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Samsung/Radio Shack 500 - Texas Motor Speedway
Newman Claims First Win of 2003
Labonte Wins Second Pole of 2003
Ryan Newman won his first race of the 2003 season, taking the checkered flag in the Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Newman passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 11 laps remaining and pulled away to his second career victory. The win was the first for Newman in a Dodge and was the first trip to victory lane for the manufacture this season. Newman led four times on the day for a total of 77 laps and won by a margin of 3.405 seconds. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon put on an exciting battle for second place, with Earnhardt taking the spot by .002 seconds ahead of Gordon in third. Jerry Nadeau scored his best finish of the season, coming home in fourth, as Mark Martin rounded out the top five. Point leader Matt Kenseth finished sixth and extended his lead atop the standings to 155 points. Newman becomes the seventh different winner in seven events at Texas Motor Speedway.
Texas native Bobby Labonte grabbed his second pole position of the 2003 season, speeding to the top of the starting grid for the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Labonte turned in the fastest qualifying lap of the season, navigating the 1.5-mile track in 27.905 seconds, at an average speed of 193.514 mph. For Labonte, it was the 23rd pole of his Winston Cup career. Elliott Sadler will join Labonte on the front row, starting from the second spot, after qualifying at 193.313 mph. Ryan Newman will start third, his fifth straight start of third or better, while Jimmie Johnson starts fourth.
