The 2003 Winston Cup Schedule
By M.L. Morgan
(June 15, 1999)
Nascar never rides on their laurels - if they have any to ride on. Race Views sent one of our teams of crack professional, unbiased investigative reporters down to Daytona recently. They came back with this exclusive preview of what the Winston Cup Schedule will look like for 2003.
January, 2003
Week 1: Daytona 500 - Used to be in February but all the preliminary crap is gone - 2 hours to qualify.
Week 2: Homestead , FL - cheaper than going to Richmond - we're already in FL.
Week 3: Tampa, FL - new road course - ditto for the scheduling.
Week 4: Billings, MT: Another new track. Both of the fans there asked for a race date and they got one.
February, 2003
Week 1: Richmond, VA: Of course it will be snowing. But at least they got a date.
Week 2: Rockingham: Another bad date, but such is life.
Week 3: Atlanta: You know Bruton will never get a good date.
Week 4: Biloxi, MS: Another new track bought with gambling proceeds from that riverboat casino which sank. This race will also sink.
March, 2003
Week 1: Las Vegas: Bruton Smith doesn't own this track any more so it's fairly safe to race on.
Week 2: Alberta, Canada: Another new track - don't know much about it. Owned by the Earnhardts.
Week 3: Denver, CO: Another of the newer tracks. Owned by ISC. You knew they would get a date.
Week 4: Kansas City, MO: Ditto, but a really bad track. Trust me.
April, 2003
Week 1: Texas: At least we only have to visit this track once a year. It was tragic when that crew member nearly drowned in the pits last year.
Week 2: Charlotte: Walt Disney and Evel Knieval would be proud.
Week 3: Dover: Seems logical, doesn't it.
Week 4: Pocono - same old stuff.
May, 2003
Starting our foreign leg of the tour.
Week 1: Nagasaki, Japan: One of the newer tracks. Very popular since Toyota has developed their vree 8 and entered Winston Cup Racing. Darrell Waltrip's career has been reborn.
Week 2: Jdansk, Poland: This is a tough track.
Week 3: Kosovo, Yugoslavia: I'll send one of the cub reporters.
Week 4: Ho Chi Minh City: Bill France is a greedy little shit.
June, 2003
Back to the U.S. of A, well at least North America.
Week 1: Saskatchewan 200: This is a tough race. The slick tires don't perform well on snow.
Week 2: Racine, WI 50. Too damn cold to run longer than that.
Week 3: Watkins Glen: Been there - done that.
Week 4: Baja 500 - interesting stategical move by Nascar.
July, 2003
Week 1: Fujiama 400 from Daytona. Little international flavor.
Week 2: Loudon, NH: Nice track but a long ways to haul in between races.
Week 3: Little Rock, AK: Hillary wanted a track so she got one.
Week 4: Butte, MT 400: Just because we are so close.
August, 2003
Week 1: The Indy 1000: Trust me.That's a greedy little sucker.Tony George can sell a lot of hot dogs.
Week 2: The Michigan 100. Trust me again.
Week 3: The California 500, nice little segue. It's only 2,000 miles away. At least Nascar is consistent.
Week 3: This one is still up in the air. Either a 2nd race in Poland or a race in North Carolina.
Week 4: Martinsville: Now they get a token race every few years. This is their year.
Week 1: New race from New York City sponsored by Pace Picante Sauce.
Week 2: Martinsville, again. We remember who owns this track, don't we, boys and girls ?
Week 3: Portland, OR: Another new track. Now we'll get to see how those rain tires work.
Week 4: Back to California. Fun place to race.
October, 2003
Week 1: Charlotte: Believe it or not they still have a 2nd date but this will be the last season.
Week 2: Back to Talladega. At least they no longer use the restrictor plates.
Week 3: Rockingham - the race from Hell - I remember when it used to be 500 laps. I'd buy that track myself just to shut it down.
Week 4: Chicago, IL : New track- new race. Timing isn't very good
November, 2003
Week 1: Phoenix : Like who cares.
Week 2: Augusta, ME: New track - Doesn't mean squat.
Week 3: Spring Hope, NC: Another new track. One of the shorter ones.
Week 4: Atlanta: Spare me, please - terrible track.
December, 2003
No racing dates are set. December will be used for make-up dates for races which were rained out, or whatever. Remember where you heard it first.
Have comments or questions ? E:mail:M.L. Morgan
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