2003 Chevy 500

February 2025 June 2026 Motor race held in Fort Worth, Texas USA Chevy 500 TexasMotorSpeedway.svg Layout of Texas Motor Speedway October 12 2003 IndyCar Series Chevy 500 Texas Motor SpeedwayFort Worth, Texas, United States Permanent racing facility 1.500 2.414 195 292.500 470.733 200 300.000 482.803 Gil de Ferran Team Penske 23.5031 BRA Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing 23.4413 185 BRA Gil de Ferran Team Penske BRA Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing NZL Dan Wheldon Andretti Green Racing GBR 16 16 The 2003 Chevy 500 was an IRL IndyCar Series motor race held on October 12, 2003, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas before 102,000 spectators. It was the 16th and final round of the 2003 IRL IndyCar Series and the sixth running of the event. The race was won by Team Penske driver Gil de Ferran, the last of his 12 wins in his final American open-wheel car racing start. Scott Dixon came in second for Chip Ganassi Racing, and Andretti Green Racing's Dan Wheldon took third place. Five drivers – Dixon, Hélio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Sam Hornish Jr., and de Ferran – entered the race with a mathematical chance to win the Drivers' Championship. De Ferran earned the pole position by recording the fastest lap of qualifying. He emerged as an early contender for the race win, leading 32 of the first 100 laps and consistently racing within the top-five positions. However, after making a pit stop under a caution period, he was mired in the rear of the field and nearly involved in a two-car crash on the 99th lap. His team resorted to a conservative fuel strategy, which eventually succeeded when he assumed the lead for good on lap 160. The race was brought to an end after 195 of the scheduled 200 laps were completed because of a violent crash on lap 188 in which Kenny Bräck slammed the back stretch catch fence at 214G, the highest G-force that a human has ever endured and lived. Bräck suffered severe injuries and only raced once in the IndyCar Series after the crash. As a result of Bräck's accident and several similar incidents throughout the 2003 season, the series' engines were downsized to reduce speeds. The final result gave Dixon his first Drivers' Championship, as Castroneves, Kanaan, and Hornish were all sidelined by issues late in the race and de Ferran was unable to surmount Dixon's championship lead. Toyota also won the Manufacturers' Championship over Honda and Chevrolet. During the race, there were six cautions and 11 lead changes among six drivers. Background left|thumb|250x250px|Texas Motor Speedway (pictured in 2005), where the race was held. The 2003 Chevy 500 was first confirmed to be included on the IRL IndyCar Series' 2003 schedule in July 2002.July 8, 2002 2003 calendar is revealed https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/2003-calendar-is-revealed-5040460/5040460/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20250818234948/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/2003-calendar-is-revealed-5040460/5040460/ August 18, 2025 June 24, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Magazine The sixth annual running of the event,October 8, 2003 Chevy 500 all-time winners http://espn.go.com/rpm/irl/2003/1008/1633580.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20031109230938/http://espn.go.com/rpm/irl/2003/1008/1633580.html November 9, 2003 June 26, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures it was held at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS), a four-turn, 1.5 mi km on asphalt oval track with 24-degree banking in the turns, in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday, October 12, 2003,September 29, 2003 Chevy 500/dreamerscandles.com 100 Fast Facts http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2015 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205114903/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2015 December 5, 2003 June 24, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League as the 16th and final round of the 2003 season.2003 IndyCar Series Season Stats, Race Results https://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear/2003/O live https://web.archive.org/web/20260411175613/https://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear/2003/O April 11, 2026 June 24, 2026 Racing Reference NASCAR Digital Media Of the 22 cars entered for the race, which all used Dallara and G-Force chassis and Firestone tires, the lone driver change was for Dan Wheldon, who switched from the No. Car number 26 car to the No. 7 car to promote the Texas-based store chain, 7-Eleven, on two cars in the weekend with Andretti Green Racing teammate Tony Kanaan. The car had not been used since the Indianapolis 500.Wheldon changes his colours https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/wheldon-changes-his-colours-5021519/5021519/?nrt=86 live https://web.archive.org/web/20210917194148/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/wheldon-changes-his-colours-5021519/5021519/?nrt=86 September 17, 2021 June 25, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network Heading into the race, Scott Dixon and Hélio Castroneves were tied for the Drivers' Championship lead with 467 points each.Crowley Joe September 22, 2003 Toyota Indy 400 Postscript http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1965 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031003193036/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1965 October 3, 2003 June 24, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Third-place Kanaan trailed the two by seven points, while Sam Hornish Jr. was fourth with 448 points and Gil de Ferran was fifth with 437.NTT IndyCar Series 2003 Toyota Indy 400 Standings https://motorsportstats.com/results/ntt-indycar-series/2003/toyota-indy-400/standings live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625001036/https://motorsportstats.com/results/ntt-indycar-series/2003/toyota-indy-400/standings June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Motorsport Stats Motorsport Magazine All five drivers were mathematically