#9-Elliott (5 – but had to start out back)(140 laps led)
#48-Johnson (18) (78 laps led)
#19-Mayfield (3) (96 laps led)
#17-Kenseth (23) [is in clinching mode]
#12-Newman (1) (49 laps led)

#74-Raines (4) <—- someone sponsor this team!
#99-Burton (9)
#18-Labonte (14)
#20-Stewart (29)
#40-Marlin (31)

Points Leader #17-Matt Kenseth finished 4th (started 27th)

Cars on the lead lap: 10 (of 43 starters)

Off track/out of race (7): #37-Cope (out-?); #4-Lepage (out-engine); #6-Martin (out-engine); #32-Craven (out-accident); #21-Rudd (out-accident); #15-Waltrip (out-engine); #49-Schrader (out-accident);

Laps Leaders Unofficial (5 with 14 lead changes): #12-Newman; #0-Burton; #19-Mayfield; #48-Johnson; #9-Elliott;

Cautions: 10 for 65 laps

Caution 10 – Laps 376 – 382: #49-Schrader and #12-Newman get together, sending Schrader into the wall hard and out of the race, the two were trying to get by a lapped car.
Caution 9 – Laps 369 – 373: #20-Stewart and #14-Foyt tangled in turn 2 and both spun. Foyt slid up and was running much slower and Stewart hit Foyt in the rear. Stewart gave Foyt a little tap after the incident to show his displeasure.
Caution 8 – Laps 330 – 336: #25-Vickers punted #32-Craven and #21-Rudd had no place to go and both Craven and Rudd backed into the turn 1 wall hard. Rudd drover off.
Caution 7 – Laps 243 – 253: #6-Martin lost an engine.
Caution 6 – Laps 156 – 160: #45-Petty got loose and looped it around in between turn 3 and 4, drove off ok.
Caution 5 – Laps 108 – 117: #16-Biffle got sideway and spun, #42-McMurray checked up, got tagged by another car [#99?] and also went sideways and spun around backwards, McMurray slide into Biffle and the inside backstretch wall.
Caution 4 – Laps 101 – 105: #99-Burton spun around after he and #31-Burton got together, with Burton spinning thru the front stretch grass.
Caution 3 – Laps 94 – 98: #88-Jarrett drifted into #41-Mears who went into #97-Busch who slapped the wall hard and has heavy damage to the left front.
Caution 2 – Laps 85 – 89: #12-Newman slapped the wall and bounced off #24-Gordon, another half lap later, #24-Gordon then got into the #12 who spun around. NASCAR the black flagged Gordon and held him a lap in the pits.
Caution 1 – Laps 77 – 81: #37-Cope got loose off turn 2 and spun around and slapped the inside wall, but drove off with little damage.

Who got a lap back on each caution at Rockingham – The Lucky Dog Pack?: (and their finish)
Caution 10: #20-Stewart, 9th
Caution 9: #99-Burton, 7th
Caution 8: #18-Labonte, 8th
Caution 7: #74-Raines, 6th
Caution 6: #38-Sadler, 21st
Caution 5: #29-Harvick, 15th
Caution 4: #10-Benson, 29th
Caution 3: #25-Vickers, 24th
Caution 2: #16-Biffle, 11th
Caution 1: #23-Wallace, 31st
More on the Lucky Dog rule on my Caution Rule page/Lucky Dog page

