 |
| 7 | Tony Stewart | 4549 | -473 | 2 |
| 8 | Bobby Labonte | 4377 | -645 | 2 |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | 4303 | -719 | 1 |
| 10 | Terry Labonte | 4162 | -860 | 1 |
| 11 | Kurt Busch | 4150 | -872 | 4 |
| 12 | Jeff Burton | 4109 | -913 | 0 |
| 13 | Jamie McMurray | 3965 | -1057 | 0 |
| 14 | Rusty Wallace | 3950 | -1072 | 0 |
| 15 | Michael Waltrip | 3934 | -1088 | 2 |
| 16 | Robby Gordon | 3856 | -1166 | 2 |
| 17 | Mark Martin | 3769 | -1253 | 0 |
| 18 | Sterling Marlin | 3745 | -1277 | 0 |
| 19 | Jeremy Mayfield | 3736 | -1286 | 0 |
| 20 | Greg Biffle | 3696 | -1326 | 1 |
| 21 | Ward Burton | 3550 | -1472 | 0 |
| 22 | Elliott Sadler | 3525 | -1497 | 0 |
| 23 | Ricky Rudd | 3521 | -1501 | 0 |
| 24 | Johnny Benson | 3448 | -1574 | 0 |
| 25 | Joe Nemechek | 3426 | -1596 | 1 |
| 26 | Dale Jarrett | 3358 | -1664 | 1 |
| 27 | Ricky Craven | 3334 | -1688 | 1 |
| 28 | Dave Blaney | 3194 | -1828 | 0 |
| 29 | Jimmy Spencer | 3147 | -1875 | 0 |
| 30 | Kenny Wallace | 3061 | -1961 | 0 |
| 31 | Todd Bodine | 2976 | -2046 | 0 |
| 32 | Steve Park | 2923 | -2099 | 0 |
| 33 | Tony Raines | 2772 | -2250 | 0 |
| 34 | Jeff Green | 2656 | -2366 | 0 |
| 35 | Casey Mears | 2638 | -2384 | 0 |
For complete standings click here. The Top 35 cars in the standings are guaranteed a starting spot in the next race of a given season.
All information in this article is from Racing Reference and NASCAR.com.
The easy favorite for Rookie of the Year heading was Jamie McMurray, who had won the previous year in just his second start, and he did not disappoint, posting thirteen top-tens and a pole position despite not winning again. Runner-up Greg Biffle finished in the top-25 in the first two races, failed to qualify at Las Vegas, then won the Pepsi 400, while Tony Raines posted just one top ten finish in BACE Motorsports' only full season in Winston Cup. Casey Mears couldn't finish higher than 15th in his debut season, but has gone on since to garner sixteen top-tens. Former Craftsman Truck Series champion Jack Sprague only lasted eighteen races before being released from his #0 ride, while Larry Foyt's best finish in 20 starts was a sixteenth at the season ending race at Homestead. The only other declared candidate, Hideo Fukuyama, dropped out early due to a lack of funding from his BelCar Racing team.
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