2003 EA Sports 500 - Finish

[@austinsteed1581]

We need Allan Bestwick back in NASCAR broadcasting

[@quentindiaz9418]

I almost forgot Mikey actually won some of these races where he and Dale teamed up for the one two finish. It always seems to be him blocking for Jr. Just sucks Steve Park never became an actual tag partner. DEI was the next big thing since 2001, if Dale Sr was still alive, DEI would have been like Henrdick right now, not Joe Gibbs Racing (which is one of my teams).

[@Kuromori-v9z]

People tend to forget just how damn good Michael is at drafting. He consistently kept up with Dale Jr at Daytona and Talladega when Jr was in his absolute prime and driving those beasts that DEI made for the restrictor plates, so for Michael to keep up with him shows his level of skill. Such a shame that post DEI he never found the same success, if MWR had been as good as they became in the early 10s he could've won a couple races.

[@SpontaneousSubstance.]

That waltrip 3 car block was amazing at around 3:35! Great great nascar race I'll never forget it. People don't realize how great Mikey was in 01-03 in the super speed ways. 03 Mikey was amazing and took 2 restrictor wins and a 2nd place to dale. That's amazing

[@DaytonaPrototypes]

5:19 I love when Michael climbed out of the escape hatch.

[@jrfan07]

The sound, the racing, 4 and 5 wide all in a big wod coming to the checkerd. OMG I miss this stuff!!! We took for granted how awesome it was until we lost it. Hopefully we see the return of this type of plate racing in the very near future :)

[@jonesjohn4566]

I love the generation 4 cars 1992-2007 those were the good times.

[@xEKALBx]

i was at that race and it was incredible! the fans went nuts when he came out the roof hatch. it was great.

[@JustColbert]

That pack at the line though. They were 4 and 5 wide at the line

[@mattcampbell912]

I love Alan Bestwick

[@maynardwaltrip]

Those were the best 5 laps of Michael Waltrip's career!

[@speedracer6940]

Ole Mikey sure could drive! but life can change in the Blink of an Eye

[@braves15]

Allen, Wally, and BP were a great team with great chemistry, and you could tell that they all liked each other. It's a shame they had to split that team up and put Weber in the booth.

[@mofoprada]

This has got to be Michael's most impressive win... His car had the wrong gear, which made him struggle in the pack. Despite that, he was able to get the lead late in the race and literally "block" the whole field. Great job by Michael.

[@mikeyoungblood94]

He was just able to block Jr at the tri-oval

[@Kuromori-v9z]

@@mikeyoungblood94 He blocked Gordon, Harvick and Junior coming out of 4, 3 cars had runs on him and he blocked all three. Michael was an ace.

[@m140m]

Great call as usual at the end by AB.

[@gadgefan48]

The good ole days of DEI.

[@wimpman94]

Look at Mikey making himself 4-wide blocking everyone, you don't see that anymore!

[@RacingWorldTV202]

Man those Monte Carlos look awesome!

[@flyer2359]

Nascar was a lot better when it was still sponsored by Winston, and this finish shows it.

[@ldog70]

@Jones John- Man i totally agree. I was at the 2011 Aaron's 499. The finish was pretty good, but the rest of the race stunk. I would have given anything to have went to one of these races with this engine. I love the sound of these restrictor plate engines. The new ones sound like crap. These not only sound good, but really makes the cars sound like they are wound out to max RPM.

[@racermac1988]

NBC was great until they put Bill Webber at lead announcer and moved Allen Bestwick to pit road.

[@TVXchristianTVX]

I Love How Tony Always Seems to Come In The Top At the End Of The Race..

[@raysore_]

4:29 Robert Pressley's Talladega ride was a Dodge Intrepid R/T instead of the usual Ford Taurus. Look for the yellow car with the "Jasper" sponsoring.

[@ryanmorrison3699]

Razor440 Pretty sure it was Dave Blaney in 2003, but you’re right. This was the only rave Jasper Racing used the Intrepid in 2003.

[@DanielFigueroaPalomo]

What a way to finish the last Talladega race of the Winston Cup Era!!!!

[@ParasiteQueen1]

Jr. was good back then!! I miss him in the 8. The first time I watch NASCAR (i wish i watched earlier) was in 2004, the Daytona 500. GOOD TIMES. p.s. screw Jimmie Johnson

[@costalucas98]

The new car will bring it back, man. I miss this kind of racing too :(

[@CEO100able]

What a mess at the end! Decent finish though.

