2003 Budweiser Shootout

| Ratings = 5.4/10 (Final){{cite web|title=Saturday Belongs to CBS Dramas|url=http://tv.zap2it.com/news/dailynielsenrankings.html?30078|publisher=[[Zap2it]]|date=February 9, 2003|access-date=February 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030421171432/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/dailynielsenrankings.html?30078|archive-date=April 21, 2003|url-status=dead}}

| Ratings = 5.4/10 (Final){{cite web|title=Saturday Belongs to CBS Dramas|url=http://tv.zap2it.com/news/dailynielsenrankings.html?30078|publisher=[[Zap2it]]|date=February 9, 2003|access-date=February 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030421171432/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/dailynielsenrankings.html?30078|archive-date=April 21, 2003|url-status=dead}}

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The '''2003 Budweiser Shootout''' was the first of two [[Exhibition game#Auto racing|exhibition]] [[Stock car racing|stock car races]] of the [[2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series]]. The 25th [[Advance Auto Parts Clash|Budweiser Shootout]], and the first to be held at night to allow for [[prime time]] broadcasting, it was held on February 8, 2003, in [[Daytona Beach, Florida]], at [[Daytona International Speedway]], before a crowd of 75,000 spectators. [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]] of [[Dale Earnhardt, Inc.]] won the 70-lap race from 19th. [[Hendrick Motorsports]]'s [[Jeff Gordon]] was second, with [[Roush Fenway Racing|Roush Racing]]'s [[Matt Kenseth]] third. It was Earnhardt's first Budweiser Shootout win, and his first at Daytona International Speedway in the Cup Series since the [[2001 Pepsi 400]].

The '''2003 Budweiser Shootout''' was the first of two [[Exhibition game#Auto racing|exhibition]] [[Stock car racing|stock car races]] of the [[2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series]]. The 25th [[Advance Auto Parts Clash|Budweiser Shootout]], and the first to be held at night to allow for [[prime time]] broadcasting, it was held on February 8, 2003, in [[Daytona Beach, Florida]], at [[Daytona International Speedway]], before a crowd of 75,000 spectators. [[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]] of [[Dale Earnhardt, Inc.]] won the 70-[[Glossary of motorsport terms#L|lap]] race from 19th. [[Hendrick Motorsports]]'s [[Jeff Gordon]] was second, with [[Roush Fenway Racing|Roush Racing]]'s [[Matt Kenseth]] third. It was Earnhardt's first Budweiser Shootout win, and his first at Daytona International Speedway in the Cup Series since the [[2001 Pepsi 400]].

Although [[Geoff Bodine]] won the pole position by lot, he was immediately passed by [[Jimmie Johnson]] into turn one. [[Kurt Busch]] led laps five through fifteen before Earnhardt passed him on lap sixteen and kept the lead until the mandatory ten-minute [[Pit lane|pit stop]] at the end of lap twenty. Ten laps later, Gordon took the lead, which he held until all drivers made a second pit stop on lap fifty, when [[Mark Martin]] took the lead. Gordon regained the lead on lap 56, which he held until Earnhardt passed him 10 laps later. Earnhardt won the race by keeping the lead for the final four laps. No [[Racing flags#Yellow flag|yellow flag cautions]] were issued during the race, which had 13 lead changes among 7 different drivers.

Although [[Geoff Bodine]] won the [[pole position]] by lot, he was immediately passed by [[Jimmie Johnson]] into turn one. [[Kurt Busch]] led laps five through fifteen before Earnhardt passed him on lap sixteen and kept the lead until the mandatory ten-minute [[Pit lane|pit stop]] at the end of lap twenty. Ten laps later, Gordon took the lead, which he held until all drivers made a second pit stop on lap fifty, when [[Mark Martin]] took the lead. Gordon regained the lead on lap 56, which he held until Earnhardt passed him 10 laps later. Earnhardt won the race by keeping the lead for the final four laps. No [[Racing flags#Yellow flag|yellow flag cautions]] were issued during the race, which had 13 lead changes among 7 different drivers.

==Background==

==Background==