—– the cars in the back of the lead laps cars [#12, #99 and #40] came into pit for new tires.
—– All the leaders [all 9 of them] came into pit on caution 9, #12-Newman had some loose lug nuts and had to come in to have them tightened.
—– #15-Waltrip is smoking bad as of lap 343, won’t last long.
—– oops, caution #8, some cars got caught after making green flag stops, they were a lap down.
—– pretty quiet green flag run since the last caution, green flag stops will occur around laps 325-335 range…unless…another caution.
—– the 7th caution came towards the end of green flag stops, leaving 6 cars on the lead lap.
—– #17-Kenseth was coming to put when the 7th caution came out and went past the ‘commitment’ line and has to go to the end of the longest line, but is still on the lead lap.
—– green flag stops occurred around laps 235 thru 245 range.
—– #88-Jarrett back on track around lap 230 after the crew repaired the left front wheel bearing/hub.
—– on lap 195, #01-Nemechek had a left front tire go down and had to pit.
—– #88-Jarrett’s left wheel/tire is smoking on lap 174 and is dropping back.
—– #4-Lepage slowed down on the track and was smoking on lap 131.
—– many cars came in to pit during the 4th caution, #12-Newman came in to pit as he felt a vibration.
—– during the 2nd caution, #17-Kenseth came into pit as he got some rear end damage when he checked up and #20-Stewart hit him.
—– #38-Sadler was pitting when the first caution came out, but drove thrru and stayed on the lead lap.
—– #29-Harvick got lapped and came into pit on lap 47 as the car is running very poorly.
—– #16-Biffle and #7-Spencer got together around lap 35 and MRN is reporting a tire rub on the #16 and some smoke.

Race Results at
ThatsRacin.com
MotorsportsOne
NASCAR.com.(11-9-2003)

Jayski’s Rockingham Qualifying / Starting Grid page

TRACK/RACE NEWS

• Miss North Carolina 2003 Dana Reason Visits North Carolina Speedway to Commemorate Final Fall Event: The November 9 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 is the final fall event at North Carolina Speedway, and a very special guest will be in attendance to commemorate the occasion. Dana Reason, Miss North Carolina 2003, will make an appearance in the Carolina Concourse and Premier Club Hospitality area on Sunday morning. She will also be on stage to greet the Winston Cup Series drivers for Driver Introductions prior to the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400. During the race, Reason will visit various suites and sign autographs for fans.(North Carolina Speedway PR)(11-3-2003)
• Pre-race Stuff at the Rock:North Carolina Speedway has scheduled a military-themed pre-race on Sunday that will feature the 82nd Airborne Chorus, 82nd Airborne Band, and 82nd Airborne Color Guard. Two flyovers are scheduled for the day with four (4) UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the US Army and four (4) F-15’s from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. John Jones of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina will perform the Invocation and the National Anthem will be performed by the 82nd Airborne Chorus. On Saturday prior to the Target House 200 NASCAR Busch Series event, Ralph Kersey, a 17-year veteran of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol assigned to Troop H-2 and stationed in Scotland County will perform the National Anthem and Randy Storz of the Beverly Hills Baptist Church in Rockingham will give the Invocation.(North Carolina Speedway PR)(11-3-2003)
• Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition at the Rock: Pit crews, rather than drivers, are in the spotlight November 8, 2003, at North Carolina Speedway for the 36th annual 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition. The purse for this year’s event is $100,000, with $30,000 going to the winning team. Setting a new world record will result in a $10,000 bonus. Reigning champion – winning consecutively in 2001 and 2002 – is Roush Racing’s #17 DeWalt pit crew for current Winston Cup points leader Matt Kenseth. The DeWalt crew bettered their own world record last year by .862 seconds, becoming the first crew to break the 16-second barrier since teams began changing four tires. The current world record, and the time teams will aim to beat in 2003, is 16.823 seconds.
  Since 1967, the Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition has been the only NASCAR sanctioned pit crew contest on the circuit. Giving world-class pit crews a time to shine, this event rewards the best of the best with the coveted ‘World Championship Pit Crew’ title. Held annually during the fall race weekend at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, the object of the competition is for each crew in the top 25 in points to empty 14 gallons of 76 Gasoline into the car (two cans holding seven gallons each) and change both left- and right-side tires in as short a time as possible. Time penalties are assessed for various infractions including loose lug nuts, fuel spills and fuel left in the gas can. The team with the fastest time becomes the new world champion.(North Carolina Speedway PR), for last years results, current news and the Pit Crew Chart, see my Pit Crew Page.(10-21-2003)

