2003 Pontiac Excitement 400

11th race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 49th Annual Pontiac Excitement 400 May 3 Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip Motor Racing Network FX Terry Labonte 156 Joe Nemechek Joe Nemechek Hendrick Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports 25 86.783 mph km/h 110,000 Pontiac Excitement 400 Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway 36 11 400 482.803 0.75 1.21 474.354 300 393 2003 21.342 294.75 The 2003 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover. 2003_Pontiac_Excitement_400_program_cover.jpg The 2003 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the 11th stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 49th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 3, 2003, before a crowd of 110,000 in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race was shortened from its scheduled 400 laps to 393 due to rain cutting the race short. At race's end, Joe Nemechek, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would rally from the mid-pack and eventually win his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first and only win of the season.Minter Rick 2003-05-04 A slick win for Nemechek D16 The Atlanta Constitution https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96539590/a-slick-win-for-nemechek/ Newspapers.com To fill out the podium, Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing and Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would finish second and third, respectively. MB2 Motorsports driver Jerry Nadeau would suffer career-ending injuries in the second practice session of the race.Smith Marty October 25, 2012 Nadeau: 'It's almost like I lost my life' ESPN ESPN Internet Ventures https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8547110/nascar-door-door-jerry-nadeau-road-back-never-ending January 28, 2015 live https://web.archive.org/web/20121027233506/http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8547110/nascar-door-door-jerry-nadeau-road-back-never-ending October 27, 2012 Background Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake0Jack Sprague (R)Haas CNC RacingPontiac1Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet01Jerry Nadeau*MB2 MotorsportsPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge02Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsPontiac4Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge10Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge14Larry Foyt (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge15Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet16Greg Biffle (R)Roush RacingFord17Matt KensethRoush RacingFord18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet19Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet21Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge23Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac37Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet38Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Casey Mears (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge42Jamie McMurray (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge54Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord66Hideo Fukuyama** (R)BelCar MotorsportsFord74Tony Raines (R)BACE MotorsportsChevrolet77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list *Driver changed to Jason Keller after Nadeau crashed in second practice, leaving Nadeau critically injured and effectively ending Nadeau's racing career.Lew Freedman https://books.google.com/books?id=JbABCwhdfhAC&q=Jerry+Nadeau+Connecticut+2000&pg=PA529 Encyclopedia of Stock Car Racing ABC-CLIO 2013 978-0-313-38710-4 529 Lew FreedmanMay 6, 2003 Nadeau's condition improves http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/22856 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222431/http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/22856 March 3, 2016 January 30, 2015 Autosport Haymarket Publications **Withdrew after crashing in first practice. Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Richmond 1 Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003rir1.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050204152854/http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003rir1.htm 2005-02-04 2022-02-27 Jayski's Silly Season Site Practice First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, May 2, at 11:20 AM EST, and would last for two hours. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.230 and an average speed of 127.178 mph km/h. NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Richmond 1 Practice 1 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice1_speeds.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050205001040/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice1_speeds.html 2005-02-05 2022-02-27 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed18Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.230127.178218Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet21.249127.065348Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.259127.005Full first practice results Second practice The second practice session was held on Friday, May 2, at 4:45 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Jeff Burton of Roush Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.640 and an average speed of 124.769 mph km/h. NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Richmond 1 Practice 2 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice2_speeds.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050205001901/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice2_speeds.html 2005-02-05 2022-02-27 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed199Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord21.640124.769225Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.701124.418317Matt KensethRoush RacingFord21.737124.212Full second practice results Third and final practice The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Friday, May 2, at 6:10 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Jeff Burton of Roush Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.640 and an average speed of 124.769 mph km/h. NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Richmond 1 Practice 3 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice3_speeds.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050205002329/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/11/data/practice3_speeds.html 2005-02-05 2022-02-27 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed199Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord21.650124.711297Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord21.658124.665323Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge21.678124.550Full Happy Hour practice results Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, May 2, at 3:00 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. 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. Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Provisional Land Page http://www.jayski.com/stats/2003/2003prov.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050204083118/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2003/2003prov.htm 2005-02-04 2022-01-08 Jayski's Silly Season Site Terry Labonte of Hendrick Motorsports would win the pole, setting a time of 21.342 and an average speed of 126.511 mph km/h.2003-05-02 Labonte takes top spot at Richmond http://www.espn.com/rpm/wc/2003/0502/1548497.html 2022-02-27 www.espn.com Two drivers would fail to qualify: Derrike Cope and Hermie Sadler. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed15Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.342126.511225Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.366126.36938Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.375126.316418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet21.393126.210512Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge21.417126.068624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.418126.062797Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord21.423126.033845Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge21.423126.033920Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet21.424126.0271048Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.434125.9681141Casey Mears (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge21.439125.9391201Jerry NadeauMB2 MotorsportsPontiac21.446125.8981310Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac21.467125.7741423Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge21.473125.7391516Greg Biffle (R)Roush RacingFord21.479125.7041699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord21.499125.587172Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthDodge21.504125.5581817Matt KensethRoush RacingFord21.510125.5231919Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge21.515125.4942022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge21.516125.4882140Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge21.520125.4652242Jamie McMurray (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge21.522125.453231Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.546125.3132443John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge21.555125.261257Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge21.563125.215264Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac21.563125.2152721Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord21.570125.174289Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge21.571125.168290Jack Sprague (R)Haas CNC RacingPontiac21.574125.151306Mark MartinRoush RacingFord21.581125.1103177Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord21.584125.0933231Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.590125.0583349Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge21.591125.0523454Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord21.639124.7753574Tony Raines (R)BACE MotorsportsChevrolet21.655124.6833629Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.670124.596Provisionals3715Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.679124.5453832Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac21.677124.5563938Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord21.876123.4234088Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord21.852123.5594130Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.679124.5454214Larry Foyt (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge21.743124.1784311Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord21.962122.940Failed to qualify or withdrew4437Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet21.946123.0294502Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsPontiac21.836123.649WD66Hideo Fukuyama (R)BelCar MotorsportsFord——Official qualifying results Race results Fin.2003 Pontiac Excitement 400 - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/2003_Pontiac_Excitement_400 2022-02-26 www.thethirdturn.com enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1225Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet393156running185$159,3752418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet39362running175$157,758338Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3935running170$121,86743231Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39329running165$101,2125306Mark MartinRoush RacingFord39310running160$102,53363629Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39312running155$100,92871817Matt KensethRoush RacingFord3930running146$73,6758797Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord39317running147$89,92591699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord3930running138$90,34210172Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthDodge3930running134$91,942112022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge3930running130$90,781123715Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3930running127$69,910132140Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge3930running124$95,425143574Tony Raines (R)BACE MotorsportsChevrolet3930running121$51,325151310Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac3930running118$82,43516624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet39342running120$97,228171516Greg Biffle (R)Roush RacingFord3930running112$49,150183177Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord3930running109$76,000191048Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3930running106$68,27520289Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge3936running108$89,0582115Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet39330running105$83,456222242Jamie McMurray (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge3930running97$47,975233454Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord3930running94$65,375243349Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge3920running91$58,100251919Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge3920running88$59,05026290Jack Sprague (R)Haas CNC RacingPontiac3920running85$47,72527845Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge3910running82$58,700281141Casey Mears (R)Chip Ganassi RacingDodge3910running79$66,864291423Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge3900crash76$50,250302443John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge3900running73$86,253314311Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3890running70$49,825321201Jason KellerMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3880running67$49,675334214Larry Foyt (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge3870running64$49,625342721Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord3780crash61$57,07535264Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac3780crash58$47,425364088Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord3630crash55$92,253373938Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord3380running52$80,675383832Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac2870crash49$54,37539512Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge27724running51$76,185404130Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2670crash43$54,23041920Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet2230crash40$98,74842257Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge1390crash37$46,11043231Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet420crash34$71,502Official race results References 2003 Auto Club 500 2003 Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Winston Cup Series 2003 Category:2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Richmond Raceway Category:May 2003 sports events in the United States Category:2003 in sports in Virginia