These pictures were taken 4/24/03 through 4/27/03 at the California Speedway in Fontana, CA. The race is the Auto Club 500. Click on any thumbnail and a new window will open with a larger version so you can see the details. Close the window to return to the thumbnails.
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I went to see Terry Thursday afternoon. He was appearing at a Stater Brothers Market about an hour drive from home. The whole story is on my Terry Labonte Page. |
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Friday we bought pit passes so we could get some up close pictures. My goal was to get some driver autographs. My friend Audrey took my Bobby Labonte card and got it autographed for me. She has garage credentials! |
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Bobby did stop and sign some autographs as he walked out for qualifying. I even managed to get a second card signed! |
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Mike Skinner signed some on his way out - but he was on the opposite side of the driveway. |
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Johnny Benson also went down the other side. For a while I figured I was on the wrong side. |
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Then Robby Gordon came out and went down our side. |
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Kyle Petty was terrific! He spent a lot of time with the fans. He went back and forth and pretty much covered everybody! |
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Derrick Cope stuck mostly to my side of the driveway. |
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Jerry Nadeau crossed over to the other side just after he went past us. |
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Larry Foyt worked his way along our side. There were a lot of drivers who just walked through waving. |
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This is the back of my head (LOL) as Ken Schrader signed my trading card. Some of the drivers must know a sneaky way out to the track, cause there were many we never saw go by. |
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Casey Mears signed a lot of autographs.
Kurt Busch walked out with his girlfriend - he looked straight ahead, never smiled or waved to the crowd. What a stuck-up jerk.
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Jeff Burton worked his way down my side. Steve Park went by waving - he got past us and someone held out a 1:18 die cast of his car. He took it, held it over his head and turned to show the crowd. Then he autographed it. |
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Earlier, during BGN qualifying, Steadman Marlin signed some autographs. I had him sign the back of my Sterling card. Then when Sterling came out he signed the front! |
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Jeff Gordon signed a lot of autographs. He worked his way back and forth. Unfortunately he worked the other side of the driveway in my area. |
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Jimmy Spencer didn't have a pen - so he used mine. He kept it to sign some others and started to walk away with it, but he brought it back. |
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Terry on pit road during the morning practice. He had stopped right in front of us to get the tires checked. |
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Ricky Rudd and Jimmy Spencer stop for a tire check. |
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Then Jimmy hits the starter switch to refire the car and head to the garage for adjustments. |
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Morning practice getting ready to qualify. |
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Run some laps then take it to the garage for adjustments. |
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Every team looking for the best setup they can find. |
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Kyle Petty heading to the garage for adjustments. |
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Ricky Rudd Anybody else keep seeing this car and thinking Elliott Sadler? |
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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
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Jeremy Mayfield |
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Ken Schrader |
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Matt Kenseth |
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Jeff Burton |
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Jeff Green |
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What part of "Turn here" did Hideo misunderstand? No wonder he can't qualify for the races - in practice he ran 177 everyone else was running 182+. |
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Tony Stewart |
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Michael Waltrip |
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John Andretti |
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Rusty Wallace |
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Bill Elliott |
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Johnny Benson |
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Ryan Newman |
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Robby Gordon |
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Kurt Busch |
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Mark Martin |
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Jammie McMurray |
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Sunday morning and the cars sit waiting for their drivers. |
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The scoring tower shows the starting grid. |
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Bill Elliott & Ricky Rudd were presented an award. It had something to do with the old Riverside, CA track - but I can't remember what it was. |
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After being introduced to the crowd, Michael Waltrip walks past the military band to get into a parade car and ride around the track. |
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Mark Martin on his way to the cars. |
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Bobby jogged to his car. This whole ride around the track was stupid. They got in just past the start/finish, drove into turn one and around the track ito the pit entrance at turn 4. By passing the entire front stretch! |
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Arnold Schwarzenegger was the Honorary Starter. |
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After their ride around the track DJ and Kyle chat while Jeff Green shakes hands with some guy on pit road. |
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Meanwhile, driver introductions continue and Dale Jr makes his way across the grass. |
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Steve Park gets his Pole Sitter award. Sure is a shame his day ended on the first lap. |
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Arnold waved to the crowd from the starter's stand. |
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Two Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopters with #54 decals circle the track. |
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Then the first four soldiers repelled down to the track. |
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As the second four soldiers prepare to jump the other helicopter circles in the background. |
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The soldiers brought The Colors with them. |
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They present the flag as the military band preformed The National Anthem. |
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The field lined up behind the pace car run a couple warm up laps. |
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The crowd cheers as they come by. |
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Everyone is just about ready to go. |
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Arnold waves the green flag as Steve Park passes the start/finish line. |
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Lap one, turn two Steve lost it taking out Ryan Newman. Then Gregg Biffle and Jack Sprague got together a few laps later. Jack brings his damaged car to pit road. |
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Followed by the rest of the field. |
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Tires changed, fuel topped off Kevin heads down pit road. |
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Officials watch closely to make sure all lug nuts are present. |
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Later in the race, Kyle gets fresh tires and a cool drink. |
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Rear tire carrier better watch out or the air hose is gonna get him! |
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Terry makes a quick pit stop for gas and tires. |
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These are big pit stalls - but Robby Gordon comes really close to Mike Skinner's front tire changer as he enters his pit. |
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Hoses flying, crew running and the over head camera records it all for the crew to review later. |
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Lot of smoke as Jerry Nadeau spins coming off turn 4. |
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Craven takes his smoking car down pit road. |
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Joe Nemecheck makes a quick pit stop. Unfortunately his car won't look like this much longer. |
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Jeremy Mayfield brings his battered car down pit road to the attention of his crew. |
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Lots of rear end damage to Joe's car. |
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Crewman looks underneath to see just how bad the damage is. |
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NASCAR official watches the repairs to Joe's car as Mayfield takes his car back to the crew again. |
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On lap 230 DJ hit the wall. The accident involved other cars, one of them Johnny Benson. |
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Coming out of turn 4 on the white flag lap Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin got together. Mark spun through the front stretch grass. |
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Jimmie Johnson cam to a stop right in front of us. |
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The race finished under caution. The field heads to the garage. |
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Bobby finished 2nd! |
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These guys hope for better luck next week. |
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Joe Nemecheck takes his battered car to the garage as race winner Kurt Busch heads for Victory Circle. |
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Somewhere in the confetti Kurt climbs from the car. |
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And the scoring tower shows the final race results. |
This page created on a Macintosh using PhotoPage by John A. Vink.