2003 Sirius 400
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| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 15 of 36 in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 2003 Sirius 400 program cover. | |||
| Date | June 15, 2003 | ||
| Official name | 35th Annual Sirius 400 | ||
| Location | Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 3.2 km (2 miles) | ||
| Distance | 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||
| Scheduled distance | 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||
| Average speed | 131.219 miles per hour (211.177 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 160,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Joe Gibbs Racing | ||
| Time | 37.822 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | |
| Laps | 102 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 97 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FOX | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
The 2003 Sirius 400 was the 15th stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 15, 2003, before a crowd of 160,000 in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Kurt Busch of Roush Racing would make adjustments at the end of the race to pass Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon on lap 177, and hold off Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing to win his seventh career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his third of the season.[1] Labonte and Gordon would fill out the podium, finishing second and third, respectively.
Entry list
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
*Driver changed to Geoff Bodine for the race due to an injury Brett had suffered during the Happy Hour practice session.[2]
Practice
First practice
The first practice session was held on Friday, June 13, at 11:00 AM EST, and would last for 2 hours.[3] Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 38.293 and an average speed of 188.024 miles per hour (302.595 km/h).[4]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 38.293 | 188.024 |
| 2 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 38.347 | 187.759 |
| 3 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 38.409 | 187.456 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
Second practice
The second practice session was held on Saturday, June 14, at 9:30 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[3] Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 38.749 and an average speed of 185.811 miles per hour (299.034 km/h).[5]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 38.749 | 185.811 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing | Dodge | 39.056 | 184.351 |
| 3 | 97 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing | Ford | 39.074 | 184.266 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
Third and final practice
The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 14, at 11:10 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[3] Bobby Labonte of Joe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 39.455 and an average speed of 182.486 miles per hour (293.683 km/h).[6]
In the practice session, Brett Bodine would suffer a violent crash that would result in a broken right clavicle. As a result, brother Geoff Bodine would replace him for the race.[2]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 39.455 | 182.486 |
| 2 | 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Pontiac | 39.626 | 181.699 |
| 3 | 19 | Jeremy Mayfield | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 39.760 | 181.087 |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | ||||||