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2003 Season
2003 EA SPORTS 500
| Race Information |
| Event: EA SPORTS 500 |
| Date: September 28, 2003 |
Track: Talladega Superspeedway |
| Qualified: 38th |
Finished: 2nd |
| Status: Running |
Laps Completed:
188 of 188 |
| Points
Pos. Before/After Race:
4th/3rd |
Points
Earned: 175 (w/ 5 bonus) |
| Money
Earned: $146,772 |
Summary and Related News |
Waltrip wins, Dale Jr. second in
DEI sweep_9/28/03
No. 8 Budweiser Team One Position Shy of Fifth-Straight
Victory at Talladega
Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammates Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished first and
second, sweeping Sunday’s EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 8
Budweiser team was attempting to become the first in NASCAR history to win five
consecutive races at a superspeedway. The second-place tally, combined with five bonus
points for leading the race, pulls Dale Jr. up one position to third in the NASCAR Winston
Cup point standings. It gives him nine top-3 finishes in 2003, 11 top-5s and 17 top-10s
with seven races remaining.
The Key Moments: After their qualifying lap was disallowed, Dale Jr. was
forced to start in the 38th position. The second-place finish was anything but easy, as
the No. 8 car was involved in a lap-14 chain-reaction accident on pit lane, and then
narrowly avoided a second collision with the car of Mike Skinner during their third pit
stop. The incident damaged the nose of the Bud car, and the resulting pit stops to repair
the damage dropped Dale Jr. deep into the field. With a damaged machine, Dale Jr. dropped
one lap behind on lap 60, and then fought to regain the lap on a lap 147 yellow-flag. The
Bud team benefited from the new NASCAR rule that allows the first car one-lap behind to
regain their lap under caution. Restarting 24th, Dale Jr. passed nine cars on lap 148,
then another six on lap 150 to gain a top-10 position. Dale Jr. eventually took the lead
on lap 165 (of 188). When Elliott Sadler was involved in a violent crash, NASCAR
red-flagged the race, restarting with four laps to go. Dale Jr. restarted second, behind
Waltrip, and was unable to pass his teammate in the final laps.
Dale Jr. Quotes: “I’m proud and happy to see DEI get first and
second, and I’m proud of second, but I wanted to win this one. It’s cool. We
fought hard all day, especially after the mess on pit lane (on lap 14). The crew worked
and worked to repair the nose of the car, and we played catch-up the rest of the day. That
was one crazy race, and I’ve never seen anything like it. It was too crazy even for
me, and I’m the craziest one out there. There was just a lotta beatin’ and
carryin’ on all day. I don’t think I’ve ever been run into and run into
other cars so much in one race. It was a rowdy day.”
“I was looking to make a move around Michael (in the final laps), but I never had the
right support or push from behind. I was prepared to make a move if it meant I was going
to be sure I would be able to pass Michael, but that never developed, so I knew we could
get a one-two finish. I feel real lucky that we were able to come back with a damaged car
and gain our lap back. We led for a few laps, and we gave it a shot for the win.”
(Pointing at a sheet showing the number of his top-five and top-10 finishes): “These
are the numbers that are important to me. My team is having our best season ever, and if
we can’t win every race, then we’re happy to keep on getting those
top-fives…”
(About losing the draft, then being lapped by the lead pack): “It’s a lot like
getting attacked by a shark. You look back and you see this big scary thing comin’ up
on ya, and you know it’s faster than you, no matter how hard you try to swim. It just
sweeps up on ya, and you just have to try to hang on and get in there somewhere in the
pack.”
Best Radio Chatter:
Foreshadowing?
Dale Jr: (moments before being swept into a multi-car crash on pit lane
on lap 14): “That was fun…”
NASCAR’s new rule allowing the first car one-lap down to regain the lead lap
caused some momentary confusion during the yellow flag on lap 145…
Dale Jr.: “I don’t think I messed the nose up, but check it out
cuz’ I was hitting Michael (Waltrip) pretty hard. Can I go around these boys? All
these guys out here running slow without fenders and stuff? Who can I pass?”
Tony Eury Sr. (crew chief): “You will get to start at the end of the
line of lead lap cars, so you’re OK. Just calm down, cuz’ we’re gonna win
this baby!”
Dale Jr.: “OK, I’m calm…
After the final pit stop…
Dale Jr.: “I’m just glad I don’t have to come down pit
lane anymore. It seemed like a bomb went off every time I made a stop…”
Under the red flag period, when Dale Jr. was lined-up second behind his teammate.
Dale Jr.: “I’ve had enough. I’m ready for this thing to be
over with… Michael’s car is FAST. I wish there was someone else up there in
front. He knows me, ya know?”
Tony Eury Jr (car chief): “Yeah, well maybe we can teach a dog some
new tricks…”
Dale Jr: “I’ve tried all the tricks today, man! I even invented
some new ones.”
Tony Jr: “Alright Junebug, we’re not gonna talk to ya no more.
You’ll have four laps to go. Go out and get ya number five (fifth consecutive victory
at Talladega).”
Dale Jr: “Alright, 10-4. We’ve done good to get where we are
now. You guys have done a real good job today…”
Today’s Stats:
Started: 38th (Qualified 11th quickest, but time was disallowed for
failing post-qualifying inspection. The car measured 1/16th
of an inch too low after the qualifying run.)
