2003 NASCAR Busch Series

2003 teams and drivers

Full schedule

Limited schedule

Races

Koolerz 300

1. #8–Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. #17–Matt Kenseth
3. #21–Kevin Harvick
4. #4–Mike Wallace
5. #1–Jamie McMurray
6. #92–Todd Bodine
7. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
8. #38–Kasey Kahne
9. #43–Johnny Sauter
10. #27–Chase Montgomery

Rockingham 200

1. #1–Jamie McMurray
2. #37–David Green
3. #92–Todd Bodine
4. #7–Randy LaJoie
5. #57–Jason Keller
6. #20–Mike Bliss
7. #26–Kevin Grubb
8. #5–Brian Vickers
9. #43–Johnny Sauter
10. #21–Kevin Harvick

Sam's Town 300

1. #87–Joe Nemechek
2. #21–Kevin Harvick
3. #20–Mike Bliss
4. #8–Steve Park
5. #57–Jason Keller
6. #37–David Green
7. #99–Michael Waltrip
8. #60–Stanton Barrett
9. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
10. #23–Scott Wimmer

darlingtonraceway.com 200

1. #92–Todd Bodine
2. #1–Jamie McMurray
3. #10–Scott Riggs
4. #59–Stacy Compton
5. #21–Johnny Sauter
6. #27–Hank Parker Jr.
7. #5–Brian Vickers
8. #38–Kasey Kahne
9. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
10. #57–Jason Keller

• Final Busch Series win for Todd Bodine
• The end of the race was wild as Jamie McMurray slipped past Todd Bodine for the top spot on the last turn of the last lap, the two banged fenders and McMurray was spun as Bodine took the checkers. The day before, the closest finish in NASCAR Winston Cup Series history happened.

Channellock 250

1. #21–Kevin Harvick
2. #33–Tony Raines
3. #57–Jason Keller
4. #37–David Green
5. #20–Mike Bliss
6. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
7. #48–Shane Hmiel
8. #7–Randy LaJoie
9. #92–Todd Bodine
10. #43–Johnny Sauter

O'Reilly 300

1. #87–Joe Nemechek
2. #10–Scott Riggs
3. #48–Shane Hmiel
4. #19–Chad Blount
5. #82–Jimmy Spencer
6. #17–Matt Kenseth
7. #23–Scott Wimmer
8. #38–Kasey Kahne
9. #10–Coy Gibbs

• Chad Blount received a 25–point penalty for illegal modifications to his car's rear hubs found after the race.

Aaron's 312 (Talladega)

1. #8–Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. #87–Joe Nemechek
3. #48–Shane Hmiel
4. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
5. #20–Mike Bliss
6. #1–Jamie McMurray
7. #99–Michael Waltrip
8. #4–Mike Wallace
9. #18–Coy Gibbs
10. #22–Tina Gordon

• This race was Lyndon Amick's last career start.

Pepsi 300

1. #37–David Green
2. #21–Johnny Sauter
3. #46–Ashton Lewis
4. #20–Mike Bliss
5. #87–David Reutimann
6. #60–Stanton Barrett
7. #1–David Stremme
8. #19–Chad Blount
9. #5–Brian Vickers
10. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.

1–800–Pitshop.com 300

1. #17–Matt Kenseth
2. #99–Michael Waltrip
3. #21–Kevin Harvick
4. #38–Kasey Kahne
5. #92–Todd Bodine
6. #1–Jamie McMurray
7. #57–Jason Keller
8. #48–Shane Hmiel
9. #37–David Green

Hardee's 250

1. #21–Kevin Harvick
2. #10–Scott Riggs
3. #33–Tony Raines
4. #99–Michael Waltrip
5. #23–Scott Wimmer
6. #43–Johnny Sauter
7. #59–Stacy Compton
8. #48–Shane Hmiel
9. #37–David Green
10. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.

