|| *Comments on the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400:* View the most recent comment <#73> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Chris Cadiz posted: 03.20.2004 - 2:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Undoubtably one of the closest and most exciting finishes in NASCAR history, as Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch beat and bang on eachother down the frontstretch to the checkered flag. An amazing finish at the "Track Too Tough to Tame." 2. Aaron 'Camp Daddy' Camp posted: 06.19.2004 - 10:36 pm Rate this comment: (7) (0) This was the greatest NASCAR race ever!!! Here's the call by Mike Joy, Larry McRenyolds, and Darrell Waltrip: DW: Here he comes, he's got 'em. LM: IT'S GONNA BE A DRAG RACE! LM: THEY TOUCH! THEY TOUCH! All 3 simultaneously: CRAVEN!!! DW: CRAVEN GOT HIM! MJ: All right! DW: Craven got him! DW: What a finish! MJ: Have you ever? DW: No I've never! 3. Sebastien posted: 06.30.2004 - 2:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Awesome finish ! Those last laps were great, Craven sent Busch in the wall and hold him until the s/f line then spun out ! When is the 0.001 sec scheduled ? 4. HomeDepotKid posted: 07.19.2004 - 4:08 pm Rate this comment: (7) (0) The race that probably saved Ricky Craven's career from being known primarily for injury. Now-a-days, people will see Ricky Craven and not think of the injuries that plagued him earlier in his career, but of THIS race. And that's great. 5. Jack Lewis posted: 07.28.2004 - 5:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The greatest finish in NASCAR history. I still get chills watching the replays. 6. Jake posted: 08.19.2004 - 6:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Coolest finish ever in NASCAR!!! 7. Heather posted: 02.08.2005 - 6:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Best. Finish. EVER. 8. MASH_guy posted: 08.15.2005 - 5:37 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The finish for this race ranked #7 on CMT's "40 Greatest NASCAR Moments". 9. Wrapper posted: 10.19.2005 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Closest timed finish ever, last win by a Pontiac, last win (as of today) by a single-car team -- and perhaps THE most exciting race of the modern NASCAR era. 10. chad richardson posted: 03.04.2006 - 3:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) that was good race between craven busch 11. Sunoco posted: 03.06.2006 - 7:21 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) That was a truly great race. Gotta love your Nascar. 12. D.E.I. JR #1 posted: 03.25.2006 - 12:58 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Goddamn cable went out either shortly before, or shortly after the start, (can't recall) ended up missing it. 13. RJ posted: 04.12.2006 - 3:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In 20 years, NASCAR fans will look back on this race with the same reverence as classics like the '79 Daytona 500. This race was an instant classic from the moment the checkered flag fell, even when the record no longer stands. (BTW: Dave Blaney career best WOO!) 14. DaleJrfan14 posted: 04.25.2006 - 4:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) nadeau started well too bad he finished so bad. 15. Jeff posted: 05.13.2006 - 8:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was there in person and what a thing to see. Craven knocking Busch off the wall in turn 1 and then Busch doing the same back to Craven in Turn 2 of the same lap with 1 to go and then that final lap where Craven drew to the inside of Busch in Turn 4 and that drag race with the smoke pouring out from in between those cars all the way to the finish line. Simply the greatest thing I've ever witnessed in NASCAR and I am simply happy as hell that I was there to see it. :) 16. Steve posted: 06.02.2006 - 7:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elliott Sadler won his first pole for this race. In the words of Darrell Waltrip, "ALLRIGHT!!! WHAT A FINISH!!!" 17. Darrell posted: 11.30.2006 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last win for PPI Motorsports. 18. James W. McLaughlin posted: 01.04.2007 - 12:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not only PPI Motorsports' last win, but also the last hurrah for Pontiac. They dropped out of NASCAR racing after 2003. 19. Brock posted: 01.18.2007 - 6:41 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Nadeau not only ran well early, but managed to do a complete 360 while running in the top 5 and not hit anything or anyone. Also, a fact that often gets overlooked in this race is the pass Kurt Busch made to get the lead in the first place. When Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon were battling side-by-side for the lead, Busch made a three-wide pass to the inside on the backstretch to nab the top spot. Only then was the stage set for Craven's incredible rally. 20. DaleJrFan15 posted: 02.24.2007 - 11:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh Nadeau did?Cool...then why did he finish terrribly?No matter...we still miss you Nadeau. 