eligible to win the championship, as the race awarded a maximum of 52 points.Crowley Joe September 24, 2003 IRL Notebook -- Plenty of Points Scenarios http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1974 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205112702/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1974 December 5, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League As for the Manufacturers' Championship, Toyota led on 135 points, 36 more than Honda and 39 more than Chevrolet.September 22, 2003 California Indy 400 Race Report https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-7ce9cf955431badeab9470004c34c4c0-california-indy-400-race-report-2 live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625005724/https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-7ce9cf955431badeab9470004c34c4c0-california-indy-400-race-report-2 June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Honda American Honda Motor Company The five-driver battle for the title was the closest in IndyCar Series history up to that point, and was touted by the Indy Racing League (IRL; the IndyCar Series' sanctioning body) as the closest in the near century-long history of American open-wheel car racing.October 7, 2003 IRL: Texas II: Points battle comes down to final race https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-points-battle-comes-down-to-final-race/2021631/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625023942/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-points-battle-comes-down-to-final-race/2021631/ June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Motorsport.com Fort Worth, Texas Australia Motorsport Network Several past champions of the sport, including Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, and Bobby Unser, spoke positively of the series' competitiveness and expressed their excitement for the race.Crowley Joe October 1, 2003 Indy-Style Champs Talk About IndyCar™ Series Points Chase http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2020 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205122234/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2020 December 5, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Veteran journalist Robin Miller wrote for ESPN that TMS was the "calling card of the Indy Racing League" because of its "breathtaking" racing style.Miller Robin October 5, 2003 Banked oval in Texas good for show https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1005/1631291.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250223180415/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1005/1631291.html February 23, 2025 June 25, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures This was also the last race for de Ferran, two-time Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) champion and 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner, who announced his retirement from the sport on August 25.October 8, 2003 IRL: De Ferran heading to retirement on top of his game https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-de-ferran-heading-to-retirement-on-top-of-his-game/2021687/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625031637/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-de-ferran-heading-to-retirement-on-top-of-his-game/2021687/ June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Fort Worth, Texas Australia He described himself as the "long shot" for the title, but hoped to win it to bring an "ideal" end to his career.Chevy 500 Pre-Race Quotes http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2028 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205123251/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2028 December 5, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League As a tribute to de Ferran, Brazilian airline manufacturer Embraer provided him and his family with a plane to travel back to his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after the race.IRL: Texas II: Team Penske preview https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-team-penske-preview/2021615/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625104735/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-team-penske-preview/2021615/ June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Australia In his final race with Panther Racing, Hornish wished that his points deficit to the leaders was not as large because he was forced to win and lead the most laps in order to win the title. He looked to become the second driver to win three consecutive American open-wheel championships, a feat only accomplished by Ted Horn in 1946–1948.Crowley Joe September 30, 2003 In Search Of Third Title, Hornish Tests At Texas http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2018 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205120048/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2018 December 5, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Kanaan, who earned one victory to that point in his first IndyCar Series season, aimed to win the race by driving patiently until the end.October 10, 2003 Tony Kanaan heads into the IRL IndyCar Series season finale with one thought in mind https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-9bffb0eecdf6f8acd2d82f004c34c48d-tony-kanaan-heads-into-the-irl-indycar-series-season-finale-with-one-thought-in-mind live https://web.archive.org/web/20260625142047/https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-9bffb0eecdf6f8acd2d82f004c34c48d-tony-kanaan-heads-into-the-irl-indycar-series-season-finale-with-one-thought-in-mind June 25, 2026 June 25, 2026 Honda American Honda Motor Company Torrance, California Castroneves expected the race to be a "war" and contrasted it to the 2002 Chevy 500, in which only he and Hornish fought for the title. He also revealed that he hung a horseshoe above his garage stall for good luck.Castroneves expecting 'war' for title https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/castroneves-expecting-war-for-title-5021726/5021726/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210728194050/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/castroneves-expecting-war-for-title-5021726/5021726/ July 28, 2021 June 25, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network Dixon was confident in his team's ability to pull through with a win to ensure the championship, just as he had done in the 2000 Indy Lights season. To prepare for the race, Kanaan and Castroneves tested at TMS on September 25–26,Crowley Joe September 26, 2003 Contenders Kanaan, Castroneves Test At Texas http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1993 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205114538/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1993 December 5, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League as did Hornish on September 30. Practice and qualifying Four practice sessions preceded the race on Sunday, two on Friday and two on Saturday. For the first three sessions, which all lasted 60 minutes, the drivers were split into two groups, with each running for half the sessions. The last session was open to all drivers and was only held for 30 minutes.October 3, 2003 Chevy 500 – Indy Racing League Participant Schedule – Texas Motor Speedway – Week of October 7 - 12, 2003 http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/2003/texas2/texas2-schedule.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040522191149/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/2003/texas2/texas2-schedule.pdf May 22, 2004 June 25, 2026 Indy Racing League Dixon led the first practice session with a lap time of 23.4233 seconds, besting Tora Takagi, Kanaan, Hornish, and de Ferran.Indy Racing League Timing and Scoring Report – Practice Session 1 Detail Results http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-resultsdetail-p1.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050127165120/http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-resultsdetail-p1.pdf January 27, 2005 June 25, 2026 Indy Racing League In the second practice session, Dixon continued displaying fast pace with a 23.4391-second lap, with Vítor Meira in second, Kanaan in third, Castroneves in fourth, and Bryan Herta in fifth.Indy Racing League Timing and Scoring Report – Practice Session 2 Results http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-p2.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050127045550/http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-p2.pdf January 27, 2005 June 25, 2026 Indy Racing League Wheldon reportedly had trouble locating his pit stall and was reminded by his team that he was in the No. 7 car.October 10, 2003 Chevy 500/dreamerscandles.com 100 Notes & Quotes - Friday, October 10, 2003 http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2044 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040206151723/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2044 February 6, 2004 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League On Friday evening, a 65-minute qualifying session determined the starting grid for the race. Each driver was required to complete two timed laps in their qualifying attempt, with the quickest of the two determining their position. De Ferran earned his fifth IndyCar Series pole position (and his 20th in American open-wheel car racing, counting his 15 poles in CARTGil de Ferran http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/deFerranGil.htm live https://web.archive.org/web/20260130185400/http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/deFerranGil.htm January 30, 2026 June 25, 2026 Champ Car Stats) with a time of 23.5031 seconds; his last pole was in the 2002 Gateway Indy 250.Higgins Ashleigh October 10, 2003 Retiring de Ferran Wins MBNA Pole At Texas http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2049 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031025043152/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2049 October 25, 2003 June 25, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Dixon started second with a lap that was 0.0009 seconds slower,October 11, 2003 Qualifying: de Ferran takes pole fight https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/qualifying-de-ferran-takes-pole-fight-5021576/5021576/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260520163742/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/qualifying-de-ferran-takes-pole-fight-5021576/5021576/ May 20, 2026 June 25, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network the second-closest deficit between the top-two qualifiers in series history.October 10, 2003 De Ferran gets fast start to final race https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1010/1635335.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250325101243/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1010/1635335.html March 25, 2025 June 25, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures Fort Worth, Texas Associated Press Tomas Scheckter took third, Felipe Giaffone fourth, and Castroneves fifth, with Meira, Kenny Bräck, Herta, Kanaan, and Robbie Buhl assuming the remaining top-ten positions. Positions 11th through 18th were taken by Takagi, Hornish, Greg Ray, Alex Barron, Roger Yasukawa, Wheldon, Al Unser Jr., and Richie Hearn.2003 IndyCar Chevy 500 Starting Line-up http://rpm.espn.go.com/rpm/grid?series=irl&year=2003&raceId=16 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031119221853/http://rpm.espn.go.com/rpm/grid?series=irl&year=2003&raceId=16 November 19, 2003 June 25, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures A. J. Foyt IV was intended to take to the track second in line, but was ultimately the last driver to make a qualifying attempt because of an issue with his car's fuel system; he qualified 19th, ahead of Scott Sharp in 20th, Sarah Fisher in 21st, and Ed Carpenter in 22nd.Indy Racing League Timing and Scoring Report – Qualification Results http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-quals.