Charter Pipeline 250

1. #10–Scott Riggs
2. #37–David Green
3. #57–Jason Keller
4. #5–Brian Vickers
5. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
6. #59–Stacy Compton
7. #21–Johnny Sauter
8. #23–Scott Wimmer
9. #60–Stanton Barrett
10. #99–Kenny Wallace

Goulds Pumps/[ITT Industries] 200

1. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
2. #5–Brian Vickers
3. #20–Mike Bliss
4. #37–David Green
5. #92–Todd Bodine
6. #1–David Stremme
7. #7–Randy LaJoie
8. #59–Stacy Compton
9. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
10. #21–Johnny Sauter

• Mike McLaughlin qualified the #92 for Todd Bodine and Tim Fedewa qualified the #4 for Mike Wallace.

Carquest Auto Parts 300

1. #17–Matt Kenseth
2. #87–Kyle Busch
3. #10–Scott Riggs
4. #92–Todd Bodine
5. #20–Mike Bliss
6. #38–Kasey Kahne
7. #8–Hank Parker Jr.
8. #46–Ashton Lewis
9. #21–Kevin Harvick
10. #99–Michael Waltrip

• Kyle Busch made his first Busch series start, and surprised many by finishing 2nd to race winner Matt Kenseth.

MBNA Armed Forces Family 200

1. #87–Joe Nemechek
2. #10–Scott Riggs
3. #37–David Green
4. #17–Matt Kenseth
5. #5–Brian Vickers
6. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
7. #92–Todd Bodine
8. #38–Kasey Kahne
9. #20–Mike Bliss
10. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.

Trace Adkins Chrome 300

1. #10–Scott Riggs
2. #37–David Green
3. #1–David Stremme
4. #7–Randy LaJoie
5. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
6. #46–Ashton Lewis
7. #60–Stanton Barrett
8. #23–Scott Wimmer
9. #75–Jay Sauter
10. #5–Brian Vickers

• This was Scott Riggs’ final Busch Series win.

Meijer 300 presented by Oreo Happy

1. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
2. #57–Jason Keller
3. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
4. #59–Stacy Compton
5. #5–Brian Vickers
6. #46–Ashton Lewis
7. #27–David Green
8. #14–Casey Atwood
9. #1–David Stremme

GNC Live Well 250

1. #57–Jason Keller
2. #5–Brian Vickers
3. #1–David Stremme
4. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
5. #87–David Reutimann
6. #37–David Green
7. #10–Scott Riggs
8. #92–Todd Bodine
9. #59–Stacy Compton
10. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.

• This was Jason Keller's last career NASCAR victory.

Winn-Dixie 250

1. #8–Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. #99–Michael Waltrip
3. #1–Jamie McMurray
4. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
5. #21–Johnny Sauter
6. #10–Scott Riggs
7. #5–Brian Vickers
8. #92–Todd Bodine*
9. #34–Mike McLaughlin
10. #48–Shane Hmiel

• In addition to winning the pole, Earnhardt Jr would lead all 100 laps to win his third superspeedway race of the season.
• Earnhardt Jr’s win marked a season sweep for DEI in the Busch Series restrictor plate races as well as DEI’s 5th straight restrictor plate win across NASCAR as a whole.
• Herzog–Jackson Motorsports made its last start as a full-time team in this race, as financial troubles would cause the team to start skipping races, and released driver Todd Bodine. The team would make only two more starts later in the year with Jeff Green driving before shutting down at season's end.

Tropicana Twister 300

1. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
2. #17–Matt Kenseth
3. #5–Brian Vickers
4. #19–Casey Mears
5. #99–Michael Waltrip
6. #57–Jason Keller
7. #10–Scott Riggs
8. #33–Tony Raines
9. #1–Jamie McMurray
10. #20–Mike Bliss

• Joe Nemechek qualified the #7 for Todd Bodine and Greg Biffle qualified the #88 for Nemechek.

