Lowe's Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.
Format and eligibility
The 90 laps of the Nextel All-Star Challenge was divided into three segments. Caution laps between segment breaks were not counted. The first segment was 40 laps long. Mandatory 10-minute pit stops/breaks were implemented in between both segment breaks. During the first 10-minute break, a random ping pong ball (each ball would have one NASCAR on Fox announcer or pit reporter on it) picked by Chris Myers would lead Myers to open a giant, promotional Nextel flip phone of the corresponding announcer. Each phone had a number that would decide how many cars would be inverted to start Segment 2, a 30-lap segment. After the second 10-minute break, drivers would race in a 20-lap shootout to decide the winner of the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
Drivers who had won in the previous season and the first 11 eleven races of the current season were automatically eligible to qualify for the Nextel All-Star Challenge. In addition, previous champions and former Nextel All-Star Challenge winners within the last 10 years (1994-2003) were also automatically eligible.
Teams who were not automatically eligible to qualify, but still wanted to have a chance at entering the Nextel All-Star Challenge were made to race in a qualifying race called the Nextel Open, a 30-lap shootout event where the winner of the event would qualify to race in the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Teams who were in the Top 50 in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series owner's points standings were allowed to race in the Nextel Open. In addition, a televote was made open to the public where the driver who got the most votes from the public would also qualify to move on to the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
The first Nextel Open practice was held on Friday, May 22, at 11:45 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Casey Mears of Chip Ganassi Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.525 and an average speed of 182.896 miles per hour (294.343 km/h).[3]
The second and final practice for the Nextel Open, sometimes known as Happy Hour, was held on Friday, May 22, at 1:15 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Jeremy Mayfield of Evernham Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.827 and an average speed of 181.044 miles per hour (291.362 km/h).[4]
The only practice session for the Nextel All-Star Challenge was held on Friday, May 22, at 2:15 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Mark Martin of Roush Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.978 and an average speed of 180.132 miles per hour (289.894 km/h).[5]
Qualifying for the Nextel Open was held on Friday, May 21, at 6:05 PM EST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[2]
Dave Blaney of Bill Davis Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 29.180 and an average speed of 185.058 miles per hour (297.822 km/h).[6]
Qualifying for the Nextel All-Star Challenge was held on Friday, May 21, at 7:10 PM EST. Each driver would run 3 laps each, with each driver having to do a mandatory pit stop within those three laps.[2]
Rusty Wallace of Penske-Jasper Racing would win the pole with a time of 2:03.998 and an average speed of 130.647 miles per hour (210.256 km/h).[7]