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050127143430/http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-quals.pdf January 27, 2005 June 25, 2026 Indy Racing League The third practice session on Saturday morning was led by Yasukawa with a time of 23.3944 seconds, with Ray, Giaffone, Meira, and Bräck rounding out the top-five.Indy Racing League Timing and Scoring Report – Practice Session 3 Results http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-p3.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031014013635/http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-p3.pdf October 14, 2003 June 26, 2026 Indy Racing League Hornish did not participate in the session because his team installed a new engine and did not want to waste mileage on it yet.October 11, 2003 Chevy 500/dreamerscandles.com 100 Notes & Quotes - Saturday, October 11, 2003 http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2052 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040317090914/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2052 March 17, 2004 June 26, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League He went on to lap the fastest time of the final practice session in the afternoon at 23.3563 seconds, outpacing the times of Castroneves, Scheckter, Bräck, and Dixon.Indy Racing League Timing and Scoring Report – Final Practice Session Results http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-pf.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20050127113750/http://www.indyracing.com:80/scoring/2003/reports/indycarseries/texas2/indycar-results-pf.pdf January 27, 2005 June 26, 2026 Indy Racing League Barron and Buhl made slight contact during the session, but neither sustained any damage. Qualifying classification + Final qualifying results Pos. Position No. Car Number Driver Team Time Time in seconds Speed Speed in miles per hour Grid Final starting grid position 1 6 BRA Gil de Ferran Team Penske 23.5031 222.864 1 2 9 NZL Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing 23.5040 222.856 2 3 10 ZAF Tomas Scheckter Chip Ganassi Racing 23.5988 221.960 3 4 21 BRA Felipe Giaffone Mo Nunn Racing 23.5995 221.954 4 5 3 BRA Hélio Castroneves Team Penske 23.6073 221.881 5 6 2 BRA Vítor Meira Team Menard 23.6095 221.860 6 7 15 SWE Kenny Bräck Team Rahal 23.6492 221.487 7 8 27 USA Bryan Herta Andretti Green Racing 23.6928 221.080 8 9 11 BRA Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing 23.7186 220.839 9 10 24 USA Robbie Buhl Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 23.7244 220.785 10 11 12 JAP Tora Takagi Mo Nunn Racing 23.7564 220.488 11 12 4 USA Sam Hornish Jr. Panther Racing 23.7612 220.443 12 13 13 USA Greg Ray Access Motorsports 23.8132 219.962 13 14 52 USA Alex Barron Cheever Racing 23.8441 219.677 14 15 55 JAP Roger Yasukawa Fernández Racing 23.8545 219.581 15 16 7 GBR Dan Wheldon Andretti Green Racing 23.8671 219.465 16 17 31 USA Al Unser Jr. Kelley Racing 23.9697 218.526 17 18 91 USA Richie Hearn Hemelgarn Racing 23.9762 218.467 18 19 14 USA A. J. Foyt IV A. J. Foyt Racing 24.0782 217.541 19 20 8 USA Scott Sharp Kelley Racing 24.0796 217.529 20 21 23 USA Sarah Fisher Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 24.1475 216.917 21 22 18 USA Ed Carpenter PDM Racing 24.4969 213.823 22Source: Race The 200-lap, 300 mi km on race began at 2:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time (UTC−05:00)2003 Chevy 500 https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/2003_Chevy_500/O live https://web.archive.org/web/20231011233842/https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/2003_Chevy_500/O October 11, 2023 June 26, 2026 Racing Reference NASCAR Digital Media and was attended by 102,000 spectators.Chevy 500 October 12, 2003 Television production en ESPN Fort Worth, Texas IndyCar Series on ESPN Page, Paul, Goodyear, Scott (commentators) The weather conditions were sunny,October 12, 2003 Chevy 500 Notes & Quotes - Sunday, October 12, 2003 http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2059 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040315221210/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2059 March 15, 2004 June 26, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League with air temperatures recorded from 72 to 75 F on and track temperatures from 90 to 104 F on.IRL: Texas II: Firestone race report https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-firestone-race-report/2022283/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260626160035/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-firestone-race-report/2022283/ June 26, 2026 June 26, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Australia Chevrolet general manager Brent Dewar commanded the drivers to start their engines, and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford drove the pace car. When the race began, de Ferran used his pole position to his advantage and pulled ahead of Dixon to lead the first lap. Dixon drove to his outside and crossed the start/finish line 0.0056 seconds ahead of de Ferran on the second lap. Kanaan moved up to fourth place by the third lap, while Scheckter dropped from fourth to eighth a lap later after nearly losing control of his car in the second turn. De Ferran, meanwhile, reclaimed the lead on lap five. Hornish emerged into the top-ten on lap seven and moved to fifth place ten laps later, behind the other four championship contenders. He then steered to the right of Castroneves in turn four and passed him for fourth place on the 20th lap. thumb|301x301px|Gil de Ferran (pictured in 2005) earned the pole position and the race win in his final IndyCar Series start. The caution flag was issued for the first time on lap 31 when debris was spotted by track officials on the back stretch. During the caution period, all of the leaders made pit stops for fuel, new tires, and adjustments to their cars on lap 33. Meira's right-rear tire detached from his car as he exited pit road, forcing him to come back in the next lap. Having taken the lead from de Ferran in the pit stop sequence, Kanaan led the field back up to speed on lap 37. Scheckter was tenth during the restart, but by the 50th lap, he had improved to fifth place. The next lap, Carpenter slowed to a stop on the apron in turn one with an alternator issue; the second caution was flown on lap 52 to allow