2003 Samsung/RadioShack 500

The 2003 Samsung/RadioShack 500 was the seventh stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the seventh iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 30, 2003, before a crowd of 215,000 in Fort Worth, Texas at Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent tri-oval shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. Penske Racing driver Ryan Newman would make a gamble near the end of the race, pitting for only two tires on the final round of pit stops. He would be able to pass and defend Dale Earnhardt, Inc. driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first win of the season.[1] To fill out the podium, Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports would finish third.

2003 Samsung/RadioShack 500
Race details
Race 7 of 36 in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 2003 Samsung/RadioShack 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The painting is called "Most Wanted!"
The 2003 Samsung/RadioShack 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The painting is called "Most Wanted!"
Date March 30, 2003
Official name 7th Annual Samsung/RadioShack 500
Location Fort Worth, Texas, Texas Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Scheduled Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Average speed 134.517 miles per hour (216.484 km/h)
Attendance 215,000
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 27.905
Most laps led
Driver Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing
Laps 91
Winner
No. 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing
Television in the United States
Network FOX
Announcers Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Texas Motor Speedway, the venue where the race as held.

Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track measures 1.5 miles (2.4 km) around and is banked 24 degrees in the turns, and is of the oval design, where the front straightaway juts outward slightly. The track layout is similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway). The track is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the same company that owns Atlanta and Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.

Entry list

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# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Jack Sprague Haas CNC Racing Pontiac NetZero HiSpeed
1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
01 Jerry Nadeau MB2 Motorsports Pontiac U.S. Army
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Dodge Miller Lite
4 Mike Skinner Morgan–McClure Motorsports Pontiac Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Got Milk? / Kellogg's
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Viagra
7 Jimmy Spencer Ultra Motorsports Dodge Sirius Satellite Radio
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Budweiser
9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW
10 Johnny Benson Jr. MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Valvoline
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Hooters
12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge Alltel
14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge Harrah's "Oh Yeah!"
15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet NAPA Auto Parts
16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford Grainger
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford DeWalt / Smirnoff Ice Triple Black
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW
20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet The Home Depot
21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Motorcraft
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Dodge Caterpillar
23 Kenny Wallace Bill Davis Racing Dodge Stacker 2
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Joe Nemechek Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet UAW-Delphi
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench
30 Jeff Green Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet America Online
31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Cingular Wireless
32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Pontiac Tide
38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford M&M's
40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Coors Light
41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Target
42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Texaco / Havoline
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Dodge Pillsbury Grands
45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge Georgia-Pacific Brawny
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Lowe's
49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge The Derailers / Sony Music Nashville
54 Todd Bodine BelCar Motorsports Ford National Guard
74 Tony Raines BACE Motorsports Chevrolet BACE Motorsports
75 David Starr Mike Starr Racing Chevrolet Mike Starr Racing
77 Dave Blaney Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
83 Kerry Earnhardt FitzBradshaw Racing Chevrolet Aaron's
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford UPS
97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford Rubbermaid / Sharpie
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Citgo
Official entry list

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, March 28, at 12:20 PM CST, and would last for 2 hours.[2] Jerry Nadeau of MB2 Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.870 and an average speed of 193.757 miles per hour (311.822 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 01 Jerry Nadeau MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 27.870 193.757
2 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge 27.925 193.375
3 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.015 192.754
Full first practice results

Second practice

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The second practice session was held on Saturday, March 29, at 10:30 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.620 and an average speed of 188.679 miles per hour (303.649 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 28.620 188.679
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.661 188.409
3 9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge 28.668 188.363
Full second practice results

Third and final practice

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The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 29, at 12:10 PM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.574 and an average speed of 188.983 miles per hour (304.139 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.574 188.983
2 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge 28.612 188.732
3 01 Jerry Nadeau MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 28.776 187.656
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was held on Friday, March 28, at 4:05 PM CST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[2] Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[6]

Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 27.905 and an average speed of 193.514 miles per hour (311.431 km/h).[7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify: Kerry Earnhardt and David Starr.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 27.905 193.514
2 38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 27.934 193.313
3 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge 27.959 193.140
4 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.016 192.747
5 01 Jerry Nadeau MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 28.033 192.630
6 9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge 28.082 192.294
7 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.092 192.225
8 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.119 192.041
9 25 Joe Nemechek Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.122 192.020
10 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Dodge 28.148 191.843
11 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 28.168 191.707
12 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.217 191.374
13 10 Johnny Benson Jr. MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 28.232 191.272
14 30 Jeff Green Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.239 191.225
15 1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 28.301 190.806
16 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 28.306 190.772
17 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 28.311 190.739
18 7 Jimmy Spencer Ultra Motorsports Dodge 28.333 190.590
19 54 Todd Bodine BelCar Motorsports Ford 28.340 190.543
20 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 28.371 190.335
21 31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.376 190.302
22 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 28.398 190.154
23 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 28.413 190.054
24 42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 28.449 189.813
25 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 28.452 189.793
26 41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 28.456 189.767
27 19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge 28.461 189.733
28 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 28.478 189.620
29 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 28.494 189.514
30 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford 28.500 189.474
31 0 Jack Sprague Haas CNC Racing Pontiac 28.536 189.235
32 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 28.541 189.202
33 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Dodge 28.546 189.168
34 74 Tony Raines BACE Motorsports Chevrolet 28.611 188.739
35 14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge 28.612 188.732
36 40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 28.613 188.725
Provisionals
37 15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.027 186.034
38 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Pontiac
39 77 Dave Blaney Jasper Motorsports Ford 28.646 188.508
40 23 Kenny Wallace Bill Davis Racing Dodge 28.621 188.673
41 4 Mike Skinner Morgan–McClure Motorsports Pontiac 28.864 187.084
42 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge 28.773 187.676
43 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Dodge 28.751 187.820
Failed to qualify
44 83 Kerry Earnhardt FitzBradshaw Racing Chevrolet 28.877 187.000
45 75 David Starr Mike Starr Racing Chevrolet 28.914 186.761
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin[8] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 3 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing Dodge 334 77 running 180 $406,500
2 11 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 334 35 running 175 $299,667
3 7 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 16 running 170 $249,753
4 5 01 Jerry Nadeau MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 334 0 running 160 $187,725
5 32 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 334 0 running 155 $173,058
6 17 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 334 65 running 155 $142,950
7 14 30 Jeff Green Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 2 running 151 $118,575
8 4 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 0 running 142 $119,575
9 30 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford 334 0 running 138 $133,150
10 24 42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 334 0 running 134 $101,150
11 19 54 Todd Bodine BelCar Motorsports Ford 334 0 running 130 $111,750
12 33 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Dodge 334 0 running 127 $127,906
13 23 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 334 1 running 129 $136,528
14 10 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing Dodge 333 0 running 121 $126,692
15 8 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 333 0 running 118 $128,128
16 12 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 333 0 running 115 $115,656
17 37 15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 333 0 running 112 $102,500
18 21 31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 333 0 running 109 $112,387
19 43 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Dodge 333 0 running 106 $121,753
20 29 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 333 0 running 103 $120,492
21 38 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Pontiac 333 2 running 105 $102,075
22 31 0 Jack Sprague Haas CNC Racing Pontiac 333 0 running 97 $78,975
23 40 23 Kenny Wallace Bill Davis Racing Dodge 333 0 running 94 $90,164
24 42 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge 333 0 running 91 $75,975
25 27 19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge 332 0 running 88 $85,525
26 16 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 332 0 running 85 $84,175
27 26 41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 331 0 running 82 $82,475
28 20 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 330 0 running 79 $68,975
29 36 40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 328 0 running 76 $111,475
30 35 14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge 326 0 running 73 $69,185
31 25 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 325 0 running 70 $67,775
32 13 10 Johnny Benson Jr. MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 322 0 engine 67 $92,450
33 18 7 Jimmy Spencer Ultra Motorsports Dodge 294 1 crash 69 $63,075
34 22 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 293 0 engine 61 $113,728
35 9 25 Joe Nemechek Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 279 0 crash 58 $60,125
36 39 77 Dave Blaney Jasper Motorsports Ford 268 0 engine 55 $67,075
37 1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 260 0 crash 52 $117,108
38 28 45 Christian Fittipaldi Petty Enterprises Dodge 240 0 crash 49 $64,950
39 15 1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 234 1 crash 51 $82,087
40 41 4 Mike Skinner Morgan–McClure Motorsports Pontiac 233 0 crash 43 $56,850
41 2 38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 167 91 crash 50 $92,060
42 34 74 Tony Raines BACE Motorsports Chevrolet 152 0 engine 37 $56,765
43 6 9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge 46 43 engine 39 $100,781
Failed to qualify
44 83 Kerry Earnhardt FitzBradshaw Racing Chevrolet
45 75 David Starr Mike Starr Racing Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ "Newman Wins With a Gamble". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2003-03-31. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  2. ^ a b c d "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Texas Race Info Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on 2005-02-04. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  3. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Texas Practice 1 Results". NASCAR.com. Archived from the original on 2005-02-12. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  4. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Texas Practice 2 Results". NASCAR.com. Archived from the original on 2005-02-12. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  5. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Texas Practice 3 Results". NASCAR.com. Archived from the original on 2005-02-12. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  6. ^ "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Provisional Land Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on 2005-02-04. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  7. ^ "B. Labonte Wins Pole". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  8. ^ "2003 Samsung/Radio Shack 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
Previous race:
2003 Food City 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
2003 season
Next race:
2003 Aaron's 499