• Rockingham News: The fate of North Carolina Speedway at Rockingham continues to be debated. There has long been speculation that Bill France might sell the track to SMI’s Bruton Smith and let Smith move its one remaining date to Texas. Smith said he knows nothing new.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-24-2003)
• Target and General Mills Team Up to Raise Funds for Target House: The first annual Target House 200 NASCAR Busch Series race is scheduled for November 8, 2003, at North Carolina Speedway. Target and General Mills will be working together to raise money for Target House, a home away from home for families and children receiving care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. “We’re grateful to have such a high-profile event to help raise funds and visibility for Target House and the hospital,” said Richard Shadyac, National Executive Director of ALSAC/St. Jude, the hospital’s fund-raising arm. “I know the kids are looking forward to cheering on their favorite drivers during the race.” To help raise funds for Target House, Target will be selling souvenir die-cast racecars on target.com. All proceeds from the die-cast cars will benefit Target House. In addition, a portion of sales from select, specially-marked General Mills snack products sold at Target stores will go toward Target House, with a maximum donation of $50,000. The General Mills snack products include Fruit Gushers, Pop Secret Popcorn, Fruit Roll-Ups and Chex Mix. The Target Chip Ganassi Racing team associate sponsors including Fujifilm, Coca-Cola, Reckitt Benckiser, Nestle Purina and Clorox have committed an additional $30,000 to Target House. Target has a long history of supporting motorsports and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Target Chip Ganassi Racing team has supported St. Jude and Target House since 1997 through donations from the race team. The team provides $25 for each lap lead, $1,000 for each pole position and $5,000 for every race win. Over the past six seasons, the team has raised more than $275,000 for the hospital and Target House. “Target House is one of our leading community programs and we’re happy this race will heighten the visibility of the ground-breaking work taking place at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said John Remington, vice president, events marketing and communications, Target Corporation. Fans can order tickets to the inaugural Target House 200 by calling the North Carolina Speedway ticket office at 1-800-PITSHOP or 910-582-2861 or by visiting online at www.northcarolinaspeedway.com.
  About Target House: Funded by Target Stores and its vendor and celebrity partners, Target House is a home-away-from-home for families with children receiving life-saving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As an extension of St. Jude’s commitment to care for any child regardless of the family’s ability to pay, Target House provides fully furnished apartments, free-of-charge. Based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(8-4-2003)

• Bruton to buy another track? Might Bruton Smith be in the market for another track? There are rumblings that Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, will purchase an existing racetrack to get the Winston Cup date for one of his current tracks, likely Las Vegas. He did it at North Wilkesboro, and Rockingham [an ISC Track?] might be next.(Sporting News)(8-4-2003)
• It’s OFFICIAL – California gets 2nd race, on Labor day, Darlington moves to 2nd Rockingham slot, which loses a race: Beginning in 2004, California Speedway will get a second NASCAR Winston Cup date — Sunday night during Labor Day weekend. This first official move of the Winston Cup Series’ “realignment 2004” was announced Friday. The inaugural Pop Secret 500 is scheduled to begin at 8:00pm/et on Sunday, Sept. 5th, and will be telecast live on NBC. California Speedway is touting it as the first Sunday night prime time Winston Cup event. NASCAR president Mike Helton deflected all questions about additional future changes to the schedule. In 2004, North Carolina Speedway, a 60,113-seat oval in Rockingham, NC will lose its second date on the schedule, in the fall. This season Rockingham’s spring race was held Feb. 23, a date that has been weather-plagued through the years. The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a 60,000-seat oval, will replace Rockingham’s fall date. The Southern 500 has been held on Labor Day weekend for 53 years at Darlington, the 1.336-mile South Carolina oval. Darlington maintains its spring event, held annually in March since 1957.(NASCAR.com)(6-13-2003)
• California to Labor Day in 2004: there will be an official announcement at Michigan International Speedway on June 13th that California Speedway would get a 2nd Cup race to run on Labor Day weekend in 2004, with Darlington Raceway and the Southern 500 being moved to the Rockingham spot in late 2004. Rockingham [North Carolina Speedway] will be cut down to one race in 2004, which currently is run in the last weekend in February.(Fox Sports Net’s Totally NASCAR)(5-30-2003)
• Rockingham news – ISC could sell to Smith? • The latest speculation about the fate of North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham is that next season the track will have only one Winston Cup date, in April, and if that race doesn’t sell out, then the International Speedway Corporation might sell the track to Bruton Smith.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-3-2003)
• No Winner from the pole..again at the Rock: The pole winner hasn’t won the Cup race at Rockingham in the last 17 races, dating to Jeff Gordon in the spring of 1995.(Daily Press), Sunday’s pole sitter, #77-Dave Blaney finished 10th.(2-24-2003)
• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski’s Past Track News/Rumors – North Carolina Speedway