21. The Real Thomas posted: 07.19.2007 - 8:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was an excellent race. At the time, I wanted Kurt to win, but I wasn't upset that Ricky Craven beat him because I've always liked Ricky. Now I'm REALLY glad he beat that sellout Busch. What set up the finish was that Busch lost his power steering with about 10 to go. It kept coming back on intermittenly, subsequently jerking the wheel out of his hands. In addition, Ricky was pretty fast and nipped him at the line. Don't remember why Nadeau faltered. That is interesting that this is also the last win for Pontiac and for a single-car team in addition to obviously being the closest timed finish. I didn't realize how historic it actually was! It was also the second to last Darlington race fully held in the daytime. 22. Mr. Big posted: 08.08.2007 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What a race...saw it on FOX live. Me and my dad were watching and after Sterling got wrecked by J.J. then we saw Craven coming up and we were rooting for him. But wow...never seen a race as good as this one except maybe the 2005 Coca-Cola 600. 23. FHgrad99 posted: 08.24.2007 - 4:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That was the most exciting finish I have seen in my 16 years of watching NASCAR. Those last few laps resembled a brawl between two drivers and their cars. It's a testimate to how bad Craven and Kurt Busch wanted to win this race. If you didn't find that finish exciting, then you need to have your pulse checked. 24. MegaRacer posted: 08.26.2007 - 9:00 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Wasn't this like the 2000th race in Cup history? 25. Woodbridge posted: 02.26.2008 - 7:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never going to forget this race, what a finish! I was hoping that Busch and Craven would slow eachother up just enough for Blaney to slip past them. :D 26. Clayton posted: 03.16.2008 - 10:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I thought Craven lost his power steering. This was the best race in NASCAR history I mean what a finish! Who would have thought Craven would have won this race! I was happy, Not a huge Kurt Busch fan but this race, oh man you can't put into words how awesome this finish was!! The greatest race I have ever seen in my 20 years of watching NASCAR!! 27. NazRacePhan posted: 03.27.2008 - 4:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nope... #1,999... 28. bduddy posted: 06.03.2008 - 11:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Quote: Nadeau not only ran well early, but managed to do a complete 360 while running in the top 5 and not hit anything or anyone. A 360 spin and no yellow? Blasphemy! 29. Rad83 posted: 07.03.2008 - 1:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Michael Waltrip in the Top 5 (Cough). Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon were in contention for the win until the last 20 laps. This race was amazing. Craven was a cool guy. I'm happy he beat Busch in this race. Shame the 32 no longer races. PPI started with so much promise, but eventually would fade away. Does Craven even race anymore? 30. Carmen posted: 07.30.2008 - 1:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rad83 I'm not sure if he races but he has been on ESPN and NASCAR Live. Not sure but wasn't this my Bill's first top 10 of 2003? 31. Roadkill posted: 08.06.2008 - 9:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Nadeau suffered some sort of mechanical failure as a result of his spin, and lost several laps in the pits. The FOX crew never really explained it. Even seven laps down, he was almost as fast as the leaders. 32. Clayton posted: 08.25.2008 - 11:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also Mike Skinner's best finish in the 4 car, in what was not a good mix at all for both parties involved. 33. Rad83 posted: 08.31.2008 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) While it was skinner and the 4 car's best run in '03, it was not their best run ever together. At the fall Rockingham race in '02, they finished 6th. But Clayton, you were right about that being a bad combo. 34. Biffrey posted: 10.26.2008 - 7:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wonder which Dave Blaney was happier about: 3rd place or a front row seat for that finish. 