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2003 Budweiser Shootout
Race details[1][2]
Race 1 of 2 exhibition races in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Date February 8, 2003 (2003-02-08)
Location Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4 km)
Distance 70 laps, 175 mi (281.635 km)
Weather Temperatures of 55.9 °F (13.3 °C); wind speeds of 18.41 mph (29.63 km/h)[3]
Average speed 180.827 mph (291.013 km/h)
Attendance 75,000
Pole position
Driver
Brett Bodine Racing
Time N/A
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 31
Winner
No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Television in the United States
Network Fox Broadcasting Company
Announcers Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds
Nielsen Ratings 5.4/10 (Final)[4]

The 2003 Budweiser Shootout was the first exhibition stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. The 25th annual running of the Budweiser Shootout, and the first edition to take place at night; it was held on February 8, 2003, in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Daytona International Speedway, before a crowd of 75,000 spectators. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the 70-lap race after he started from the 19th position. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon finished in second, with Roush Racing's Matt Kenseth third. It was Earnhardt's first Budweiser Shootout win, and his third victory at Daytona International Speedway.

Geoff Bodine won the pole position through a lot, but he immediately lost the lead to Jimmie Johnson going into turn one. Kurt Busch led laps five to 15 until Earnhardt passed him on lap 16 and held it until after all drivers were required to make a mandatory ten-minute pit stop at the end of lap 20. Ten laps later, Gordon became the leader. He maintained the lead until the entire field made a second pit stop on the 50th lap and Mark Martin assumed the position. Gordon returned to the first position on lap 56, holding it until Earnhardt passed him ten laps later and maintained it to win. No yellow flag cautions were issued during the race, which had 13 lead changes among seven different drivers.

Report

Background

Layout of Daytona International Speedway
A track layout map of Daytona International Speedway, where the race was held.

The 2003 Budweiser Shootout was the first of two exhibition stock car races of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series,[1] the 25th annual edition of the event,[5] and the first time it was held at night.[6] It was held on February 8, 2003 in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway,[1] one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races; the others are Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.[7] Its standard track is a four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.0 km) superspeedway.[8] Daytona's turns are banked at 31 degrees, and the front stretch (the location of the finish line) is banked at 18 degrees.[8]

The Budweiser Shootout was created by Busch Beer brand manager Monty Roberts as the Busch Clash in 1979. The race, designed to promote Busch Beer, invites the fastest NASCAR drivers from the previous season to compete.[9] The race is considered a "warm-up" for the Daytona 500.[10] It was renamed the Bud Shootout in 1998. The name changed to the Budweiser Shootout in 2001, and it was rebranded the Sprint Unlimited in 2013.[11]

19 drivers were eligible to compete in the race, including the 15 pole position winners from the 2002 season and four previous shootout winners.[6] Races where qualifying was cancelled due to rain or where the points leader started from the pole position did not count.[12] Tony Stewart was the race's defending champion.[6] The race was 70 laps long, with two segments of 20 and 50 laps separated by a ten-minute pit stop. During the pit stop, teams could change tires, add fuel and make normal chassis adjustments but could not change springs, shock absorbers or rear ends. Work could be done in the garage or on the pit road. Caution and green-flag laps were scored in the race and the second segment would be extended beyond 50 laps if deemed necessary. Every rolling restart had cars alongside each other in pairs, and all lapped competitors were required to fall to the rear of the field.[13]

In other changes, NASCAR mandated cars run with 13.6-US-gallon (51 L; 11.3 imp gal) fuel cells from the standard 22-US-gallon (83 L; 18 imp gal) cells in a bid to have an additional pit stop and prevent multi-car accidents.[5][14] Furthermore, all teams were required to utilize a new car package, which had 18 new "common templates" of its structure, giving its body design a similar appearance at its center, but its front and rear underwent a minor reshaping to provide parity within the field.[5]

Practice and qualification

Geoff Bodine (pictured in 2007) picked the pole position for Brett Bodine Racing.

Two practice sessions were held on Friday before the race. The first session lasted for 55 minutes, and the second ran for 60 minutes.[2] Ryan Newman set the fastest lap in the first practice session with a time of 48.330 seconds, ahead of Jeff Gordon in second and Stewart third. Terry Labonte was fourth-fastest, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch fifth and sixth. Jimmie Johnson, Bill Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Ricky Rudd rounded out the session's top ten drivers.[15] Labonte ran faster in the final practice session, setting a lap of 47.787 seconds to pace the field; Earnhardt was second, and Stewart duplicated his first practice session result in third place. Mark Martin placed fourth; Ward Burton came fifth, and Kenseth was sixth. Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Ken Schrader, and Gordon completed the top ten competitors ahead of the qualifying draw.[16]

