NASCAR's Busch Series celebrated Independence Day with fireworks both on and off the track, under the lights of Daytona International Speedway. The Winn-Dixie 250 marks the halfway point of the 2003 season, and like every Busch race at Daytona, attracted some of the Winston Cup Series' best drivers to join the field.
It looked as though Kasey Kahne would take his first pole until the final qualified, Dale Earnhardt Jr., took the track and again confirmed his Daytona dominance with a lap time just slightly faster than Kahne's. Series point leader David Green qualified a disappointing 22nd.
When the green flag waved to mark the start of the 100-lap event, Dale Earnhardt Jr. held his position at the front of the pack easily as the rest of the field battled for position behind him. His teammate Michael Waltrip, who started 3rd, stayed close on his bumper as they opened up a small lead over the rest of the field.
The first caution of the day came on lap 43, when Mike Bliss spun down pit road after contact from Larry Hollenbeck. After a 1 lap delay to clear Bliss's car from pit road, the entire field headed down pit road for the only scheduled stops of the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. took just two tires, as did most of the leaders, and exited pit road first to hold on to the lead.
At the halfway point, Earnhardt and Waltrip were again racing nose to tail and slowly pulling away from the rest of the field, as Ron Hornaday, Jaime McMurray and Greg Biffle battled for third behind them.
The yellow flag waved for the second time as Kasey Kahne spun down into the infield and back up the track through the field. Despite spinning through the thick of the field, no other cars got caught in the wreck. Under caution, the leaders stayed out, but the field from 5th position on back headed down pit in hopes that fresh tires could provide to be an advantage. On the restart, Ron Hornaday took second from Michael Waltrip briefly, but Waltrip charged around Hornaday to reclaim the spot.
The final caution of the evening came out with 13 laps to go, when Brad Baker spun into the grass. As the field slowed to avoid him, Chase Montgomery and Damon Lusk made contact, but all were able to recover and head into the pits for repairs. In the final laps, Michael Waltrip tried to challenge Earnhardt for the lead, but Earnhardt held him off to take the checkered flag and continue his Busch Series winning streak by leading every one of the race's 100 laps.
Unofficial Results
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Michael Waltrip
- Jamie McMurray
- Ron Hornaday
- Johnny Sauter
- Scott Riggs
- Brian Vickers
- Todd Bodine
- Mike McLaughlin
- Shane Hmiel
Unofficial Standings
- Scott Riggs
- David Green -2
- Ron Hornaday -33
- Todd Bodine -43
- Jason Keller -84
- Brian Vickers -88
- Bobby Hamilton Jr -191
- Johnny Sauter -230
- Shane Hmiel -315
- Scott Wimmer -317