35. Steve posted: 11.03.2009 - 12:17 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Blaney was probably wishing the race was 294 laps so he could be like King Richard in the 1979 Daytona 500 and take advantage of P1 and P2 crashing together! Larry Mac: "Side by side, two laps to go; somebody's gotta give gettin' into Turn One." Mike: "Nobody!!! And in the wall goes Busch!" DW: "That's not--That was not a very good idea." Larry: "Look at the crossover move! He got into him!" Mike: "And here comes Blaney! Blaney is now the best car on the track! DW: "Oh, baby!!! I'm tellin' you, Kurt Busch is not gonna give up the win!" Larry: "No, he's not! They'll be comin' to the white flag this time, Ricky Craven's not gonna give up either!" DW: "Come on, Ricky! (obviously wanting the "Tide Ride" to win)" Larry: "He gets that run on the high side right there; Kurt Busch might be struggling with his racecar!" DW: "Here he comes! Here we go again!!! He's gonna wait on this--he's gonna put the crossover on him; he realised that was not a good move on him last time." Mike: "White flag!" DW: "Here he goes. He's gonna try to slide under him here. Come on, baby!" Mike: "And Blaney is coming." Larry: "And both of these cars are drivin' TERRIBLE right now. One lap to go." DW: "Nah; they're drivin' good! Come on, baby. You can do it on this end of the speedway. Come off Four, and get up alongside of him." Mike: "Half of a mile to go!" DW: "Here he comes, here he comes." Larry: "Who's gonna get off Four?" DW: "Here he comes! Here he comes; he's got him this time!" Larry: "It's gonna be a drag race!" Mike: "WOW!!!" Larry: "They touch! They touch!" All: "CRAVEN!!!" DW: "Craven GOT 'IM!!!" Larry: "Craven GOT 'IM!!!" DW: "Craven! Alright! WHAT A FINISH!!!" Mike: "Have you ever?" DW: "No, I never!!!" No, I never, either! 36. blaneyfan66 posted: 11.28.2009 - 9:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thanks, biffrey for actually talking about blaney. This was my first race I ever watched. Haven't missed one since. 37. 18fan posted: 12.24.2009 - 10:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This showed Blaney has talent. Shame he got with Phil Start and Parksons, he finished one race. Also, voted the CUp race of the decade. Not surprising. 38. ams391221 posted: 03.09.2010 - 6:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What happened to Jeff Gordon towards the end? He wasn't listed in the # of cautions and he isn't shown as not finishing. 39. Spen posted: 03.12.2010 - 5:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) While on the subject of Blaney, anyone notice who he was one posistion ahead of in points five races in? Jimmie Johnson. That's got to go down as a career highlight. 40. NASCAR 24/7 posted: 04.04.2010 - 12:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In case no one noticed, Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch were TIED in the points after this race!!! 41. Talon64 posted: 12.03.2010 - 6:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kurt had three 2nd place finishes in the first 5 races but won the next week at Bristol. 42. autryvilleracefan posted: 12.13.2010 - 8:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the last win for Pontiac. The Pontiac teams did pretty well in the late '90s and early '00s. 43. Biscuits in a Red Bull posted: 04.03.2011 - 4:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) HAVE YOU EVER!!! NO I'VE NEVER!!! Legend! Man, I love Waltrips comments!!! 44. Schroeder51 posted: 07.19.2011 - 12:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the very first race I ever attended in person. I was one month shy of 11 years old. My father's workplace had some drawing or something other to win a ticket to the race; he ended up losing. But the person who won kindly gave up their tickets to my father and I. I couldn't have gone to a better first race in my life. Though I was upset to see Jeff Gordon hit the wall with just over ten laps remaining when he was so close to winning. It would have been an incredible memory-my favorite driver winning my first ever race. Still, I could not have attended a better first race. The finish was amazing. I sat right above the start finish line and saw Craven and Busch beat and bang coming to the line. Dave Blaney was catching the both of them at a rapid rate; had there been one more lap I do believe Blaney would have won. Still, Craven fought hard and earned that win. Both of his wins were hard earned. Other highlights I remember include Jeff Burton blowing an engine in front of me, Jimmie Johnson and Sterling Marlin making contact and triggering the big crash, and John Andretti crashing on the frontstretch and coming to a halt just in front of me. 45. Jeff posted: 08.23.2012 - 1:31 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) My 6th ever Cup race, just 2 weeks after my 5th in Vegas. My 2nd Cup race in the Eastern time zone. The only day I've been to South Carolina in my 44+ years of living and it was a GREAT day!!!!!! 46. Teren posted: 01.24.2013 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ricky Craven: I won! Tide Rules! Kurt Busch: We did our Best! Rubbermaid Next Time! 47. Kidracer posted: 05.19.2013 - 8:17 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Why was Brett Bodine in the 57 in this race? 48. myself posted: 06.05.2013 - 11:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (15) I, for one, am sick of seeing replays of this finish. 