Those that make the trip to the far-east corner of Tennessee twice a year for the Winston Cup Series race always get what they pay for on the half mile concrete track. Sunday was no different for the sixth race of the 2003 season.
Caution came out early and often in the Food City 500 at Bristol International Raceway, and affected fast qualifier Ryan Newman, who started to fall back early. Newman had to duck into the pits and get some adjustments in the Alltel Dodge, coming out in thirty-fifth. Newman could not make up any of the positions and had a day that he would like to forget. Jeff Gordon took the early lead and moved away from the rest of the field, showing that his qualifying effort on the outside front row was no accident. Gordon swapped spots with Rusty Wallace several times, with both drivers moving away from the rest of the pack, but Gordon had the better car, leading for one hundred and fifteen laps. Jimmy Spencer in the Sirius Radio Dodge also looked like a favorite as he moved ahead of Gordon after pit stops in the mid part of the race.
Pit strategy played a big part in the race as several drivers played the odds, staying out on the track during caution periods, getting better track position, and hoping for a yellow flag to come out when they needed the pit stop. The strategy worked for some drivers, getting them to the front, but a long green flag run in the middle part of the race took the pit strategy out. Kevin Harvick in the Goodwrench Chevrolet had to take the gamble to get to the front, but after having over one hundred fifty laps on his car, was forced to pit under green flag conditions. When he pitted it started a run of pit stops for the leaders, and the cars had almost cycled through when a caution came out, trapping most of the field down a lap. The yellow took some of the best cars out of contention as Gordon, Wallace, Spencer, Stewart and many more were now back a lap. Only six cars remained on the lead lap with only one hundred and thirty laps to go.
The green flag dropped and race leader Kurt Busch, who finished second last week, had Bobby Labonte right behind him. The two had stayed out and were now poised to stay out front for the rest of the race. Labonte, who was driving a purple car this week for Advair, got right on the back bumper of Busch. The two swapped spots one more time as Busch dropped under Labonte, but Labonte decided that he was better off to just ride until the race got a little farther along. After the fifteenth and final caution flag came out with only twenty-five laps to go, Labonte had a new threat to deal with. Points leader Matt Kenseth had worked his way up to the front and got right on the back of Labonte. On the restart, Busch pulled away as Kenseth and Labonte fought it out for second. Kenseth would eventually get the advantage and move past the #18 car. Busch in the meantime had moved out to a five second lead and Kenseth ran out of time, giving Busch his first win of the season. The win also made this the sixth different winner in the still-young season.
Busch, driving the Sharpie Ford, is on a roll it seems. In his last eleven races, including the 2002 season, he has finished in first or second seven times. The win also propelled him to second in the Winston Cup points chase. Kenseth will remain the points leader with his second place finish. Labonte had his best finish of the season with a third place and Ricky Rudd drove the Motorcraft/Air Force sponsored car to his first top five finish of the season taking fourth. Rookie Greg Biffle had a great run taking fifth, and claiming the highest finishing rookie spot. Columbia, Tennessee’s Sterling Marlin had a great run finishing in the sixth position just ahead of a charging Kevin Harvick. Jimmie Johnson brought his Lowe’s machine home in eighth place just ahead of his car owner and early race leader, Jeff Gordon. Kenny Wallace was able to hang on to his car through several wrecks, rounding out the top ten. After the race, all the drivers that were interviewed expressed their support and prayers for the U.S. troops overseas. Kurt Busch also picked up an American flag and took it with him around the track to help celebrate his win.
Next week both the Busch Grand National cars and Winston Cup cars go to Texas International Speedway in Fort Worth for the Samsung-Radio Shack 500.

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