[@RuneMacer55]

Does Mark Martin Crash at every super speedway?

[@18carNASCAR]

The sound of these restrictor plate engines... sexy todays resctricor plate cars, screaming beasts that sound terrible

[@mikemgd9320]

miss you BP...GREAT Race...

[@ragingdemon07]

another classic race at Talladega. This race had an awesome finish and this was the last time Talladega had a good race and these were the good times.

[@PneumaticTire]

@flyer2359 And maybe you didn't understand my question, so I'll reword it. How did Winston being the series sponsor affect the racing at all?

[@Sportsgamer92]

@mattbachman, safety is more important than anything, that is why they have these new cars. Plus, the new cars don't take as much damage as the old cars do, and they are more resistant and stick to the track for less accidents, and the downforce straightens the cars out.

[@Video24Maker]

@jrfan07 im hoping the new 2013 chassis will somehow fuck up the two car draft. let's hope we do get this kind of racing back.

[@Clutch2414]

I miss this type of restrictor plate racing not this two car tengo lovebug bullshit:(

[@mikezap1800]

i will never understand why they took allen bestwick from the booth

[@jrfan07]

so if ther was an accident would you have rather this finish under caution?

[@vettedude418]

GREAT POST

[@1991timoteo]

i was at this race...it was a good race

[@NASCARMidwestFilms]

awesome finish

[@PneumaticTire]

@flyer2359 WTF does the series title sponsor have to do with it? LOLOL

[@JuniorNationFan]

Man, this is the racing I remember.

[@Jrweiser8]

prime example of never say die! Who would've thought! Great race!

[@ParasiteQueen1]

ESPN's broadcasts of NASCAR dont blow. ESPN's broadcasts of NASCAR suck.

[@caseyreavis]

this is the racing i miss, forget the two car hook up...

[@thunderball009]

Is it me, or were the 5-wide for 5th at the finish line?

[@mofoprada]

To also add: Although Michael's car had been wrongly geared by his team, it had a gear that was designed for someone to be leading. Look from 1:52 to 2:20 in the video. Look at the leads that Michael & Jr. were able to get on the field. Those two cars, especially Michael's (which had a larger lead than Jr.), were geared to lead. That's why Michael struggled in the pack during the race, but was very strong out front....

[@FootballGuy1738]

This was a great race

[@mengers06]

ive been looking for this for a while... do you have the interview too?

[@jonathonchapman7269]

God I miss single file restarts

[@warped3x]

what a great finish

[@thunderball009]

What was with Bobby Labonte being the first car the get wrecked in the big one? 2001 he gets flipped, and this one he gets turned into the field after the checkered flag.

[@justinbaker1873]

Mikeys last won

[@ihazdashcam]

He won the 2005 Duels as well, and the 2011 Truck race at Daytona.

[@Stealthcola]

If it wasn't for Bill Webber I bet NBC would still be airing NASCAR races. TNT and ESPN Blow

[@KingCuervo88]

i still think if jr went with gordon in turn 3 on the last lap he could have won 5 in a row

[@Noonecanknow879]

Yeah the new car is the most similar to the 2003-2007 car.

[@cctitansfan]

TALLADEGA 4 LIFE

[@STP43FAN1]

DEI found out how to make aero changes in the transmission tunnel area in 2000-1 and that made their cars close to unpassable in most plate races. The rest of the field eventually figured this out and by 2005 DEI was toast on the plate tracks.

[@Ragingcroc]

and Bill Webber isn't?

[@bakinginheat9201]

R.I.P BP. But how in the hell do you wreck after the Checkers? But that was a great race.

[@darrenayotte]

All about that Metallica tune...so many great memories. The early 2000’s NBC broadcasts were the best they’ve ever been.

[@jrfan07]

i wouldnt trash punch though, he made a good pit reported back in the day, would be neat to see allen bestwick in the booth again, hes a great anouncer:)

[@ThatDudeNamedDale]

Agreed. Allen Bestwick is one of the best. Not exactly the next Benny Parsons, but hes good.

[@Nascarfan344]

The day dale jr dega streak ended but at least it was his teammate and no one else

[@xEKALBx]

i was at that race and it was amazing!

