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2003 Season
2003 Virginia 500
| Race Information |
| Event: Virginia 500 |
| Date: April 13, 2003 |
Track: Martinsville Speedway |
| Qualified: 2nd |
Finished: 3rd |
| Status: Running |
Laps Completed:
500 of 500 |
| Points
Pos. Before/After Race:
2nd/2nd |
Points
Earned: 175 (w/ 10 bonus) |
| Money
Earned: $112,542 |
Summary and Related News |
Jeff Gordon wins, Dale Jr. third_4/13/03
Dale Jr. and No. 8 Team Lead Most Laps, Record Third Consecutive
Top-Three
Jeff Gordon took the lead from Bobby Labonte late in Sunday’s Virginia 500 at
Martinsville Speedway to take his first victory of 2003. For the third consecutive week,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser team finished in the top three, finishing third
after leading the most laps (three times for 195 laps). Dale Jr. had what appeared to be
the dominant car late in the race, but when a lapped car knocked Dale Jr. toward the wall
on a lap 443 restart, he dropped from second to fifth place. Following the contact, Dale
Jr. fought back to third, passing Tony Stewart on lap 483. The finish strengthens Dale
Jr’s second position in the Winston Cup points, and pulls him to within 51 points of
leader Matt Kenseth after nine races. The Budweiser team has finished sixth or better in
six of the last seven races, and recorded a career-best finish at Martinsville. This marks
their third-consecutive top-five at the small, half-mile oval.
 The Key Moments:
After a win last week at Talladega, Dale Jr. and the team came back strong, qualifying on
the front row, and starting the race in second position. For 500 laps, the red No. 8 car
remained in the top seven positions, and led three different times for 195 laps. After
last week’s high-speed, roller-coaster Talladega treat for "Type T"
(thrill-seeker) personalities, today’s race was a thrilling side-by-side battle on
the shortest and slowest track on the Winston Cup tour. Dale Jr. stayed among the top five
positions for the first segment of the race, picking off positions one-by-one to take the
lead for the first time on lap 145. From there until a caution flag on lap 436, it was a
battle between the eventual winner Gordon and Dale Jr. for the race lead. Bobby Labonte
grabbed the lead on the ensuing pit stop, taking only two tires, and leading Dale Jr. at
the restart on lap 443. Going into turn one, the car of Ricky Craven slid up the track,
knocking the Bud car out of the groove and near the wall. After the incident, Dale Jr.
fought back to third place to challenge Labonte for second when the last yellow flag of
the day fell on lap 499, slowing the conclusion of the race.
Dale Jr’s Quotes: "Another good day for us. We had one of the
cars to beat all day, a top-two or a top-three car. It seemed like Gordon and I traded off
being the best car. On that restart, we had four fresh tires, and I felt like we could
clear the lapped traffic and get past (Bobby) Labonte who only took two (tires). But, the
32-car (Craven) had some sort of big problem and almost took us out completely. I guess
we’re lucky to avoid a big-time wreck there, so I can’t be too (mad) about the
deal. I felt like once we dropped back, it was too hard to pass those guys in front of us
to even have a chance at the win, but we tried hard to get what we could get."
 "It was fun being up
front. That’s the most we’ve ever led here, and my guys have really built a
great car for me to drive at this ol’ place. We were the only team to get two
top-five finishes here last year, so we were really focused on continuing that streak.
It’s a tough track, and you really have to be ‘on’ for 500 laps to avoid
getting the car beat up. You can come in with all the confidence in the world, but it
takes almost no time to be taken out of the race. The lower groove was better (this time).
There was more rubber down there, so you could really run side-by-side. Last year, you
really couldn’t run low, so you’d have to knock somebody out of the way to pass
‘em."
About the streak of strong finishes and second-place in points: "We were in a similar
place last year in points when we won at Talladega, so we’re not getting too excited
or over-confident. But, we feel like we’ve put ourselves in a position to continue
the strong finishes and to contend for the points lead all season. We’re up there and
we’re not going anywhere."
Best Radio Conversations
Because of the short track and tight, tight racing, Dale Jr. was silent for much of
the day during the green flag segments. However, he did have a few choice comments during
several of the yellow-flag periods.
During a caution period beginning on lap 270.
Dale Jr.: (speaking to his cousin, Tony Eury Jr, car chief) "Hey,
how ya enjoying the view? We’re really getting’ it when we go past you (the Bud
pit stall was inside turn two)."
Tony Eury Jr. : "Yeah. Good. Pretty good race so far."
Dale Jr. (very proud of his pass of Rusty Wallace on the outside to take the lead
for the first time): "Did ya like my pass for the lead?! Pretty cool,
wasn’t it?!"
Tony Jr: "Yeah, pretty cool."
Dale Jr: (mocking): "Yeah, I don’t know how you hold back the
tears watching such a beautiful pass."
Dale Jr: "How many cars on the lead lap?"
Tony Jr: "15."
Dale Jr: "15?!"
Tony Jr: "Yeah, you were clicking ‘em off pretty good
there."
Dale Jr.: "I didn’t feel like I passed that many people."
Tony Jr: "When you were trying to lap the 6 car (Mark Martin) he was
in 15th place."
Dale Jr: "Ol’ Mark wasn’t gonna let go of that 23 car
(Kenny Wallace). I thought we were all gonna have a helluva wreck. I’m nobody’s
fool though. I’m just trying to keep my (stuff) in one piece."
After a pit stop on lap 349, the team figured they would be one lap short on fuel if
the race ran to the finish under the green flag.
Tony Jr: "You need to save some fuel. Be careful on the fuel because
we can’t make it from here."