officials to tow his car into pit road. Some of the leaders made stops under caution, but Kanaan stayed on-track and led at the lap-57 restart, ahead of Dixon, Wheldon, Giaffone, and Yasukawa. Hornish, who restarted outside of the top-ten, made his way up to fifth place by the 65th lap and fourth place five laps later. Castroneves also moved into the sixth position on lap 73. After losing 17 laps to the leaders while his electronic control unit was being replaced, Foyt IV continued struggling with engine issues, forcing him to retire from the race on the 81st lap.Texas Motor Speedway – Chevy 500 http://www.foytracing.com/AJFoytIV/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031207105718/http://www.foytracing.com/AJFoytIV/ December 7, 2003 June 26, 2026 A. J. Foyt Racing Two laps later, the caution was flown for the third time when Carpenter, who still had a faulty alternator, stalled in turn one. As all of the leaders made their stops, Dixon edited pit road ahead of Kanaan to take the lead. Meira returned to pit road to his tighten his right-rear tire. Green-flag racing resumed on the 89th lap, with Dixon, Kanaan, Castroneves, Hornish, and Scheckter in the top-five. Kanaan pulled to Dixon's outside, but Dixon successfully defended his lead by 0.0128 seconds. On lap 93, Wheldon overtook Scheckter for the fifth position, while Castroneves battled with Kanaan for second place. Six laps later, Giaffone tried to pass Sharp on the outside line at the exit of turn four, but was squeezed into the wall.October 12, 2003 IRL: Texas II: Mo Nunn Racing race report https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-mo-nunn-racing-race-report/2022219/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260627022259/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-mo-nunn-racing-race-report/2022219/ June 27, 2026 June 27, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Fort Worth, Texas Australia He slid down the front stretch and towards the path of Barron, who spun into the wall while trying to maneuver around him. De Ferran drove into the infield grass and successfully avoided the crash, which prompted the race's fourth caution, but came into pit road to inspect any possible damage, which forced his team to adopt a conservative fuel strategy to win the race.October 12, 2003 Crash ends Texas race early https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1012/1636638.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20211027072809/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1012/1636638.html October 27, 2021 June 27, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures Fort Worth, Texas Only five other drivers opted to make a pit stop, including Bräck, who briefly stalled as he exited his pit stall. Dixon led at the lap-107 restart. On the 111th lap, Yasukawa's pace began to slow as he dealt with a gearbox issue, forcing him to stay in fourth gear.IRL: Texas II: SA Fernandez Racing race report https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-sa-fernandez-racing-race-report/2022263/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260627113312/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-sa-fernandez-racing-race-report/2022263/ June 27, 2026 June 27, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Australia Castroneves moved up to second place on lap 117, but dropped to the fifth position five laps later. On lap 126, Kanaan fell to fourth place behind Scheckter in second and Hornish in third. The next lap, Hornish overtook Scheckter on the inside line in turn four. Buhl then passed Castroneves for fourth on the 129th lap. Two laps later, Hornish drove to Dixon's outside and raced side-by-side with him. He led lap 138, but was not fully ahead of Dixon until lap 141, when he pulled ahead in the third and fourth turns. Eight laps later, Buhl began the first cycle of green-flag pit stops when he came into pit road for fuel and tires. On lap 152, Hornish made his stop and ceded the lead to Kanaan, who then pitted two laps later. Wheldon and Sharp led one and five laps, respectively, before they also made their stops. By virtue of his pit strategy, de Ferran assumed the lead on lap 160. Four laps later, Hornish's championship hopes were jeopardized when an issue with his rev limiter caused him to dramatically slow his pace. De Ferran made his final stop on the 168th lap, but maintained the lead because he had such a large advantage over second-place Castroneves. On lap 174, Hearn contacted the turn-three wall, which brought out the fifth caution. Hornish came into pit road on lap 176 and retired from the race after his engine leaked oil on the track. The green flag was issued again three laps later. As Castroneves and Kanaan battled for second place, the two collided entering the third turn on lap 180. Kanaan's left-rear tire was punctured and he made a stop on the 181st lap, followed by Castroneves two laps later, which ended their efforts for the title.October 12, 2003 IRL: Texas II: AGR/Kanaan race report https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-agr-kanaan-race-report/2022227/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260627120612/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-agr-kanaan-race-report/2022227/ June 27, 2026 June 27, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Fort Worth, Texas Australia Kanaan recorded the fastest lap time of the race on the 185th lap (23.4413 seconds), shortly after rejoining the race. Kenny Bräck crash and race end thumb|Kenny Bräck crashing into the catch fence.