2003 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 (March)

Fourth race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON Performance Racing Network Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 March 9 146.048 mph km/h 106,000 Ryan Newman Penske Racing 172 Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip Bobby Labonte Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing FOX Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway 18 36 4 2.48 1.54 805.476 805.476 500.5 325 325 2003 28.963 500.5 45th Annual Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 2003_Bass_Pro_Shops_MBNA_500_(March)_program_cover.jpg The 2003 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The 2003 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 45th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 9, 2003, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 mi km permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would make a late charge against Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon near the end of the race, passing him with nine laps to go to win his 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first of the season.B. Labonte Wins Fight to the Finish en-US Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/03/10/b-labonte-wins-fight-to-the-finish/7a2f9834-50c2-4d43-95ce-b5962d5ad908/ 2022-01-10 0190-8286 To fill out the podium, Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would finish third. Background thumb|The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held. Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a track in Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. Entry list #DriverTeamMake0Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac1Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet01Jerry NadeauMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge4Mike 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 FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge15Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet16Greg BiffleRoush 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 MotorsportsPontiac35Bobby Hamilton Jr.Team Rensi MotorsportsFord38Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge42Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge54Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord57Jeff FultzTeam CLRFord74Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list Practice Originally, three practice sessions were going to be held, with one on Friday and two on Saturday. However, fog on Saturday would force NASCAR to combine the two practices on Saturday into one session. First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, March 7, at 11:20 AM EST, and would last for 2 hours. Ryan Newman of Penske Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.895 and an average speed of 191.867 mph km/h.NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Atlanta 1 Practice 1 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/4/data/practice1_speeds.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20050209023058/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/4/data/practice1_speeds.html 2005-02-09 2022-01-10 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed112Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge28.895191.867217Matt KensethRoush RacingFord28.963191.417338Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord28.970191.370Full first practice results Second and final practice The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 8, at 10:15 AM EST, and would last for one hour and 45 minutes.Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Atlanta 1 Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003atlanta1.htm live https://web.archive.org/web/20050206162027/https://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003atlanta1.htm 2005-02-06 2022-01-10 Jayski's Silly Season Site Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.570 and an average speed of 187.487 mph km/h.NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Atlanta 1 Practice 2 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/4/data/practice2_speeds.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20050209023236/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/4/data/practice2_speeds.html 2005-02-09 2022-01-10 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.570187.487212Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge29.664186.89332Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge29.691186.723Full Happy Hour practice results Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, March 7, at 3:05 PM EST. 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 live 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 Ryan Newman of Penske Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 31.211 and an average speed of 173.016 mph km/h.Associated Press 2003-03-08 PLUS: AUTO RACING; Newman Wins Pole For Race in Atlanta en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/08/sports/plus-auto-racing-newman-wins-pole-for-race-in-atlanta.html 2022-01-10 0362-4331 Two drivers would fail to qualify: Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Jeff Fultz. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed112Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge28.963191.41729Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge28.991191.232338Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord29.044190.883418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.088190.59457Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge29.127190.339615Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.135190.28772Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge29.191189.922820Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.218189.746997Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord29.224189.7071019Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.225189.7011148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.237189.6231222Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge29.262189.4611325Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.289189.2861401Jerry NadeauMB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.302189.202151Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.326189.0471688Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord29.334188.9961729Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.337188.9761831Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.354188.8671943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge29.367188.7832016Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord29.373188.7452121Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord29.380188.7002232Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac29.404188.5462310Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.412188.4952417Matt KensethRoush RacingFord29.428188.3922511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord29.443188.2962699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingDodge29.470188.1242777Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord29.476188.0852830Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.480188.060296Mark MartinRoush RacingFord29.484188.0343024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.495187.9643142Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.513187.849324Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac29.522187.7923341Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.526187.7673440Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.553187.5953554Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord29.568187.5003674Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet29.576187.449Provisionals378Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet30.202183.5643845Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge30.015184.708395Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.844185.7664023Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge29.812185.9654114Larry FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge——4249Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge29.756186.315430Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac29.823185.897Failed to qualify4435Bobby Hamilton Jr.Team Rensi MotorsportsFord29.916185.3194557Jeff FultzTeam CLRFord30.158183.832Official qualifying results Race results Fin2003 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 (March) - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/2003_Bass_Pro_Shops_MBNA_500_(March) 2022-01-10 www.thethirdturn.com enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet325172running185$209,23323024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet32568running175$142,7783378Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet32523running170$113,91742417Matt KensethRoush RacingFord3250running160$91,8505820Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet32517running160$113,3286338Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord3251running155$94,450757Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge3251running151$79,55082777Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord3251running147$80,12591325Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet32519running143$58,22510112Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge32421running139$94,450112310Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac3240running130$84,400122232Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac3240running127$76,375132016Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord3240running124$51,775143440Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge3240running121$93,6751572Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge3240running118$88,39216151Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3240running115$75,512171831Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3230running112$77,912181222Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge3230running109$84,871191729Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3230running106$87,96820395Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3230running103$80,196211688Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord3230running100$93,968221019Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge3220running97$59,435233341Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge3220running94$70,535243674Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet3220running91$47,635252830Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3220running88$59,035264023Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge3220running85$58,77427615Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3210running82$68,070283554Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord3210running79$49,920291943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge3200running76$84,98830324Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac3180running73$47,085311401Jerry NadeauMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3160crash70$46,510321148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3082engine72$65,835332699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingDodge3050engine64$80,687343845Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge2960running61$54,325352121Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord2950engine58$54,290363142Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge2930engine55$46,25537430Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac2670overheating52$46,220384249Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge1820engine49$46,1753929Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge1640engine46$85,72340997Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord1430engine43$66,090412511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord1410crash40$46,05042296Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1330engine37$79,843434114Larry FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge1040engine34$45,069Official race results References 2003 UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series 2003 Category:2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway Category:March 2003 sports events in the United States Category:2003 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)