<DJC> 2003 Race Report

Race Information
Event: Brickyard 400
Date: August 3, 2003	Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Qualified: 36th	Finished: 14th
Status: Running	Laps Completed: 160 of 160
Points Pos. Before/After Race: 2nd/2nd	Points Earned: 121 (w/ 0 bonus)
Money Earned: $161,967
Summary and Related News
Harvick wins Brickyard 400, Dale Jr. 14th_8/3/03 No. 8 Budweiser Team Fights Back from Wheel Woes Kevin Harvick won Sunday’s 10th annual Brickyard 400 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was Harvick’s first victory of the season, as he topped Matt Kenseth in second and rookie Jamie McMurray in third. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser team finished 14th. The Bud team started near the back of the field, worked their way as high as third position before making an extra pit stop to replace a loose wheel. Dropping to 23rd with less than 20 laps remaining, Dale Jr. made an aggressive rush back through the field in the final laps. The finish allows Dale Jr. to remain in second place in the NASCAR Winston Cup standings, 286 points behind Kenseth. The Key Moments: Starting 36th, the Budweiser car was a red rocket early in the race, jumping into the top 20 by the 20th lap. Good fuel mileage allowed the team to get into the top-three during the first yellow-flag period, but lost the position when a loose wheel caused a severe vibration. The team made an extra stop seven laps later to replace all four tires, dropping them deep in the field again. After moving back through the field, the team fell victim to a yellow flag on lap 139, dropping almost a full lap behind the leader. The Budweiser team made their quickest four-tire pit stop of the season on lap 146, servicing the car in 12.5 seconds. Dale Jr. Quotes: “It could have been a lot worse, I guess. We fell out of sequence when we had to pit to fix the bad vibration. Track position is so crucial here, once we dropped back in the field, we had to really hustle to get every position. It was a good comeback late in the day. We were better than a 14th-place car if you looked at the lap times, but we never could get near the front to take advantage of it.” Best Radio Conversations The huge Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex made radio communications troublesome during the race. In addition to the team’s regular spotter, Ty Norris, engine builder Richie Gilmore was an additional spotter for the team, and Dale Jr. had difficulties hearing both spotters and Tony Eury Jr. during the race. Dale Jr: “Y’all gotta speak clearer! I can’t understand anybody! When you talk it sounds like ‘wa wa wa wa wa wa.’” Tony Eury Jr. (car chief): “Do you wanna take a rubber out of the left rear or put one in the right rear?” Dale Jr: “What? I can’t understand! All I hear is ‘wa wa wa wa wa wa wa…’ Ty Norris (spotter): “He asked if you wanted a rubber out of the left rear or in the right rear.” Dale Jr: “Uhh… take one out, I guess. I’m tight, tight… we need to free it up… (almost breaking into song) I WANNA BE FREE!” The radio problems proved to be bothersome through the entire race. Dale Jr: “Guys, you gotta keep forgetting that I’m yelling at ya. When I holler at ya, I’m sorry, but if I can’t hear ya, I get upset. When the race gets goin,’ it just sounds like y’all are hollerin’ and distorted. I can’t understand anyone…” After the checkered flag, Dale Jr. gave a brief pep talk while he made the cool-down lap. Dale Jr: Y’all keep your heads up. That was a good comeback today. You can’t win with your head down, so let’s be proud of the day and go on…” Today’s Stats Started: 36th Finished: 14th Points: 2nd (no change) Best Pit Stop: Stop seven of seven / Lap 146 / Four tires / 12.5 seconds* Quickest stop of season for Budweiser team Nothing’s better than a cold Bud at the end of a long day. Unless you drink one while logging in to www.Budweiser.com for all of the latest Dale Jr. news, games, music, short films and more! True. -Budweiser 8/2 - Dale Jr. qualified 36th for Sunday's Brickyard 400. Lineup \| Happy Hour Speeds Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Brickyard 400 Preview_7/28/03* Dale Jr. Quotes for Indianapolis “Indy’s big, one of the biggest races of the year. It’s like driving down a long hallway with all of those stands full on both sides of the front stretch. It's been a strange race for us. We’ve been up front almost every year we’ve been there, but we always seem to get beat in the end by a bunch of guys taking only two tires. This year, we plan to change that. The track isn’t really suited for stock cars, so it makes track position even more critical. I mean, it’s critical everywhere, but you really need to be up front at Indy. The leader has the easiest job on the track, the clean air just makes the car feel great, while everybody else fights with the turbulent air. Our confidence as a team continues to grow, so if we have a fast car, I'm confident we can get to the front and stay there..." Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser Team at Indy Previous Starts: 3 Best Start: 3rd (2002) Best Finish: 10th (2001) Last Year: ST: 3rd / Fin: 22nd The Bud team has led the Brickyard 400 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway the last two years, and ran as high as second place in the race during their rookie season in 2000. The team made an unlikely recovery in 2001, as the brakes failed on lap two, but the team was able to make repairs before eventually taking the lead on lap 65. Race Details: Brickyard 400 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana 2.5-mile rectangle / 160 laps / 200 miles Sunday, August 3 / 2:30 pm / Eastern Winston Cup Race # 21 (of 36) TV: NBC-TV 2:00 pm pre-race Bud Pole Qualifying: The Indy weekend does not follow the usual Winston Cup weekend schedule. Bud Pole qualifying will take place Saturday, beginning at 11 am eastern. This is the only Winston Cup race of the season heard on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. --- Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes. --Jack Handey / Deep Thoughts -Budweiser