49. Dylan Bernier posted: 11.14.2013 - 8:32 am Rate this comment: (6) (0) Then you sir should not even watch NASCAR. It was a historic finish. I'm surprised Kurt was even able to hang in there cause he said this year that he had no power steering in the car those final laps. Great finish either way. One to remember for a long time 50. Mike posted: 12.12.2014 - 4:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @38: Gordon bounced off the wall at lap 265 or so, hard enough to damage the suspension. @47: Brett didn't have the sponsorship to run the 11 full-time, so he occasionally ran other cars in the races he didn't enter his own team in. 51. Jack posted: 10.24.2015 - 7:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) As good a finish as you will ever see, good old fashioned beatin' and bangin' to the stripe. Still enjoy watching this finish after 12 years, and will never forget the call "Craven got em"! I worked with a person with the last name Craven and I called him Craven got Em as a salute to this awesome finish. 52. Anthony posted: 02.02.2016 - 12:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Craven!!!!!!!! 53. Big Mac Fan posted: 02.02.2016 - 1:12 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) NASCAR: Both 2003 Darlington races had extremely memorable moments, so let's get rid of the Southern 500 for next year! Darlington in 2003 was awesome. Great finishes, great races all around and all in all just extremely memorable. Even the Busch race the day before had a crazy finish. The removal of the Southern 500 was definetly the beginning of the end for NASCAR as we knew it. 54. joey2448 posted: 02.02.2016 - 3:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, the Busch race was run the day AFTER this race, on a Monday, due to rain that washed out Saturday. 55. Windows Millennium Edition posted: 03.26.2016 - 11:57 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The #01 was involved in the first caution. 56. nascarman posted: 03.26.2016 - 12:59 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Oh yeah, Nadeau had a great 360 and Kenseth and McMurray spun in the aftermath. 57. Windows Millennium Edition posted: 03.26.2016 - 7:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @47 Brett was in the #57 for this race because his race team was running a part time schedule that season and Team CLR needed a driver for this race, so they chose veteran Brett Bodine to drive their car. Ironically he caused the wreck with Sterling Marlin and Jimmie Johnson by holding them up on the race track coming out of turn 4. 58. DEEZ NUTS posted: 07.10.2016 - 2:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) CRAVEN GOT EEM!!! 59. Donnie posted: 08.04.2018 - 9:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was at this race sitting at the start finish line awesome race and finish 60. Anonymous posted: 01.14.2019 - 4:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jerry Nadeau should be added to the list of cars involved in the first caution. He spun in turn 2, but did not hit anything. 61. guac_is_extra_ posted: 03.04.2019 - 9:55 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The second best NASCAR race of all time. 62. Fireball1020 posted: 03.12.2019 - 7:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Still the closest finish in Cup series history 16 years later, although it's been tied. Idk if it will ever be broken. Has NASCAR ever said what they would do if there ever actually is a dead heat, if it's even possible at all? 63. RaceFanX posted: 03.12.2019 - 8:37 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @62 There have been two cases that I know of where this has happened with one in NASCAR, Cale Yarborough and Buddy Baker tied for third place at the 1974 Firecracker 400 at Daytona in the era before electronic timing. NASCAR I think gave Baker third place based on a better starting position but I've seen a few places where it was listed as both taking third. In a more modern race Harry Gant and Ricky Rudd tied for second in the 1992 Daytona IROC race (and it was nearly a tie for the win had Dale Earnhardt not sneaked passed both right at the finish) with both drivers given credit for second place. It would take a lot for there to be a tie though given how good modern finish line cameras and electronic scoring is. Even in squeaker finishes it's usually visible who has won. IndyCar's 2008 race at Chicagoland Speedway featured a finish so close the electronic scoring got the finish wrong, the photo finish camera showed Helio Castroneves won the race, and he got the victory, but the computer timed second-place Scott Dixon as the winner at first (I think the Ganassi and Penske cars had the timing equipment in different places) before it was corrected on review. 