Finished: 2nd
Laps Led: Two times for three laps
Points: 3rd (gained one position)
Money: $146, 772
NBC Nightly News: Dale Jr. sat down at Talladega for an extended
interview with Brian Williams of NBC News. A portion of the interview aired during
Sunday’s pre-race telecast, and an additional segment will be aired during Monday
evening’s NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw at 6:30 pm Eastern time.
Walk of Fame: Dale Jr. was inducted into Talladega’s Walk of Fame in
Davey Allison Memorial Park Saturday evening. He was selected for the honor via voting by
race fans. His father Dale Earnhardt was the first active driver to be inducted in the
Walk of Fame nearly 10 years ago.
-Budweiser
Earnhardt Jr. cleared to race at Talladega_9/24/03
The Drive for Five:
NASCAR has approved Dale Earnhardt Jr. to compete in this weekend’s EA Sports 500 at
Talladega, Ala., where he has won a record four consecutive races. Earnhardt Jr. suffered
a minor concussion and a sprained right foot in a crash during last Sunday’s race at
Dover, Del. He was examined Monday afternoon by Dr. Jerry Petty, and based upon the
results of that exam, has been cleared medically to compete.
Dale Jr. Quotes:
“My foot gets a lot better every day. I usually use all of this ice to keep the
Budweiser cold, but I’ve stayed off my feet, kept ice on it, and the swelling and
soreness is much less than it was on Monday. It would take a heckuva lot more than this to
keep me out of the race. Plus, Talladega is about intense mental focus - it’s not a
physical track like Bristol or Martinsville where your body takes a beating. I drove a
Busch Series race with only one arm (he suffered a broken collarbone in practice at
Milwaukee, Wis., but drove the following day to a third-place finish in July, 1999), so
I’m sure once I get in the car, this won’t have an impact on me. I’ve been
to the shop a few times, and the guys are making sure I’m comfortable in the car, so
we will be ready to go.”
“I love going to Talladega, and I’ve had the luxury to wheel a really, really
fast car there every time. Our success shows the strength of the entire Dale Earnhardt
Inc. organization. We have always focused on the restrictor-plate races, from Richie
Gilmore’s engines to the guys who work on the bodies hour-after-hour in the wind
tunnel and in the shop, and it’s a total effort.
“It’s very, very simple: get to the front and stay there. You don’t worry
about all of the action behind you if you’re ahead of ‘em. Because we changed an
engine in April, we started at the back. Being involved in the early crash (on lap four),
even slightly, was more evidence to prove that strategy. It didn’t look too good, but
my guys worked on the car until it was competitive again. It may have been my most
gratifying Talladega win. It was very satisfying, because it took the entire team to get
me into a position to drive that car to the finish line.”
‘Drive for Five’ Notes:
-- Dale Jr. can become the first driver to sweep both Talladega races in two consecutive
seasons. The sweep has happened six times, but only Dale Jr’s father, Dale Earnhardt,
did it more than once (1990 and 1999). Recent trends look good for Dale Jr.: the last two
Winston Cup races have produced season-sweeps (Jimmy Johnson at Loudon and Ryan Newman at
Dover).
-- In only seven starts, Dale Jr. is tied for second in career Winston Cup victories at
the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker also won four races. It will
take Dale Jr. a few more years to challenge his father’s record of 10 victories at
Talladega.
-Budweiser
Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser EA SPORTS 500 Preview_9/22/03
The Drive for Five:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was examined today (Monday) by Dr. Jerry Petty as follow-up to his
crash yesterday at Dover. Dale Jr. suffered a minor concussion and a right foot sprain in
the crash. NASCAR must approve his return to competition, and as of 5:30 pm ET today, that
process was underway. When approval is given, we will follow-up with more details and a
full update on the extent of his injuries.
Despite initial reports and rumors to the contrary, Dale Jr. was unconscious for only a
brief time after yesterday’s crash, and was awake and alert while being removed from
the race car.
Dale Jr. has won a track-record four consecutive Winston Cup races at Talladega and will
attempt to win his fifth this weekend. (He also won the Busch Series race at Talladega in
April 2003, giving him five victories in the last five races he has entered at the
2.66-mile superspeedway.)
Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Bud Team at Talladega
Previous Winston Cup Starts: 7
Best Start: 3rd (October, 2000)
Best Finish: 1st
(Four consecutive wins: October 2001 / April 2002 / October 2002 / April 2003)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 13th FIN: 1st Led: 56 laps
-- Dale Jr. has the longest active winning streak in Winston Cup with four consecutive
victories at a single track. He won the most recent Talladega race in April, 2003 after
making 15 extra pit stops to repair damage to the nose of the Budweiser Chevrolet
following a multi-car crash on lap four.
-- In seven Winston Cup starts at Talladega, Dale Jr. has led six races for 432 laps,
nearly 33% of the total laps. The only Talladega race he did not lead was April, 2000 (his
first start) when a car ahead of him missed a shift, causing a chain reaction that damaged
the Budweiser car before the race began.
-- He has qualified 13th for his last two victories here, although he started at the back
of the field earlier this year when the team was forced to hurriedly change engines on
race morning.
Time to Race:
EA Sports 500
Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, AL
188-laps / 500 miles / 2.66-mile superspeedway
Sunday, September 28, 2003
TV: NBC-TV, 1:30 pm (pre-race) / 2:00 pm race start (All Times: Eastern)
Radio: Motor Racing Network, on a radio station or XM Radio near you.
“Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've
only had wonderful things happen to you.”
--Mary Tyler Moore (yeah, THAT Mary Tyler Moore)
-Budweiser |
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