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DRIVER/TEAM NEWS

• Benny and Bobby Victory Lap at the Rock: Victory Lap Tribute: Prior to the race, Bobby Labonte and Benny Parsons will be part of a special “Victory Lap” tribute to honor NASCAR Winston Cup Series champions during R.J. Reynolds’ 33-year tenure in the sport. The 2003 NASCAR season is the final for Winston’s title sponsorship of NASCAR’s top division, which they have held since 1971. Labonte will represent “active” NASCAR Winston Cup champions in the “Victory Lap” tribute. He will drive a specially painted No. 18
  Interstate Batteries Chevrolet alongside the #72 Chevrolet driven by Benny Parsons during pre-race ceremonies. Parsons, who once lived in nearby Ellerbe, NC, was the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup champion.(NCS PR), see images of the cars and past PR’s on my Victory Lap page.(11-5-2003)
  AND TNT analyst Benny Parsons will participate in NASCAR’s “Victory Lap” tribute at the Winston Cup Race this Sunday, Nov. 9, in Rockingham, NC, during the pace car laps. Following the tribute, he will head to the booth to call the race with TNT play-by-play announcer Allen Bestwick and analyst Wally Dallenbach. The “Victory Lap” tribute recognizes drivers who captured a championship during R.J. Reynolds’ sponsorship tenure at designated tracks. Parsons was the 1972 Winston Cup Champion and will drive a replica of the car he drove that year. In addition, Parsons has invited his 1972 pit crew to join him in Sunday’s festivities.(TNT PR)(11-7-2003)

• It’s Back: This weekend #20-Tony Stewart is scheduled to drive the car that NASCAR impounded at Texas. It would be the first time the car has been run since NASCAR returned it. NASCAR officials impounded the car after it failed a pre-event inspection when the rear end was found to be offset beyond the rules. Series officials studied the car for several weeks before returning it.(Roanoke Times)(11-5-2003)
• Hermie to honor Dad: #02-Hermie Sadler plans on competing in both races this weekend at Rockingham. In the Winston Cup race, Sadler will be sporting a “retro” paint scheme, as the car will be painted gold and black to honor his Dad, Herman Sadler, Jr. for all of his efforts to further mine and Elliott’s racing careers. The Gold and Black “Weekend Warrior” was owned by Sadler’s Dad in the 70’s and won over 100 feature races on dirt tracks across the Southeast. The car was driven by such drivers as his Uncle Bud Elliott, J.E. Beard (now an engine builder at #4 Morgan-McClure) and James Hylton. “That car just sitting in the shop brings back a lot of memories of when I was 4-5 years old going to the races. It has instigated many stories being told about the good old days. We are looking forward to carrying those colors this weekend.” said Sadler.(11-4-2003)
• #71 at the Rock: The #71 Marcis Racing team plans to be at North Carolina Speedway for the Pop Secret 400 on November 7th-9th.  Tim Sauter will be driving the #71 Monte Carlo, sponsored this weekend by Aran Trading and Naples Trucking. The car is the same brand new Chevy Monte Carlo that was used at Brickyard and the washed out attempts at New Hampshire and Dover. The engine for Rockingham will be an in-house Marcis engine.(Marcis Racing Site)(11-3-2003)
  IMAGE: see an image of the car on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes – Cars #’s 24-99 page.(11-4-2003)

• See the 2003 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team and info on each team and the 2004 Team Chart for next season.