For qualifying, the nineteen participants that appeared to race chose their starting positions by a lot, a feature that is unique to the event.[17] Geoff Bodine drew the pole position, with Johnson, Busch, Rudd and Kenseth rounding out the first five positions.[18] Ricky Craven drew sixth place, and Jarrett chose the seventh position. Todd Bodine, Martin, and Burton selected positions eight, nine and ten. Schrader, Stewart, Elliott, Rusty Wallace, and Newman drew the following five placings. Harvick, who drew sixteenth, was followed by Labonte and Gordon. Earnhardt chose the nineteenth (and final) starting position for the race.[17] Once the lot was completed, Bodine said, "This is what's called brotherly love and I'm happy to be able to help Brett out. It's a tune up for Brett to get ready for the 125s (qualifying races) and the Daytona 500. I love my brothers Brett and Todd. When we put our helmets on it gets a little heated, but this is going to be a lot of fun."[19]

Race

The 70-lap race commenced at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00), and was broadcast live in the United States on Fox.[12] Around the start of the race, weather conditions were clear with the air temperature at 52 °F (11 °C); a 60 percent chance of rain was forecast but none fell on the circuit.[20] Hal Marchman, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, began pre-race ceremonies with an invocation. Country music group SHeDAISY performed the national anthem, and actress and model Susan Ward commanded the drivers to start their engines.[21] No drivers moved to the rear of the field during the pace laps.[2]

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (pictured in 2002) claimed his first Budweiser Shootout victory and his third at Daytona International Speedway.

At the start, Bodine was passed by Johnson as the field drove towards turn one.[20] On lap three, Geoff Bodine felt one of his tires rubbing on his car's bodywork, and he drove to the garage that lap.[2] It was discovered that his suspension was damaged and he was confirmed as the race's only retirement on the fourth lap.[22] Johnson lost the lead to Busch on lap five.[1] Busch led the next ten laps until Earnhardt overtook him in turn three to lead the 16th lap.[20][23] During the three abreast racing action,[24] one of Wallace's tires burst two laps later, causing him to slow.[22] He remained on the lead lap,[22] because the ten-minute pit stops for tires, fuel and car adjustments followed soon after on lap 20.[25] At this point, Earnhardt led Busch, Johnson, Gordon and Kenseth.[20] Earnhardt told his crew chief Tony Eury Jr. over the radio that he wanted fuel and tires and no chassis adjustments because he felt comfortable with his car.[20]

Once green flag racing resumed, Kenseth got ahead of Earnhardt on the outside to gain the lead on lap 22.[22] Both drivers exchanged first place over the next seven laps,[1] until Gordon executed a bump and run technique on Kenseth for the lead on lap 30.[22] On the 50th lap, every driver elected to make a second pit stop. Most competitors had two tires installed on their cars, though Johnson's pit crew replaced all four of his tires.[2] Martin, Schrader, Todd Bodine and Rudd opted to have a fuel stop,[24] and Martin took the lead on lap 52 after all the pit stops were completed.[1] Martin led the next four laps before Gordon got ahead of him to move back into the lead.[22] Earnhardt moved to fifth place by the 59th lap and then advanced to third soon after.[25] On lap 64, Earnhardt steered left to attempt a pass on Gordon for first place.[22] He could not get past Gordon because there was no cars to provide him with drafting assistance,[22] leading Gordon to believe the left lane was the ideal position.[25]

Two laps later, Earnhardt signalled to Newman he required drafting assistance.[5] Newman clung onto Earnhardt's rear bumper panel,[20] and the latter moved past Gordon on the outside for the lead.[24] Gordon could not respond to Earnhardt in the final four laps, as the remainder of the field went two abreast behind him,[24] and Earnhardt held off Gordon and Kenseth to win after starting from last on the grid.[25] It was Earnhardt's maiden Budweiser Shootout victory,[20] and his first at Daytona International Speedway since the 2001 Pepsi 400.[25] Gordon finished second, Kenseth third, Newman fourth, and Burton fifth.[1] Schrader was in second in the final laps but he fell to sixth after a pass on Earnhardt failed to materialize.[20][26] Johnson, Rudd, Harvick, and Craven rounded out the top ten finishers.[1] The race went without the need for a yellow caution flag as no driver crashed into the walls beside the track or made contact with another car,[27] and there were 13 lead changes among seven different drivers.[24] Gordon's 31 laps led was the most of any competitor. Earnhardt led four times for a total of 13 laps.[1]

After the race

Earnhardt appeared in Victory Lane to celebrate his third victory at Daytona International Speedway. He earned $205,000 for the victory, and he performed donuts in the infield grass in front of a crowd of 75,000 people.[5][28] Earnhardt was unsure as to how he won the race, "There was so much happening the last two laps and there's so much going on in your mind.  You're trying to watch who is running up on the top and who is running on the bottom and you're trying to get help from those guys and get pushes. But I stayed out front. That's a tough win."[27] Gordon said of his second-place finish, "When Junior got up there, I didn't think he had enough momentum. Then everyone started battling for second and third and it got real crazy out there. After that, it was everyone getting what they could. He's so good at these restrictor plate races."[28] Third-placed Kenseth said the night time conditions were instrumental in determining the race's final result since the track temperatures were cooler than they were during the day, "Being at night, all three lanes had grip. It was intense for us and good for the fans."[20]