New England 200

1. #37–David Green
2. #21–Kevin Harvick
3. #17–Matt Kenseth
4. #5–Brian Vickers
5. #23–Scott Wimmer
6. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
7. #57–Jason Keller
8. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
9. #38–Kasey Kahne
10. #59–Stacy Compton

TrimSpa Dream Body 250

1. #23–Scott Wimmer
2. #57–Jason Keller
3. #10–Scott Riggs
4. #21–Johnny Sauter
5. #27–Joey Clanton
6. #59–Stacy Compton
7. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
8. #26–Kevin Grubb
9. #46–Ashton Lewis
10. #38–Kasey Kahne

• Jeremy Clements made his NASCAR debut in this race. Clements qualified 35th and finished 31st after crashing out early. Clements wouldn't make another NASCAR start until 2007.

Kroger 200

1. #5–Brian Vickers
2. #57–Jason Keller
3. #59–Stacy Compton
4. #48–Shane Hmiel
5. #10–Scott Riggs
6. #37–David Green
7. #7–Mike Skinner
8. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
9. #55–Paul Menard
10. #20–Mike Bliss

Cabela's 250

1. #21–Kevin Harvick
2. #38–Kasey Kahne
3. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
4. #37–David Green
5. #10–Scott Riggs
6. #87–David Reutimann
7. #19–Casey Mears
8. #99–Michael Waltrip
9. #48–Shane Hmiel
10. #31–Dave Blaney

• Stan Boyd qualified the #22 but he was replaced in the race by Justin Ashburn who failed to qualify his #61.

Food City 250

1. #99–Michael Waltrip
2. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
3. #6–Ted Musgrave
4. #48–Shane Hmiel
5. #21–Kevin Harvick
6. #81–Martin Truex Jr.
7. #5–Brian Vickers
8. #33–Tony Raines
9. #10–Scott Riggs
10. #46–Ashton Lewis

• Stanton Barrett qualified the #91 for Jimmy Kitchens.

Winn-Dixie 200 presented by PepsiCo

1. #5–Brian Vickers
2. #87–Kyle Busch
3. #99–Michael Waltrip
4. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
5. #21–Kevin Harvick
6. #38–Kasey Kahne
7. #57–Jason Keller
8. #59–Stacy Compton
9. #19–Casey Mears
10. #14–Casey Atwood

Funai 250

1. #43–Johnny Sauter
2. #21–Kevin Harvick
3. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
4. #5–Brian Vickers
5. #37–David Green
6. #17–Matt Kenseth
7. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
8. #33–Tony Raines
9. #31–Dave Blaney
10. #48–Shane Hmiel

Stacker 200 presented by YJ Stinger

1. #5–Brian Vickers
2. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
3. #10–Scott Riggs
4. #38–Kasey Kahne
5. #20–Mike Bliss
6. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
7. #46–Ashton Lewis
8. #57–Jason Keller
9. #21–Kevin Harvick
10. #4–Mike Wallace

• Due to Hurricane Isabel, the qualifying was rained out, consequently Martin Truex Jr. replaced an unknown driver in the #91 in the race, after failed to qualify his #81 and Jason Rudd also replaced an unknown driver in the #70 in the race, after failed to qualify his #01.

Mr. Goodcents 300

1. #37–David Green
2. #21–Kevin Harvick
3. #7–Greg Biffle
4. #57–Jason Keller
5. #8–Hank Parker Jr.
6. #46–Ashton Lewis
7. #23–Scott Wimmer
8. #59–Stacy Compton
9. #87–Joe Nemechek
10. #1–Jamie McMurray

• This race was the last win for Pontiac in the Busch Series, and in any of the top two divisions of NASCAR altogether.

Little Trees 300

1. #7–Greg Biffle
2. #99–Michael Waltrip
3. #20–Mike Bliss
4. #5–Brian Vickers
5. #1–Jamie McMurray
6. #37–David Green
7. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
8. #38–Kasey Kahne
9. #21–Kevin Harvick
10. #57–Jason Keller

Sam's Town 250

1. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
2. #57–Jason Keller
3. #21–Johnny Sauter
4. #2–Ron Hornaday Jr.
5. #5–Brian Vickers
6. #23–Scott Wimmer
7. #14–Casey Atwood
8. #20–Mike Bliss
9. #1–David Stremme
10. #46–Ashton Lewis Jr.Jr.