|305x305px|left On lap 188, Bräck steered to the right in an attempt to pass Scheckter for third place on the back stretch.October 12, 2003 Texas: De Ferran wins, Dixon takes title https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/texas-de-ferran-wins-dixon-takes-title-5021450/5021450/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210729222012/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/texas-de-ferran-wins-dixon-takes-title-5021450/5021450/ July 29, 2021 June 27, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network The left-side tires of Bräck's car made contact with the right-side tires of Scheckter's car, sending both spinning up the track. At a speed of 220 mph km/h on,http://www.kennybrack.com/pages/personal-info/2003.html 2003 July 23, 2013 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130718070038/http://www.kennybrack.com/pages/personal-info/2003.html July 18, 2013 KennyBrack.com Bräck's car flew 12 ft m on in the air before its nose pierced a steel post in the 23 ft m on-high catch fence, placed atop the 39 in m on-high wall.October 23, 2003 TMS' fencing grades out perfectly after Brack crash https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram/63209520/ live June 27, 2026 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Fort Worth, Texas 58 Newspapers.com The car completely disintegrated upon impact, apart from the drivers' compartment, and violently pinwheeled across the track until it came to a stop upside-down at the apron of turn three.October 14, 2003 Brack still hospitalized following crash https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1014/1637935.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250325081335/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1014/1637935.html March 25, 2025 June 27, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures Associated PressIRL: de Ferran wins Texas, Dixon wins championship https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-de-ferran-wins-texas-dixon-wins-championship/2022183/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260627184112/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-de-ferran-wins-texas-dixon-wins-championship/2022183/ June 27, 2026 June 27, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Australia Scheckter climbed from his car without assistance, while Bräck was extracted from his car by track officials and treated at the infield care center, where he was joking with his wife, Anita, and the manager of Team Rahal, according to a team spokesman. He was then airlifted to the Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in "serious but stable condition".Savage Tom October 12, 2003 de Ferran Wins Chevy 500; Dixon 2003 Champion http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2060 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031205142353/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2060 December 5, 2003 June 27, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League The crash prompted the sixth caution of the race. The catch fence had been severely damaged by Bräck's car; one of his rear tires was lodged into a support cable and TMS executive vice president Eddie Gossage predicted that 100 ft m on of the fencing would have to be replaced. Some of the concrete within the outside wall also sustained damage. Because of the wreckage, IRL officials announced on the 193rd lap that the race would finish after 195 laps were completed. De Ferran paced under caution to earn his third win of the season, his fifth IndyCar Series win, and his 12th and final victory in American open-wheel car racing, having won seven CART races. He became the first driver since Keith Kauffman in the 1982 Nazareth 100 to win in his final American open-wheel car start.Odds & Ends http://www.champcarstats.com/odds.htm live https://web.archive.org/web/20251228142436/http://www.champcarstats.com/odds.htm December 28, 2025 June 27, 2026 Champ Car Stats Dixon's second-place finish was enough for him to clinch his first IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship. Wheldon came in third, the best finish of his career at that point, to secure the Rookie of the Year title. Meira, Herta, Sharp, Takagi, Ray, Unser, Yasukawa, and Buhl were the last drivers to finish on the lead lap; Fisher and Castroneves finished a lap behind the leaders, and Kanaan was two laps in arrears. Six drivers exchanged the lead 11 times during the course of the race. Race winner de Ferran led 68 laps, the most of any driver. Post-race The mood at the track was described as subdued after the lap-188 crash. In a victory lane interview, de Ferran expressed gratitude that he was able to win in his last start, but was disturbed by the crash, saying, "To be honest, most of my concern was with Kenny at that point. The catch fencing was gone and the wheel hanging. It was a horrific scene. My heart is being pulled in many different directions. I won my last race, but there's a big crash. I apologize for being a little bit somber. I've known Kenny for many years. My thoughts and prayers are with him." He earned US$126,400 for his victory. Dixon, the 2003 champion, admitted he had "mixed emotions" when his team, Chip Ganassi Racing, switched to the IndyCar Series after he competed in CART the past two years, but stated: "I always had fun on ovals and I like the technical tracks like Homestead, Phoenix, and Nazareth. Yeah, it's all oval tracks but there are some very accomplished road racers in this series and it was a good battle all year."Miller Robin October 12, 2003 Dixon strong from the start https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1012/1636753.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250325074023/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1012/1636753.html March 25, 2025 June 27, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures His team owner, Chip Ganassi, lauded him for being "all business" and likened him to Juan Pablo Montoya, Alex Zanardi, and Jimmy Vasser, all of whom won titles for Ganassi's team in CART.Crowley Joe October 13, 2003 Chevy 500 Postscript http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2063 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040627073555/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2063 June 27, 2004 June 27, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League A black box within Bräck's car revealed that his impact into the catch fence measured a force of 214G,Taylor Simon November 2014 Lunch with... Kenny Bräck https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2014/102/lunch-kenny-br-ck/ subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20190921075439/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2014/102/lunch-kenny-br-ck/ September 21, 2019 June 27, 2026 Motorsport Magazine which is officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the highest G-force that a human has ever endured involuntarily and survived.Highest g force endured - non-voluntary https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67617-highest-g-force-endured-non-voluntary live https://web.archive.org/web/20250716031517/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67617-highest-g-force-endured-non-voluntary July 16, 2025 June 27, 2026 Guinness World Records He had broken his sternum, two ribs, L3 vertebra, right femur, and both ankles. Bräck underwent two surgeries on Sunday and Monday night to repair his ankles and femur and fuse his L3 vertebra into his L2 and L4 vertebrae.October 13, 2003 Brack undergoes surgery following crash https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/brack-undergoes-surgery-following-crash-5021431/5021431/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260520162005/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/brack-undergoes-surgery-following-crash-5021431/5021431/ May 20, 2026 June 28, 2026 Autosport Motorsport NetworkKenny Bräck 2003 https://www.motorsportivarmland.nu/brack-gb03.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20110211133434/https://www.motorsportivarmland.nu/brack-gb03.html February 11, 2011 June 28, 2026 Motorsport i Värmland Following these surgeries, his condition was upgraded to "satisfactory" on October 19,October 19, 2003 Brack's condition upgraded https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/bracks-condition-upgraded-5021250/5021250/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20220814235446/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/bracks-condition-upgraded-5021250/5021250/ August 14, 2022 June 28, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network and he was transferred to the Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital via helicopter two days later, where he began his six-month rehabilitation process with IRL medical services director Dr. Henry Bock.Crowley Joe October 21, 2003 Brack Transferred To Indianapolis Hospital http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2062 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031025045340/http://www.indyracing.com:80/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2062 October 25, 2003 June 28, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Bräck has since said that he has no memories of the crash, but attributed his survival of the crash to his faith in God.October 21, 2003 Brack thankful to be alive https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/brack-thankful-to-be-alive-5021150/5021150/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20220818024414/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/brack-thankful-to-be-alive-5021150/5021150/ August 18, 2022 June 28, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network While Bräck recovered, his seat at Team Rahal was taken by Buddy Rice beginning in the 2004 season.Lewandowski Dave January 8, 2004 Team Rahal Signs Rice as Substitute Driver http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2202 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20040628004001/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=2202 June 28, 2004 June 28, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Bräck has only driven an Indy car twice since his near-fatal crash, first in a testing session at Richmond International Raceway in June 2004 and second in the 2005 Indianapolis 500 while substituting for an injured Rice. However, on both occasions, he complained of low stamina and felt "completely finished" upon stepping out of his car. Three months after the Indianapolis 500, Bräck ultimately decided to retire from the IndyCar Series and became involved in the financial aspect of motor racing. Concerns were raised over the safety of the IndyCar Series' pack racing and the newly-introduced Dallara IR-03 chassis, as Bräck was one of four drivers to have experienced an airborne crash throughout the 2003 season.Other such incidents include Mario Andretti during a testing session for the Indianapolis 500,Herman Steve April 23, 2003 Mario Andretti Walks Away From Indy Crash https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Mario-Andretti-Walks-Away-From-Indy-Crash-7925613.php live https://web.archive.org/web/20250902174435/https://www.mrt.com/news/article/Mario-Andretti-Walks-Away-From-Indy-Crash-7925613.php September 2, 2025 June 28, 2026 Midland Reporter-Telegram Hearst Autos Wheldon during the Indianapolis 500,Blackburn Tom May 23, 2025 Open Wheel Archive: The 2003 Indianapolis 500 https://frontstretch.com/2025/05/23/2003-indianapolis-500/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20250622025809/https://frontstretch.com/2025/05/23/2003-indianapolis-500/ June 22, 2025 June 28, 2026 Frontstretch and Castroneves during a testing session at Richmond International Raceway.Crowley Joe May 30, 2003 Dixon Leads Richmond Open Test Again Friday http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1412 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031003012702/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/news/story.php?story_id=1412 October 3, 2003 June 28, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Robin Miller wrote: "Ovals remain the best show for television, yet they are also the worst place to have an accident. The IRL has dodged a lot of big bullets since '96 (the year that the series debuted) but it needs to seriously address its aero package, speeds, cars and propensity for carnage on its action tracks. Maybe (Charlotte Motor Speedway president) Humpy Wheeler is right. Maybe it's time for fenders."Miller Robin October 14, 2003 Brack wreck was long time coming https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1013/1637489.