A Chevrolet won both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Atlanta in 2003. Owner Joe Gibbs has seven wins in the last 15 races at Atlanta. Gibbs drivers Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte have both dominated at Atlanta in recent years. Labonte has scored six victories and 11 top-five finishes in his last 15 races at Atlanta while Stewart has scored five straight top-10 finishes at Atlanta, a streak that began there in November 2001. Stewart has led at least one lap in every one of those races. Dale Earnhardt Jr., is the only other driver that has led at least one lap in each of the last five races at Atlanta. Stewart has scored one victory (March 2001) and four top-five finishes in his last four races at Atlanta. Dale Earnhardt (nine) and Cale Yarborough (seven) are the only drivers with more Atlanta victories than Bobby Labonte (six). Richard Petty also had six Atlanta victories. Ryan Newman has led at least one lap in all four races that he has competed in at Atlanta. Bill Elliott is the only active driver to sweep both Atlanta races (1985 and 1992). Ward Burton has been running at the finish in the 17 Atlanta races since November 1995. The Earnhardts’ have been tough competitors at Atlanta in years gone by. Dale Earnhardt scored nine victories there and still holds the record for the most victories at the Georgia superspeedway. Dale Jr., has scored five straight finishes of seventh or better at Atlanta – streak currently matched only by Tony Stewart.
Kevin Harvick finished first and third in his first two races at Atlanta. Harvick has not been able to crack the top 15 in his last four races there. Mark Martin finished 42nd and 39th in both Atlanta races in 2003. Martin has scored two victories and 17 top-10 finishes at the Georgia track in 36 races there.
The “New Configuration” – 1.54 mile configuration completed November 1997. 16 drivers have raced in all 13 races since November 1997. Bobby Labonte won five of the 13 races. Bobby Labonte scored nine top-five finishes in those 13 races. Bobby Labonte led 766 laps at Atlanta since 1997, the most of all drivers. Bobby Labonte and Jeff Gordon have each scored nine top 10 finishes in the 13 races on the new track. Of the 16 drivers who have competed in all 13 races at Atlanta, only Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd have failed to lead on this configuration. Six drivers scored top-10 finishes in both races at Atlanta in 2003: Bobby Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jimmy Spencer and Joe Nemechek. Bobby Labonte (five) and Jeff Gordon (three) are the only drivers to score multiple victories on the new configuration. Jeff Gordon (1,905 points) has outscored all drivers in the 13 races on the new configuration. Dale Jarrett scored 1,861 and Bobby Labonte has scored 1,859. They are the top-three point scorers at Atlanta since 1997. Matt Kenseth is the only driver to score top-10 finishes in each of the first three races this season. Kenseth scored a season-high 25 top-10 finishes in 36 races last season.
Michael Waltrip has finished 37th, 41st, 38th, 33rd and 37th in his last five races dating to Rockingham last fall. Waltrip, who finished 15th in the final 2003 point standings, is currently 38th in the point standings, his lowest points ranking after the first three races of a season in his 19-year career. Waltrip has finished in the final top-20 point standings in 14 of his 19 seasons.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(3-10-2004)