Drivers held positive reviews of the updated car package. Wallace noted competitors could draft efficiently and that others could not pull away from each other, "My car handled pretty good the whole entire run. The cars, aerodynamically, stuck pretty tight. I feel real good about it."[29] Harvick said the on-track competition resembled the initial races where cars had roof flaps installed on top of them to reduce top speeds, and he revealed there was a negligible difference in car handling, "That was pretty wild racing to tell you the truth. (The cars) suck up really good. You could pass, you could push, you could shove. They get a lot better run than the other cars used to for some reason."[29] Kenseth spoke of his happiness over the alterations as he felt it stopped "95% of the cheating" on the spoilers for the Daytona races, ""Everybody used to roll the spoilers down as much as they could, everybody would cheat the templates as much as they could."[27] The race took 58 minutes and four seconds to complete, and the margin of victory was 0.180 seconds.[1]

Classifications

Qualifying

Qualifying results
Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer
1 11 Geoff Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford
2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
3 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford
4 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford
5 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford
6 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Pontiac
7 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford
8 54 Todd Bodine BelCar Racing Ford
9 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford
10 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Dodge
11 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge
12 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
13 9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge
14 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Dodge
15 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge
16 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
17 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
18 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
19 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
Source:[17]

Race

Race results
Pos. Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps
1 19 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 70
2 18 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 70
3 5 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 70
4 15 12 Ryan Newman Penske Racing South Dodge 70
5 10 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Dodge 70
6 11 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge 70
7 2 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 70
8 4 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 70
9 16 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 70
10 6 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Pontiac 70
11 3 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford 70
12 14 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Dodge 70
13 8 54 Todd Bodine BelCar Racing Ford 70
14 17 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 70
15 12 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 70
16 13 9 Bill Elliott Evernham Motorsports Dodge 70
17 9 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 70
18 7 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 70
19 1 11 Geoff Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 3
Source:[1][24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "2003 Budweiser Shootout". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 10, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e "The Budweiser Shootout for 2003". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Weather Information for Daytona Beach, Florida". Old Farmer's Almanac. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Saturday Belongs to CBS Dramas". Zap2it. February 9, 2003. Archived from the original on April 21, 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e Clark, Cammy (February 9, 2003). "Earnhardt Jr. gets 'drilled,' beats Gordon". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on February 16, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b c Pedley, Jim (February 8, 2003). "Budweiser Shootout kicks off Winston Cup season". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on April 21, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b ESPN SportsTravel (June 27, 2011). "Daytona International Speedway". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 20, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  9. ^ Fleshman, Ron (January 7, 2010). "The Budweiser Shootout - What a Difference Three Decades Make". Speedway Media. Archived from the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 10, 2015). "Preview, Prediction of the 2015 Sprint Unlimited". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Kelly, Godwin (February 15, 2013). "Sprint Unlimited 101: A look at the format for Saturday's Cup race". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Bigelow, Big (February 7, 2003). "Time to Go Racin'". The Caledonian-Record. Archived from the original on April 21, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Utter, Jim (February 4, 2003). "New format breaks Shootout into two segments". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on February 18, 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Fabrizio, Tony (February 8, 2003). "Mixed Views On Smaller Fuel Cell Rule". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on March 5, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Practice 1 Speeds: Budweiser Shootout". NASCAR. Archived from the original on June 8, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2003. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "Practice 2 Speeds: Budweiser Shootout". NASCAR. Archived from the original on April 9, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ a b c "Bodine lucks into pole position". Autosport. February 7, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Long, Dustin (February 7, 2003). "Luck of the draw elevates Bodine". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Rodman, Dave (February 6, 2003). "G. Bodine draws pole for Budweiser Shootout". NASCAR. Archived from the original on April 7, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kelly, Godwin (February 9, 2003). "Speeding bullet Earnhardt wins first Shootout". Daytona Beach News Journal. Archived from the original on February 20, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ NASCAR on Fox: Budweiser Shootout (Television production). Daytona Beach, Florida: Fox Broadcasting Corporation. February 8, 2003. Event occurs at 00:09:22 – 00:12:04.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h Krone, Nikki (February 9, 2003). "From last to first, Earnhardt Jr. wins the Budweiser Shootout". Frontstretch. Archived from the original on May 10, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ Minter, Rick (February 8, 2003). "Earnhardt Jr. wins Bud Shootout". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on February 20, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b c d e f Blake, Ben (February 8, 2003). "Junior's the Boss in Bud Shootout". Speed. Archived from the original on April 10, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ a b c d e Poole, David (February 8, 2003). "No. 8 Chevy, driver impressive in Budweiser Shootout win". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on April 12, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ Korth, Joanne (February 9, 2003). "Motorsports: No restricting Junior". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ a b c "Jr. Wins First Shootout Under The Lights". Speedway Media. February 9, 2003. Archived from the original on March 11, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ a b Coble, Don (February 8, 2003). "Earnhardt Jr. wins Shootout". The Augusta Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 9, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ a b "Aero package gets good reviews from drivers". NASCAR. February 9, 2003. Archived from the original on April 11, 2003. Retrieved February 11, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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