Aaron's 312 (Atlanta)

1. #7–Greg Biffle
2. #17–Matt Kenseth
3. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
4. #99–Michael Waltrip
5. #8–Hank Parker Jr.
6. #10–Scott Riggs
7. #38–Kasey Kahne
8. #37–David Green
9. #21–Kevin Harvick
10. #31–Dave Blaney

Bashas' Supermarkets 200

1. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
2. #21–Kevin Harvick
3. #5–Brian Vickers
4. #87–Joe Nemechek
5. #10–Scott Riggs
6. #23–Scott Wimmer
7. #14–Casey Atwood
8. #43–Johnny Sauter
9. #7–Greg Biffle

• This would be Hamilton’s 5th and final Busch Series win as well as his fourth of the season.
• Hamilton's victory, along with point leader David Green's 17th place finish, tightened up the championship fight. With 2 races to go, 6 drivers were still in contention for the Busch Series crown, while 7th place Scott Wimmer was 502 out of the lead, and therefore mathematically ineligible.

Target House 200

1. #1–Jamie McMurray
2. #8–Martin Truex Jr.
3. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
4. #79–Jeremy Mayfield
5. #30–David Stremme
6. #5–Brian Vickers
7. #87–Kyle Busch
8. #23–Scott Wimmer
9. #43-Johnny Sauter
10. #37–David Green

• The championship battle took on a new complexion going into Miami. After polesitter Brian Vickers led the opening 6 laps, none of the title contenders were a serious threat for the win, though all but Keller and Hornaday ran in the Top 10 in the first half of the race. Point leader Scott Riggs dropped from the Top 10 due to a loose condition, exacerbated by a long green flag run. Though he gained several spots in the pit cycle by coming in early, he slid into the wall on Lap 166 and ended his day in the garage in 38th. Hamilton rebounded with another Top 5, with Vickers and Green in the Top 10, Keller on the lead lap in 13th, and Hornaday, who never cracked the Top 10 all day, a lap down in 17th. All this left 20 year old Brian Vickers with a 22 point lead over 1994 champion David Green, with Riggs dropping from the lead to 5th, and 6th place Hamilton still in reasonable contention at 89 points out of the lead. Disregarding what any of his title challengers might do, Vickers would secure the championship if he could finish 3rd or better at Homestead.

Ford 300

1. #38–Kasey Kahne
2. #8–Martin Truex Jr.
3. #25–Bobby Hamilton Jr.
4. #00–Jason Leffler
5. #46–Ashton Lewis
6. #21–Kevin Harvick
7. #20–Mike Bliss
8. #19–Casey Mears
9. #37–David Green
10. #99–Michael Waltrip

• This was Kahne's first Busch series victory.

• Scott Riggs' championship hopes ended on the first lap, when he crashed in Turn 3 with teammate Jon Wood and the FitzBradshaw Racing duo of Casey Atwood and Tim Fedewa. Riggs' crew would repair the car, but he would only complete 28 laps before ending his day in 41st. Despite the disappointing end to 2003, he would look ahead to 2004 NASCAR [Nextel Cup Series|2004] and the start of his Nextel Cup Series career with MBV Motorsports.
• Two-time series runner-up Jason Keller was never a factor, and he finished a lap down in 24th. Ron Hornaday Jr finished 15th, leader Brian Vickers 11th, David Green 9th, and Bobby Hamilton Jr 3rd after leading 41 laps.
• With Green only gaining 8 points on leader Vickers, the 20 year old from Thomasville, North Carolina won the Busch Series championship by 14 points. He was also the youngest series champion in history, breaking the record set by the late Rob Moroso, who was 21 when he overcame Tommy Houston for the 1989 NASCAR Busch Series title. Vickers, like Riggs, would be a candidate for 2004 Nextel Cup rookie of the year, graduating with Hendrick Motorsports. 18 year old Kyle Busch would take his place in the #5 Busch car for 2004.

Full Drivers' Championship