35th race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Motor car race
The 2003 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was the 35th
stock car race of the
2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 39th and to date, final iteration of the
event . The race was held on Sunday, November 9, 2003, before a crowd of 60,000 in
Rockingham, North Carolina , at
North Carolina Speedway , a 1.017 miles (1.637 km) permanent high-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 393 laps to complete. At race's end,
Evernham Motorsports driver
Bill Elliott charged to the front after starting from the rear to win his 44th and to date, final career
NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first and only win of the season.
[1] Meanwhile, fourth-place finisher,
Roush Racing driver
Matt Kenseth , would lock up the championship, clinching the championship by points to win his first and to date, only
NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship.
[2] To fill out the podium,
Jimmie Johnson of
Hendrick Motorsports and
Jeremy Mayfield of
Evernham Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
The layout of
North Carolina Speedway , the venue where the race was held.
North Carolina Speedway was opened as a flat, one-mile
oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969, the track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with
Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA, was discontinued. Currently, the track is home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School.
[3]
Entry list
#
Driver
Team
Make
Sponsor
0
Ward Burton
Haas CNC Racing
Pontiac
NetZero HiSpeed
1
John Andretti
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
Pennzoil
01
Joe Nemechek
MB2 Motorsports
Pontiac
U.S. Army
2
Rusty Wallace
Penske Racing South
Dodge
Miller Lite Penske Racing 50 Wins
02
Hermie Sadler
SCORE Motorsports
Chevrolet
Sadler GM
4
Kevin Lepage
Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Pontiac
Kodak EasyShare
5
Terry Labonte
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
Kellogg's ,
Got Milk?
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 ,
UAW
10
Johnny Benson Jr.
MB2 Motorsports
Pontiac
Valvoline
12
Ryan Newman
Penske Racing South
Dodge
Alltel Penske Racing 50 Wins
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
18
Bobby Labonte
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
Interstate Batteries ,
Winston Cup Victory Lap
19
Jeremy Mayfield
Evernham Motorsports
Dodge
Dodge ,
UAW
20
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
The Home Depot
21
Ricky Rudd
Wood Brothers Racing
Ford
Motorcraft
22
Scott Wimmer
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
Steve Park
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
America Online
31
Robby Gordon
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
Cingular Wireless
32
Ricky Craven
PPI Motorsports
Pontiac
Tide
37
Derrike Cope
Quest Motor Racing
Chevrolet
Paramount Hospitality Management
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 House
42
Jamie McMurray
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
Texaco ,
Havoline
43
Jeff Green
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
Pop Secret
45
Kyle Petty
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
Georgia-Pacific Brawny
48
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
Lowe's
49
Ken Schrader
BAM Racing
Dodge
BAM Racing
54
Todd Bodine
BelCar Motorsports
Ford
National Guard
71
Tim Sauter
Marcis Auto Racing
Chevrolet
ARAN Trading ,
Naples Transportation
74
Tony Raines
BACE Motorsports
Chevrolet
BACE Motorsports
77
Dave Blaney
Jasper Motorsports
Ford
Jasper Engines & Transmissions
79
Rich Bickle
Conely Racing
Chevrolet
SBC ,
Molykote
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
Originally, three practices were going to be held, with one on Friday and two on Saturday. However, rain would cancel one session on Saturday and delay the second Saturday session.
[4]
First practice
The first practice session was held on Friday, November 7, at 11:20 AM
EST , and would last for 2 hours.
[4]
Ryan Newman of
Penske Racing South would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.533 and an average speed of 155.577 miles per hour (250.377 km/h).
[5]
Second and final practice
The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, November 8, at approximately 12:10 PM
EST , and would last for 45 minutes.
[4]
Jeff Burton of
Roush Racing ould set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.089 and an average speed of 151.986 miles per hour (244.598 km/h).
[6]
Qualifying
Qualifying was held on Friday, November 7, at 3:05 PM
EST . Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.
[4] 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.
[7]
Ryan Newman of
Penske Racing South would win the pole, setting a time of 23.533 and an average speed of 155.577 miles per hour (250.377 km/h).
[8]
Three drivers would fail to qualify:
Hermie Sadler ,
Tim Sauter , and
Rich Bickle .