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PAINT SCHEME NEWS

Car#/Driver	Sponsor/Scheme/Promo	Race/Date	Image?
#2-Rusty Wallace	Penske Racing’s 50th win	Rockingham – Nov	none….yet
#12-Ryan Newman	Penske Racing’s 50th win	Rockingham – Nov	Cars #’s 0-23 page
#41-Casey Mears	Target House	Rockingham – Nov	Cars #’s 24-99 page
#43-Jeff Green	Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn	Rockingham – Nov	Cars #’s 24-99 page
#45-Kyle Petty	Hands of Victory	Rockingham – Nov	Cars #’s 24-99 page

• Special Schemes for Penske Cars IMAGE: As part of Penske Racing’s 50th win commemoration this weekend at Rockingham, Wallace’s Miller Lite Dodge will carry the familiar and popular black and gold colors that Wallace used in recording 30 of his 54 career wins (total of 36 [not 38] at Penske Racing) and in three of his five Rockingham victories.(TRPR – no image of the car…yet)
  AND also #12-Ryan Newman is supposed to run a special 50th win commemoration scheme at the Rock, nothing mentioned, but see an image of the scheme on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes – Car #’s 0-23 page.. Penske’s 50 wins [actually 53] are Wallace, 36; Newman 9; B Allison, 4; Mayfield, 3; Donohue, 1.(11-6-2003)
  IMAGE See an image of the #12 on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes – Car #’s 0-23 page..(11-7-2003)

• Special Scheme at the Rock for Petty – and – Petty/Stewart to appear in NYC: The Victory Junction Gang, a Proud Charity of NASCAR, and Toys “R” Us will join together this week for a special event to unveil the #45 “Hands to Victory” Dodge, which will be driven by NASCAR Winston Cup driver Kyle Petty at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, NC, on November 9. The car features hand-prints of 46 NASCAR Winston Cup drivers. Petty will join 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart at the Wednesday, November 5 event taking place at Toys “R” Us Times Square at Broadway and 44th Street. Both drivers will be on hand for a private autograph session signing “Hands to Victory” die-casts following the presentation and unveiling of the car. Those who purchase a “Hands to Victory” die-cast from Toys “R” Us Times Square, while supplies last, will receive a ticket to attend an autograph session, being held from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. To receive a ticket for the signing session, purchasers must bring their “Hands to Victory” receipt to Personal Shopping on level three of the Toys “R” Us Times Square location. Proceeds from purchases of the “Hands to Victory” die-casts will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp, founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty, which is due to open 2004 in Randleman, N.C. The camp, the only year-round multi-disease camp of its kind in the Carolinas and Virginia, was founded in honor of their late son Adam. Victory Junction Gang Camp will be geared toward making every child’s camp experience unforgettable and empowering. For more information, visit their site at www.victoryjunction.org.(NASCAR PR), see an image of the car on my Cup Paint Schemes Gallery – Cars #’s 24-99.(10-30-2003)
• Popcorn colors: hearing the #43-Christian Fittipaldi will have the Pop Secret colors [as the #43 normally does for this race] at Rockingham’s final November race, in the Pop Secret 400 [which goes to California in 2004](6-23-2003)
  IMAGE: See an image of the scheme at 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes – Car #’s 24-99.(8-19-2003)

• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery

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SOME NOTES, RULES and NEWS

• Lucky Dog now gets one pitstop: NASCAR is amending its “Lucky Dog” rule, which allows the first car one lap down to get the lap back when there is a caution. Starting Sunday at Atlanta, a driver who gets a lap back because of the rule can’t make a second pit stop during that caution to top off with fuel. Ryan Newman used that strategy in his September win at Dover.(FoxSports/Sporting News), see the rule, past news and info on the rule on my Caution Rule page.(10-20-2003)
• No Racing to the Caution Rule and Q&A
• New rule for measuring minimum height: NASCAR issued a technical bulletin this week outlining changes in how the minimum height is measured of Winston Cup cars in pre-qualifying and pre-race inspections. Beginning with this weekend’s race at New Hampshire, teams presenting cars for inspection of the minimum body height and minimum ground clearance must remove their front shock absorbers before the measurements are taken. The absorbers can be reconnected after the car has passed inspection.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-12-2003)
• NASCAR to require Cup, Busch, Truck teams to add fuel cell area fire extinuisher: NASCAR officials announced today that all vehicles in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will require an additional fire-extinguishing cylinder solely dedicated to the fuel cell area, effective Aug. 13 but recommended immediately. An automatic, thermally activated discharge nozzle recommended by the manufacturer for this application must activate the cylinder, which is required to be made of DOT-approved metal. The automatic system may have a manual and/or pneumatic override from the driver-activated system. The cylinder must be mounted in the driver’s compartment and will attach to a steel bracket welded to the frame and/or roll cage of the vehicle. When discharged, the extinguisher releases Halon in the area of the fire. Halon, a proven and extremely effective fire suppressant, is a liquefied compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion. A minimum of 10 pounds of fire extinguishing agent is required in the cylinder for the fuel cell area. In addition to the fire extinguisher cylinder being added for the fuel cell area, NASCAR has enhanced its requirements and specifications for the current on-board driver protection system as well as the fuel cell vent area. The cockpit extinguisher, a manually controlled push or pull knob that activates a fully charged fire-extinguishing pressurized cylinder, now must contain a minimum of five pounds of extinguishing agent. Should the cylinder also be used for fire extinguishing in the engine compartment, it must contain a minimum of 10 pounds of extinguishing agent. The cylinder also must be securely mounted to the frame and/or roll cage, and hose clamps, worm drive clamps and cable ties are not permitted. In addition, all discharge lines and fittings for the cylinders must be steel or steel-reinforced hose although the nozzles may remain aluminum. A maximum length for the neck of the fuel cell check valve vent hose has been set at three inches. By limiting length, it will make the component more impact resistant. The neck connects the fuel cell to the fuel cell vent hose and is located inside the trunk area of the vehicle. To accommodate the maximum neck length standard, fuel cell vent hoses will increase in length from 60 inches to a maximum of 66 inches.(NASCAR PR)(7-30-2003)
• New Gas Can Rule: Beginning with the July 13 race at Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR will prohibit teams from throwing or tossing gas cans or gas catch cans over the pit wall during a pit stop. The change was announced in Sunday’s prerace drivers’ meeting.
  If a violation happens under caution, the driver will have to restart at the end of the longest line. If it occurs under green-flag conditions, the driver must return to pit road to serve a 15-second penalty. The change is being made to reduce the liklihood of gas spills during pit stops.(ThatsRacin.com)(6-22-2003)

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RACE ODDs

• note: this is not to promote gambling but to offer readers odds and ideas on what the
  ‘experts’ think about the upcoming race and the Cup series season

  
  

• National Sports Services – 2003 Winston Cup and the Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
• NASCAR Odds – Early Odds for the Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400

• Racebook: Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 – Odds To Win and the 2003 Winston Cup

• Vegas Insider – Odds to Win the 2003 Winston Cup Championship and Vegas Insider – Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400

• World Sports Exchange:Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 odds and other NASCAR odds

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STATS and STUFF

Moved to my STATS and STATS Links page