64. Anthony posted: 03.16.2019 - 10:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) If you have this race on DVD, the picture format is reframed into 16:9 aspect ratio. Which is interesting because the very first NASCAR race in high definition was the 2004 Daytona 500. I wonder if most of the NASCAR races in 2003 were shot in widescreen despite not being broadcasted in HD? 65. WardburtonFan posted: 06.23.2019 - 10:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @62, had the 2004 Banquet 400 ended just a lap or two earlier,I think Ricky Rudd and Joe Nemechek were in a statiscal dead heat at the finish line if my memory serves me correctly. It can be beaten, just the right circumstances have to happen like that. 66. WardburtonFan posted: 06.23.2019 - 10:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) And to amend my previous comment after some quick Googling, NASCAR does a special section in the rulebook devoted to breaking ties at the finish. 67. TheDewCrew posted: 11.19.2019 - 8:59 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) This race is older than me, but it's still a classic, and if you don't think that finish is exciting, then you should probably go watch something else 68. Rob posted: 03.29.2020 - 2:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This is the race that is scheduled to be shown on FS1 next weekend. 69. Anonymous posted: 03.29.2020 - 3:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hey fox Sports Great choice yes I know Darlington was not amongst the tracks effected the this delay but hey your re-airing and I am glad your airing this again This is an awesome choice. Thanks. Very pleased. Very Pleased, And I loved the ole Tide Ride, It was the first cars I got as a kid, and if Craven wasn't doing well or Ricky Rudd during the late 90's, and early 2000's I still got a lot of them sometimes accidently twice. But I got them. 70. TheDewCrew posted: 04.06.2020 - 8:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Managed to record the last 100 laps for this morning. There wasn't a dull moment. Tire problems, comers and goers, racing, and a great finish. Also gave me a great rush of nostalgia from playing NASCAR Thunder 2004 71. Jordan posted: 04.13.2020 - 7:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not sure why I have never posted for this race before. This was my first Cup race. I attended with my buddy Karl and we sat in the 2nd row just to the turn 4 side of the flag stand. I am pretty sure you can see both Karl and I (albeit blurry) in the famous photo from pit road at the end of the race. The weather that day was disappointing, we had traveled down from Ohio, so a cold and grey day was like being at home. The race to the finish was fun to watch from the stands, with both Craven and Dave Blaney catching Kurt as the laps wound down. Otherwise, there was a parade of Dodge Daytona's and Superbirds pre-race which was cool to see on track and the flyover was conducted by a flight of helicopters rather than the usual jets. 72. GovernorJoe posted: 09.07.2020 - 4:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Best finish ever. The way racing should be. 73. Mile501 posted: 09.09.2020 - 11:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) A few comments/clarifications after re-watching this race: Martin, Gordon, and Sadler seemed to be the cars to beat towards the end of the race but all three ended up dropping back for various reasons. Mark Martin very well may have won this race and denied us this memorable finish, if not for a missing lugnut on his final pit stop. Jeff Gordon hit the wall late which resulted in tire and/or suspension trouble. But even before that, he was dropping back quickly after burning up his tires racing Sadler. Dale Jarrett had just pitted right before the 6th caution and restarted on the tail end of 1 lap down. He and Jeff Gordon made contact a couple of times, damaging Gordon's right front fender a bit. It's unknown whether that minor damage impacted his car towards the end of the race. Jerry Nadeau recovered from his early spin to run in the top 5 through the first half of the race before having some kind of oil-related problem under the hood. Michael Waltrip's 5th-place finish was no fluke. He ran well throughout the race. So did Mike Skinner, though he got trapped a lap down when he pitted just before the same caution that trapped Jarrett 2 laps down. Dave Blaney ran in the top 10 for most of the race. Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven, though, were back in the teens for much of the race, only moving forward towards the end. As I re-watched this race, knowing how the finish played out, I was surprised at how neither of those drivers was a factor until the very end. While Martin, Gordon, and Sadler were battling for the lead during the final run, Craven, Busch, and Blaney were running 4th-6th, saving their tires a bit. Ironically, after this race, Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch were tied for 5th in points with Dave Blaney just behind--just like the finish of the race itself. It was noted during the broadcast that this was a milestone race for 5 different drivers all at the same time: 750th start for Terry Labonte 700th start for Bill Elliott 650th start for Kyle Petty 500th start for Dale Jarrett 300th start for Jeff Burton ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: