2003 Tropicana 400

18th race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NAS 644.542 Tony Stewart Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing NBC 80 Joe Gibbs Racing Ryan Newman 12 Penske Racing South Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. Motor Racing Network 85,000 134.059 mph km/h 644.542 Joliet, Illinois, Chicagoland Speedway 2.41 267 267 400.5 1.5 3rd Annual Tropicana 400 36 18 July 13 Tropicana 400 2003 29.223 400.5 The 2003 Tropicana 400 program cover. 2003_Tropicana_400_program_cover.jpg The 2003 Tropicana 400 was the stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the third iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 13, 2003, in Joliet, Illinois, at Chicagoland Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.41 km) tri-oval speedway. The race took the scheduled 267 laps to complete. At race's end, Penske Racing South driver Ryan Newman would stretch out his fuel mileage well enough to coast to the line and win his fourth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his third of the season.2003-07-13 Hoosiers Set Pace at Chicagoland https://www.wthr.com/article/sports/hoosiers-set-pace-at-chicagoland/531-0121a6b4-284b-4361-bdc0-986d240fc7b5 2022-01-26 wthr.com en-US To fill out the podium, Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing and Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively. Background thumb|The layout of Chicagoland Speedway, the venue where the race was held. Chicagoland Speedway is a 1.5 miles (2.41 km) tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, southwest of Chicago and it's owned by NASCAR. Entry list #DriverTeamMake0Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac1Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet01Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthDodge4Johnny SauterMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge10Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac12Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge14Larry 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 RacingChevrolet30Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac37Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet38Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge42Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge54Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord74Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord81Jason KellerDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list Practice First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, July 11, at 11:20 AM CST, and would last for 2 hours.2005-02-04 Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Chicagoland Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20050204155413/http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm 2005-02-04 2022-01-26 Jayski's Silly Season Site Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.324 and an average speed of 184.150 mph km/h.NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Chicagoland Practice 1 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice1_speeds.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050205055343/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice1_speeds.html 2005-02-05 2022-01-26 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.324184.150224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.376183.824320Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.404183.648Full first practice results Second practice The second practice session was held on Saturday, July 12, at 9:30 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.2005-02-04 Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Chicagoland Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20050204155413/http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm 2005-02-04 2022-01-26 Jayski's Silly Season Site Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.242 and an average speed of 178.560 mph km/h.NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Chicagoland Practice 2 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice2_speeds.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050206102314/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice2_speeds.html 2005-02-06 2022-01-26 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet30.242178.560212Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge30.255178.483340Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge30.310178.159Full second practice results Third and final practice The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, July 12, at 11:10 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.2005-02-04 Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Chicagoland Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20050204155413/http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm 2005-02-04 2022-01-26 Jayski's Silly Season Site Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.231 and an average speed of 178.625 mph km/h.NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Chicagoland Practice 3 Results http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice3_speeds.html https://web.archive.org/web/20050205060154/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/18/data/practice3_speeds.html 2005-02-05 2022-01-26 NASCAR.com Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.231178.625212Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge30.353177.907320Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet30.405177.602Full Happy Hour practice results Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, July 11, at 3:05 PM CST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap. The session would commence after a near two-hour rain delay.2005-02-04 Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Chicagoland Race Info Page http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20050204155413/http://www.jayski.com/next/2003/2003chicago.htm 2005-02-04 2022-01-26 Jayski's Silly Season Site 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 Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 29.223 and an average speed of 184.786 mph km/h.In Reversal, Stewart Surges for First Pole of Season en-US Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/07/12/in-reversal-stewart-surges-for-first-pole-of-season/dbe63400-4b40-4019-b426-cfc3bc8db524/ 2022-01-26 0190-8286 Jason Keller would be the only driver to fail to qualify. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.223184.786224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.277184.44539Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.284184.401441Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.306184.263519Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.365183.892648Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.392183.723716Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord29.428183.499838Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord29.436183.449977Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord29.439183.4301042Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.476183.2001129Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.482183.1631215Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.485183.144136Mark MartinRoush RacingFord29.533182.8461412Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge29.538182.815151Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.540182.803168Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.574182.5931725Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.574182.5931818Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet29.575182.5871940Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.631182.242204Johnny SauterMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac29.673181.984217Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge29.729181.641222Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthDodge29.738181.5862330Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.753181.4942417Matt KensethRoush RacingFord29.757181.4702537Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet29.764181.4272632Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac29.774181.3662799Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord29.787181.287285Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.796181.2322974Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet29.823181.0683022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge29.836180.9893114Larry FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge29.846180.9293297Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord29.848180.9173388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord29.850180.904340Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac29.862180.8323531Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.885180.6933610Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.893180.644Provisionals3721Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord29.972180.1683823Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge29.902180.5903954Todd BodineBelCar RacingFord29.988180.0724001Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.953180.2824145Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge29.954180.2764243Christian FittipaldiPetty EnterprisesDodge30.083179.5034349Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge29.963180.222Failed to qualify4481Jason KellerDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.948180.312Official qualifying results Race results Fin2003 Tropicana 400 - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/2003_Tropicana_400 2022-01-25 www.thethirdturn.com enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings11412Ryan NewmanPenske Racing SouthDodge26767running180$191,0002120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet26780running180$213,4683648Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26725running170$134,5754224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26747running165$158,17851215Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2671running160$100,97562799Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord2670running150$114,09273531Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2670running146$106,81281042Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge2671running147$77,3759838Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord2670running138$108,37510519Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge2670running134$85,0751139Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge2670running130$106,908122417Matt KensethRoush RacingFord26600running127$87,725133721Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord2660running124$94,47514136Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2660running121$103,88315285Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2660running118$96,35616151Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2660running115$89,937171129Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26646running92$104,028183610Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac2650running109$94,700193022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge2650running106$100,10620716Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord2650running103$69,650211940Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge2650running100$107,650222974Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet2650running97$63,45023217Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge2650running94$82,550243823Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge2650running91$79,325252632Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac2650running88$84,925262330Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2650running85$73,725274145Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge2640running82$73,425284349Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge2630running79$73,614294243Christian FittipaldiPetty EnterprisesDodge2630running76$100,303303388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord2630running73$108,06331977Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord2620running70$69,57532222Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthDodge2490running67$96,042333954Todd BodineBelCar RacingFord2370transmission64$62,07534441Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge2320crash61$68,97535204Johnny SauterMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac2130running58$60,775361818Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet2120crash55$105,658374001Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2110crash52$60,37538168Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2060crash49$101,092393297Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord1240engine46$79,98540340Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac1170engine43$59,785413114Larry FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge880crash40$59,590421725Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet450engine37$59,395432537Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet60transmission34$59,457Failed to qualify4481Jason KellerDale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletOfficial race results References 2003 Pepsi 400 2003 New England 300 NASCAR Winston Cup Series 2003 Category:2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Chicagoland Speedway Category:July 2003 sports events in the United States Category:2003 in sports in Illinois