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20250325081410/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1013/1637489.html March 25, 2025 June 28, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures He also noted that since 1996, 76 drivers had been injured in the IndyCar Series, whereas only 32 drivers suffered injuries in the rivaling CART series. Scheckter shared a similar sentiment and said that big accidents in the series had occurred "a little too many times."October 29, 2003 Scheckter's crash concern https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/scheckters-crash-concern-5020924/5020924/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20220811092042/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/scheckters-crash-concern-5020924/5020924/ August 11, 2022 June 28, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network The concerns were heightened when Tony Renna was killed in a testing crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 22 after his car got airborne and slammed the catch fence in turn three.Cavin Curt October 22, 2003 Cause Of Renna Crash Still Unclear https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2103581/cause-renna-crash-still-unclear/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260609103632/https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2103581/cause-renna-crash-still-unclear/ June 9, 2026 June 28, 2026 Autoweek Hearst Autos The IRL insisted that the increase in airborne crashes was not caused by the new chassis,October 27, 2003 IRL: No trend exists https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1027/1648063.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20191016204505/https://www.espn.com/rpm/irl/2003/1027/1648063.html October 16, 2019 June 28, 2026 ESPN.com ESPN Internet Ventures SportsTicker but they made an attempt to reduce speeds in the IndyCar Series by downsizing the engines from 3.5 L U.S.gal on to 3 L U.S.gal on for 2004.December 13, 2003 League reduces speeds https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/league-reduces-speeds-5019440/5019440/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20220808002717/https://www.autosport.com/indycar/news/league-reduces-speeds-5019440/5019440/ August 8, 2022 June 28, 2026 Autosport Motorsport Network The final result gave Dixon the Drivers' Championship with 507 points, 18 more than de Ferran, who advanced to second in the standings. Castroneves amassed 484 points for third place, followed by Kanaan with 476 and Hornish with 461. Toyota earned the Manufacturers' Championship having taken 145 points. Honda had 106 points and finished second in the standings, while Chevrolet placed third with 101 points.2003 Engine Manufacturers Points http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/stats/engine_standings.php?y=2003 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20031212184106/http://www.indyracing.com/indycar/stats/engine_standings.php?y=2003 December 12, 2003 June 28, 2026 IndyCar Series Indy Racing League Race classification + Final race results Pos. Position No. Car Number Driver Team Laps Laps completed Time/Retired Grid Final starting grid position Laps led Points 1 6 BRA Gil de Ferran Team Penske 195 1:48:56.2674 1 68 521 1 2 9 NZL Scott Dixon Chip Ganassi Racing 195 +0.2081 2 57 40 3 7 GBR Dan Wheldon Andretti Green Racing 195 +1.0931 16 1 35 4 2 BRA Vítor Meira Team Menard 195 +1.7778 6 0 32 5 27 USA Bryan Herta Andretti Green Racing 195 +3.5941 8 0 30 6 8 USA Scott Sharp Kelley Racing 195 +5.0714 20 5 28 7 12 JAP Tora Takagi Mo Nunn Racing 195 +5.4539 11 0 26 8 13 USA Greg Ray Access Motorsports 195 +6.7528 13 0 24 9 31 USA Al Unser Jr. Kelley Racing 195 +9.1089 17 0 22 10 55 JAP Roger Yasukawa Fernández Racing 195 +9.7975 15 0 20 11 24 USA Robbie Buhl Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 195 +17.4239 10 0 19 12 23 USA Sarah Fisher Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 194 +1 lap 21 0 18 13 3 BRA Hélio Castroneves Team Penske 194 +1 lap 5 0 17 14 11 BRA Tony Kanaan Andretti Green Racing 193 +2 laps 9 52 16 15 10 ZAF Tomas Scheckter Chip Ganassi Racing 187 Accident 3 0 15 16 15 SWE Kenny Bräck Team Rahal 187 Accident 7 0 14 17 4 USA Sam Hornish Jr. Panther Racing 176 Oil spray 12 12 13 18 91 USA Richie Hearn Hemelgarn Racing 172 Accident 18 0 12 19 21 BRA Felipe Giaffone Mo Nunn Racing 98 Accident 4 0 11 20 52 USA Alex Barron Cheever Racing 98 Accident 14 0 10 21 18 USA Ed Carpenter PDM Racing 69 Alternator 22 0 9 22 14 USA A. J. Foyt IV A. J. Foyt Racing 62 Engine 19 0 8 Sources: Official Box Score – IRL IndyCar™ Series – Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway – Sunday, Oct. 12, 2003 http://indycar.com/var/historicalstats/2003/2003-16-box-score-texas2.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111218235551/http://indycar.com/var/historicalstats/2003/2003-16-box-score-texas2.pdf December 18, 2011 June 24, 2026 Indy Racing LeagueIRL: Texas II race results https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-race-results-2008-03-27/2022179/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260628191759/https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-texas-ii-race-results-2008-03-27/2022179/ June 28, 2026 June 28, 2026 Motorsport.com Motorsport Network Australia Notes 1 1 – Includes two bonus points for leading the most laps.Points Systems https://www.champcarstats.com/points.htm live https://web.archive.org/web/20260426201918/https://www.champcarstats.com/points.htm April 26, 2026 June 28, 2026 Champ Car Stats Final championship standings + Drivers' Championship standings +/- Pos. Position Driver Points 10px1NZL Scott Dixon507 10px 32BRA Gil de Ferran489 (–18) 10px 13BRA Hélio Castroneves484 (–23) 10px 14BRA Tony Kanaan476 (–31) 10px 15USA Sam Hornish Jr.461 (–46)Source: + Manufacturers' Championship standings +/- Pos. Position Manufacturer Points 10px 1JAP Toyota 145 10px 2JAP Honda 106 (–39) 10px 3USA Chevrolet 101 (–44)Source: Note: Only the top five positions are included for the Drivers' Championship standings. Bold text indicates the National Champions. Notes and references Notes References Chevy 500 2003 2003 Toyota Indy 400 2004 Toyota Indy 300 2002 Chevy 500 2004 Chevy 500 Category:2003 in IndyCar Category:2003 in sports in Texas Category:Firestone 600 Category:October 2003 sports events in North America