Full qualifying results
Race results
Fin
[9]
St
#
Driver
Team
Make
Laps
Led
Status
Pts
Winnings
1
5
9
Bill Elliott
Evernham Motorsports
Dodge
393
140
running
185
$207,648
2
18
48
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
393
78
running
175
$105,590
3
3
19
Jeremy Mayfield
Evernham Motorsports
Dodge
393
96
running
170
$88,700
4
23
17
Matt Kenseth
Roush Racing
Ford
393
0
running
160
$92,650
5
1
12
Ryan Newman
Penske Racing South
Dodge
393
49
running
160
$98,785
6
4
74
Tony Raines
BACE Motorsports
Chevrolet
393
0
running
150
$61,775
7
9
99
Jeff Burton
Roush Racing
Ford
393
0
running
146
$91,442
8
14
18
Bobby Labonte
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
393
0
running
142
$98,208
9
29
20
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
393
0
running
138
$100,403
10
31
40
Sterling Marlin
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
393
0
running
134
$99,425
11
10
16
Greg Biffle
Roush Racing
Ford
392
0
running
130
$56,675
12
20
5
Terry Labonte
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
392
0
running
127
$81,681
13
26
8
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
391
0
running
124
$92,042
14
8
7
Jimmy Spencer
Ultra Motorsports
Dodge
391
0
running
121
$72,825
15
34
29
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
391
0
running
118
$91,403
16
27
54
Todd Bodine
BelCar Motorsports
Ford
391
0
running
115
$69,475
17
19
97
Kurt Busch
Roush Racing
Ford
391
0
running
112
$82,925
18
13
0
Ward Burton
Haas CNC Racing
Pontiac
390
30
running
114
$53,325
19
41
43
Jeff Green
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
390
0
running
106
$88,703
20
17
31
Robby Gordon
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
390
0
running
103
$79,612
21
15
38
Elliott Sadler
Robert Yates Racing
Ford
390
0
running
100
$86,325
22
16
24
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
390
0
running
97
$96,203
23
7
2
Rusty Wallace
Penske Racing South
Dodge
390
0
running
94
$86,242
24
2
25
Brian Vickers
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
390
0
running
91
$52,175
25
6
01
Joe Nemechek
MB2 Motorsports
Pontiac
390
0
running
88
$61,875
26
37
22
Scott Wimmer
Bill Davis Racing
Dodge
389
0
running
85
$83,731
27
22
77
Dave Blaney
Jasper Motorsports
Ford
389
0
running
82
$66,849
28
42
14
Larry Foyt
A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Dodge
389
0
running
79
$47,260
29
25
10
Johnny Benson Jr.
MB2 Motorsports
Pontiac
388
0
running
76
$76,825
30
36
1
John Andretti
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
388
0
running
73
$75,142
31
35
23
Kenny Wallace
Bill Davis Racing
Dodge
387
0
running
70
$46,800
32
33
45
Kyle Petty
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
387
0
running
67
$54,675
33
39
41
Casey Mears
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
386
0
running
64
$55,450
34
38
30
Steve Park
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
386
0
running
61
$54,425
35
21
42
Jamie McMurray
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
375
0
running
58
$46,300
36
28
49
Ken Schrader
BAM Racing
Dodge
374
0
crash
55
$46,255
37
11
15
Michael Waltrip
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
343
0
engine
52
$64,200
38
32
88
Dale Jarrett
Robert Yates Racing
Ford
339
0
engine
49
$91,923
39
30
32
Ricky Craven
PPI Motorsports
Pontiac
325
0
crash
46
$54,090
40
24
21
Ricky Rudd
Wood Brothers Racing
Ford
325
0
crash
43
$54,015
41
12
6
Mark Martin
Roush Racing
Ford
239
0
engine
40
$79,773
42
40
4
Kevin Lepage
Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Pontiac
130
0
engine
37
$45,860
43
43
37
Derrike Cope
Quest Motor Racing
Chevrolet
127
0
axle
34
$45,170
Failed to qualify
44
02
Hermie Sadler
SCORE Motorsports
Chevrolet
45
71
Tim Sauter
Marcis Auto Racing
Chevrolet
46
79
Rich Bickle
Conely Racing
Chevrolet
Official race results
References
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