2003 Checker Auto Parts 500

File:Phoenix-international-raceway-2011-new.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]

Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor
0 |Ward Burton |Haas CNC Racing |Pontiac |NetZero HiSpeed
1 |John Andretti |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Pennzoil
01 |Joe Nemechek |MB2 Motorsports |Pontiac |U.S. Army
2 |Rusty Wallace |Penske Racing South |Dodge |Miller Lite
02 |Brandon Ash |Ash Motorsports |Ford |Triton Realty Partners
4 |Kevin Lepage |Morgan–McClure Motorsports |Pontiac |Kodak Perfect Touch
5 |Terry Labonte |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |Kellogg's, Got Milk?
6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |Viagra
7 |Jimmy Spencer |Ultra Motorsports |Dodge |Sirius Satellite Radio
8 |Dale Earnhardt Jr. |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Budweiser
9 |Bill Elliott |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
09 |Mike Wallace |Phoenix Racing |Dodge |Miccosukee Resort & Gaming
10 |Johnny Benson Jr. |MB2 Motorsports |Pontiac |Valvoline
12 |Ryan Newman |Penske Racing South |Dodge |Alltel
14 |Larry Foyt (R) |A. J. Foyt Enterprises |Dodge |Harrah's "Oh Yeah!"
15 |Michael Waltrip |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |NAPA Auto Parts
16 |Greg Biffle (R) |Roush Racing |Ford |Grainger
17 |Matt Kenseth |Roush Racing |Ford |DeWalt
18 |Bobby Labonte |Joe Gibbs Racing |Chevrolet |Interstate Batteries, Advair
19 |Jeremy Mayfield |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
20 |Tony Stewart |Joe Gibbs Racing |Chevrolet |The Home Depot
21 |Ricky Rudd |Wood Brothers Racing |Ford |Motorcraft
22 |Scott Wimmer |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Caterpillar
23 |Kenny Wallace |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Stacker 2
24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |DuPont, Looney Tunes: Back in Action
25 |Brian Vickers |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |UAW, Delphi, Bugs Bunny
29 |Kevin Harvick |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |GM Goodwrench
30 |Steve Park |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |America Online, Daffy Duck
31 |Robby Gordon |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |Cingular Wireless
32 |Ricky Craven |PPI Motorsports |Pontiac |Tide
37 |Derrike Cope |Quest Motor Racing |Chevrolet |Paramount Hospitality Management
38 |Elliott Sadler |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |Pedigree
40 |Sterling Marlin |Chip Ganassi Racing |Dodge |Coors Light
41 |Casey Mears (R) |Chip Ganassi Racing |Dodge |Target
42 |Jamie McMurray (R) |Chip Ganassi Racing |Dodge |Texaco, Havoline
43 |Jeff Green |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Pop Secret
45 |Kyle Petty |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Georgia-Pacific Brawny
48 |Jimmie Johnson |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |Lowe's
49 |Ken Schrader |BAM Racing |Dodge |BAM Racing
54 |Todd Bodine |BelCar Motorsports |Ford |National Guard
74 |Tony Raines (R) |BACE Motorsports |Chevrolet |BACE Motorsports
77 |Dave Blaney |Jasper Motorsports |Ford |Jasper Engines & Transmissions
88 |Dale Jarrett |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |UPS, Winston Cup Victory Lap
97 |Kurt Busch |Roush Racing |Ford |Rubbermaid, Sharpie
99 |Jeff Burton |Roush Racing |Ford |Citgo
colspan="5" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20040214154005/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/entry_list.html Official entry list]

The first practice session was held on Friday, October 31, at 12:20 PM EST. The session would last for two hours.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Phoenix Race Info Page |url=http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2003/2003phoenix.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031204181906/http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2003/2003phoenix.htm |archive-date=December 4, 2003 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}} Brian Vickers, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 26.882 and an average speed of {{Convert|133.919|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date= |title=NASCAR.com - Races - 2003 Phoenix Practice 1 Results |url=http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/practice1_speeds.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040214155607/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/practice1_speeds.html |archive-date=February 14, 2004 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=NASCAR}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |25 |Brian Vickers |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |26.882 |133.919
2 |01 |Joe Nemechek |MB2 Motorsports |Pontiac |26.949 |133.586
3 |12 |Ryan Newman |Penske Racing South |Dodge |26.983 |133.417
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20040214155607/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/practice1_speeds.html Full first practice results]

The second practice session was held on Saturday, November 1, at 11:30 AM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.539 and an average speed of {{Convert|130.724|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2003 |title=Gordon, Newman and Biffle out front in first practice |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7159090.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040328170506/http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7159090.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2004 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |27.539 |130.724
2 |12 |Ryan Newman |Penske Racing South |Dodge |27.572 |130.567
3 |6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |27.603 |130.421
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20031206220134/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/practice2_speeds.html Full second practice results]

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, November 1, at 1:10 PM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.537 and an average speed of {{Convert|130.733|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2003 |title=Jeff Burton, Biffle, Vickers at top of speed chart in final practice |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7159430.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040328172821/http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7159430.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2004 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |99 |Jeff Burton |Roush Racing |Ford |27.537 |130.733
2 |16 |Greg Biffle (R) |Roush Racing |Ford |27.541 |130.714
3 |25 |Brian Vickers |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |27.596 |130.454
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20040214161201/http://www.nascar.com/races/wc/2003/34/data/practice3_speeds.html Full Happy Hour practice results]

Qualifying was held on Friday, October 31, at 4:05 PM EST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap. Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2003 Provisional Land Page |url=http://www.jayski.com/stats/2003/2003prov.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204083118/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2003/2003prov.htm |archive-date=February 4, 2005 |access-date=January 8, 2022 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}}

Ryan Newman, driving for Penske Racing South, would win the pole, setting a time of 26.931 and an average speed of {{Convert|133.675|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=October 31, 2003 |title=Newman edges Vickers for polein Sunday's race at Phoenix |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7153011.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040328175540/http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/archives/7153011.htm |archive-date=March 28, 2004 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}

Two drivers would fail to qualify: Derrike Cope and Brandon Ash.

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Category:2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Category:NASCAR races at Phoenix Raceway

Category:November 2003 sports events in the United States

Category:2003 in sports in Arizona