The 2003 Sirius 400 was the 15th stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 15, 2003, before a crowd of 160,000 in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Kurt Busch of Roush Racing would make adjustments at the end of the race to pass Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon on lap 177, and hold off Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing to win his seventh career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his third of the season. Labonte and Gordon would fill out the podium, finishing second and third, respectively.
Background
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
Entry list #DriverTeamMake0Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac1Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet01Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge02Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet4Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge10Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac11Brett Bodine*Brett 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 RacingChevrolet30Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac37Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet38Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge42Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge43Christian FittipaldiPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge54Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord74Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list *Driver changed to Geoff Bodine for the race due to an injury Brett had suffered during the Happy Hour practice session.
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, June 13, at 11:00 AM EST, and would last for 2 hours. Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 38.293 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet38.293188.02428Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet38.347187.759320Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet38.409187.456Full first practice results
Second practice The second practice session was held on Saturday, June 14, at 9:30 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 38.749 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet38.749185.811212Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge39.056184.351397Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord39.074184.266Full second practice results
Third and final practice The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 14, at 11:10 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 39.455 and an average speed of .
In the practice session, Brett Bodine would suffer a violent crash that would result in a broken right clavicle. As a result, brother Geoff Bodine would replace him for the race. Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet39.455182.486232Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac39.626181.699319Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge39.760181.087Full Happy Hour practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, June 13, at 3:05 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.
Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 37.822 and an average speed of .
Jimmy Spencer would blow an engine in the session. He was forced to use a provisional.
Two drivers would fail to qualify: Mike Skinner and Larry Foyt.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet37.822190.365220Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet38.002189.46438Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet38.077189.090497Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord38.139188.78355Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet38.158188.689624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet38.188188.541738Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord38.197188.497812Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge38.238188.294915Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet38.259188.1911029Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet38.260188.1861148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet38.289188.0441225Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet38.289188.044131Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet38.298187.999140Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac38.334187.823156Mark MartinRoush RacingFord38.339187.798169Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge38.340187.793172Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge38.355187.7201802Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet38.365187.6711931Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet38.367187.6612019Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge38.377187.6122117Matt KensethRoush RacingFord38.394187.5292241Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge38.411187.4462399Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord38.412187.4412423Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge38.414187.4322588Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord38.463187.1932610Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac38.492187.0522711Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord38.504186.9942849Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge38.521186.9112916Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord38.526186.8873040Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge38.534186.8483122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge38.552186.7613221Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord38.581186.6203330Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet38.593186.5623401Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac38.618186.4423537Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet38.632186.3743643Christian FittipaldiPetty EnterprisesDodge38.651186.282Provisionals3732Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac39.101184.1393877Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord38.819185.4763942Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge38.670186.191407Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge46.798153.8534154Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord38.748185.8164245Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge38.661186.2344374Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet38.681186.138Failed to qualify444Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac38.729185.9074514Larry FoytA. J. Foyt EnterprisesDodge38.918185.004Official qualifying results
Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1497Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord20024running180$172,6502118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet2000running170$142,8583624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20017running170$126,22842117Matt KensethRoush RacingFord2000running160$93,2755915Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2000running155$81,47563040Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge200102running160$114,540738Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2001running151$100,6078220Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet20051running147$110,8439156Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2000running138$96,2481055Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running134$89,571112399Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord2000running130$93,44712172Rusty WallacePenske RacingDodge2000running127$93,457132019Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge2000running124$67,290143942Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingDodge2000running121$63,590153732Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsPontiac2000running118$83,590161148Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1990running115$71,89017738Elliott SadlerRobert Yates RacingFord1990running112$90,440181029Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1990running109$91,46819140Jack SpragueHaas CNC RacingPontiac1990running106$55,290202241Casey MearsChip Ganassi RacingDodge1990running103$80,190211225Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1990running100$54,540221931Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1990running97$79,427233401Mike WallaceMB2 MotorsportsPontiac1990running94$67,79024169Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge1990running91$89,223252423Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge1990running88$64,290262610Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac1990running85$79,790273330Steve ParkRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1990running82$60,77528131Jeff GreenDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet1990running79$77,81229407Jimmy SpencerUltra MotorsportsDodge1990running76$60,304303122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge1990running73$85,896312916Greg BiffleRoush RacingFord1991running75$49,190322588Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord1990running67$94,893334374Tony RainesBACE MotorsportsChevrolet1990running64$49,940344245Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge1990running61$56,935353643Christian FittipaldiPetty EnterprisesDodge1991running63$84,573361802Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet1981running60$48,745374154Todd BodineBelCar MotorsportsFord1910crash52$48,695383877Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord1670running49$56,585392711Geoff BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord1190vibration46$48,550403537Derrike CopeQuest Motor RacingChevrolet680engine43$48,51541812Ryan NewmanPenske RacingDodge362engine45$78,355422849Ken SchraderBAM RacingDodge10crash37$48,440433221Ricky RuddWood Brothers RacingFord10crash34$55,765Official race results
References