[@NoahRonaldo22]

3:48 the same 2 Positions when they lost their best friend

[@clark38571]

@flyer2359 I still call it Winston Cup sometimes. I miss these days.

[@djwick50]

no more racing like this thanks brian france and COT

[@conorhorn2471]

Aren't many times they wreck after the line unintentionally

[@mofoprada]

@djr1581 And unfortunately that bad luck carried into 2004. He had a top 10 car at Daytona = wreck, top 10 car at Rockingham = bad transmission, top 15 car at Las Vegas = wrecked by Bill Elliot. He also had a flat tire at Darlington and got wrecked by Rusty Wallace at Pocono while running in the top 10 - 15. That terrible luck at the beginning of 2004 ruined Michael's chances at making the chase. Michael Waltrip is a great racecar driver. He just needs a good car and good luck.

[@VinstonCup]

I agree. Bring back Allen Bestwick!

[@WWENASCARFAN]

They need to let bob jenkens, ned jarrett, and ken squior announce at dega and daytona.

[@blufey2925]

another lap and that 29 would've been doing the burnout.

[@ragingbull154]

I was there that day!!

[@mofoprada]

@djr1581 Soooo true. He was great this year. Won the 500 (with the 2nd best car). Won this raced with a less than impressive car; it was a cow in the pack, Mikey just made something out of it. He also could have won the fall race at Loudon if it wasn't for the gasman late in the race. He just had the worst luck that anyone could have the last 1/3 of the year. Wrecking at Bristol with a top 10 car, top 5 cars at Atlanta (fall), Rockingham (fall) and Homestead only to blow tires and engines there.

[@flyer2359]

@PneumaticTire It's called an "era", maybe you've never heard of it.

[@wawwwaaa]

DJ will be just as good as his dad was

[@TriumphantPenguin2]

I hope Waltrip can win at another plate track before the end of 2013.......

[@STP43FAN1]

@bakinginheat9201 Yes, but the way NASCAR handles this rule the EIRI clause often trumps that.

[@talladegajunkie1439]

@timduncan21spursfan, I got an idea for ESPN/ABC: How about Allen Bestwick, Andy Petree and kyle Petty?

[@ItsWithinYou11]

im surprisd crashes after the start finish dont happen more often at talladega and daytona

[@mikeyoungblood94]

Dale Jr was a good teammate here…could have spun Waltrip to win the race but didn’t

[@wawwwaaa]

Rusty's out...DJ's in for ESPN. Rusty will be with Brad (maybe)he's still with ESPN, but DJ will be the play-by-play guy instead of Rusty

[@penske369]

i miss bp

[@vettedude418]

if only they could have alan, mike, darrell, and larry in some booth in fox

[@71rjeelykcir]

RIP NASCAR 1948-2004

[@unknown0508]

*1999-2011

[@twistedrules1]

dude my dad was at this race and back at the hosue we where watching it to and well when the race wass till going on we called him and we asked him if he saw the flip and he sayed yeah

[@seannolan9857]

Michael McDowell tried doing this here in 2024... much less successfully.

[@STP43FAN1]

2:58 watch Stewart all the way below the line.

[@vettedude418]

they broke talladega :,(..it just doesnt seem as....warm..and nascarish without the old cars and the concrete track

[@ZWeinstein15]

Yeah I miss NBC from those first 3 years. I wish Ken Squier or Ned Jarrett could save that train wreck of NBC and too bad Bob Jenkins couldnt go back to ESPN. Idk I use to like Fox but lately they just ramble and ramble

[@michaelmaristela2507]

3:50 3:51

[@Ruddfan1997]

Bring Allen Bestwick back to play by play imo

[@xEKALBx]

i was there

[@Scar7752]

wow 7:05 look at the front of Jr's car xD

[@Twelve5s]

When racing was good...

[@mattbachman1]

and the stupid new cars are too damn fat, and the SAFER barrier takes room away. They're too concerned about safety-people will get injured, and the HANS device is enough

[@88Willie888]

2nd place for Jr. , all good.

[@sn0wbengal]

i feel the same way

[@storm24awesome]

now this is talladega racing, not this 2 car tandem crap

[@fatpatlives1998]

hell yeah no better tag team they owned daytona and tally for a while jeff just beat people cause his cars were better jr and micheal worked as team