Dale Jr: "What?! You’re outta luck! I’m pumping away in
here. (long pause) Has anybody figured out a way to save fuel? Anybody ever figured that
out? I dunno if they’ve ever found a way. But, let’s make sure. We’re in a
points race here, so I don’t want to work my (butt) off all day then run out with
four to go and finish 34th. If that happens, I’ll be bustin’ some skulls."
Today’s Stats
Started: 2nd
Finished: 3rd
Points Position: 2nd (51 points behind first place)
Money Won: $112,542
Laps Led: Three times for 195 laps
Best Pit Stop: Lap 437 / Stop #6 of 6 / Fuel, four tires / 13.70 seconds
Just the Numbers
After nine (of 36) races in 2003:
Wins: 1 (Talladega)
Top-Threes: 5
Top-Fives: 5
Top-Tens: 6
Best Start: 2nd (Martinsville)
Laps Led: 497
Race Led: 8
Most Laps Led: 3 races (The team has scored more bonus points than any other this season.)
Money Won: $1,736,380
Dale Jr. and the Budweiser team have been running at the finish of 33 consecutive races,
the longest current string among Winston Cup teams…
1999-2003 Winston Cup Career Numbers / Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser Team
Races/Starts: 120
Wins: 8 (7%)
"Other" Wins: 3 (non-points/all-star races, such as the 2003 Budweiser Shootout)
Bud Poles: 6 (5%)
Top-Three Finishes: 19 (16%)
Top-Five Finishes: 28 (23%)
Top-Ten Finishes: 42 (34%)
Races Led: 56 (46%)
Laps Led: 2758 (An average of nearly 23 laps per start)
Money Won: $15,497,932 (More than $128,000 per start)
-Budweiser
Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Martinsville Preview_4/8/03
Dale Jr. Quotes for Martinsville
“There are still some people that say this team only does well at restrictor plate
races, and I say that they are missing the results we have had on all kinds of tracks
– especially short tracks -- in the past year or two. We had two top-fives at
Martinsville last year, and we ran near the front for 1000 laps (between the two
Martinsville races). The first few times we raced here, it wasn’t pretty, but we have
worked and fought to get better, especially me as a driver, but as a whole team to find a
set-up that we can race with at the smaller tracks. I don’t think anyone should be
surprised if we do really well this weekend. If they are surprised, they’re not
paying attention.”
About being second in the points: “We were on a similar hot streak
last year after the first Talladega race (fifth in points), and then I got into that big
hit at Fontana and we struggled for a couple of months. We know it takes 36 races, not
eight.
I feel real focused. I've got high demand out of my guys. I hope that they see that is
just determination and my drive to win the championship. Hopefully, they give me what I
ask of them and they did today (at Talladega). It's just time to be buckled down and it's
time to look forward to the end of the year. I plan to be a big part of the team's success
all year long by keeping things mellow and together when we're having bad days. We can
cuss and throw (stuff) when the season is over with when we didn't get the championship we
wanted. Instead of doing it after each race, let's just keep our heads up and go on.
That's been pretty good to us up until this point. A few new guys came in over the winter
that with interesting attitudes that have rejuvenated our hopes and desires and
initiatives. Tony (Eury) Jr., and Tony (Eury) are working really, really good together. I
feel like this is the strongest they have ever been as a combination up on top of the
(pit) box. I feel like our relationship and our communication is so much better and I feel
like we were pretty damn good before, so we've got a good potential to win this
year."
“It’s cool to see Matt (Kenseth) and I running one-two in points. It feels like
’98 and ’99 (when the two battled head-to-head for Busch Series championships).
Matt is a great guy, and he’s one of the ones out there that I love to race with. You
just have more confidence racing against certain guys… you know they’re not
going to do anything to put either of you in trouble. But I also want to win badly against
him. It’s like playing your buddies in basketball. You’re out there having fun,
but you want to beat ‘em so bad that you can taste it.”
Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Bud Team at Martinsville
Previous Winston Cup Starts: 6
Best Start: 2nd (Oct, 2001)
Best Finish: 4th (Oct, 2002)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 3rd / FIN:5th / Led: 41 laps
More Notes on Talladega Victory:
--- The four consecutive victories at Talladega is a first. Dale Jr. had shared the record
of three-straight victories with Buddy Baker. Baker was within one lap of his
fourth-straight win in 1976, but ran out of fuel while nursing a huge lead. He coasted
across the finish line in second place. Only Dale Jr's father, the late Dale Earnhardt,
has won more races at Talladega (10). Dale Jr. shares second with four career victories
alongside Darrell Waltrip, Buddy Baker and Bobby Allison.
--- The fourth consecutive win extends what was already the longest current streak of
consecutive victories at a single track. No other driver currently has more than two
consecutive wins at any track.
--- Dale Jr. and the Budweiser team have now won races in each of their first four Winston
Cup seasons. The eighth career victory moves Dale Jr. into the top 50 in all-time Winston
Cup wins.
--- Though it was his first Winston Cup points race win of 2003, it was the fifth time
Dale Jr. has rolled into Victory Lane since the start of the season. The Budweiser team
won the Budweiser Shootout and a 125-mile qualifier at Daytona, and Dale Jr. is
two-for-two in Busch Series races, winning at Daytona and Talladega.
What:
Virginia 500
500 laps / 250 miles / Race #9 of 36 in the Winston Cup Series
Where:
Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia
.5-mile oval
When:
Sunday, April 13 / 1 p.m.
Watch:
Fox-TV (pre-race: 12:30 pm)
Bud Pole Qualifying:
Bud Pole qualifying can be seen live Friday at 3:00 p.m. on Speed Channel.
You can also hear qualifying and race action on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) on a radio
station or computer near you. The radio programming is also heard on the 24-hour NASCAR
channel on XM Radio. (All Times: Eastern)-Budweiser |
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