|| *Comments on the 2003 Race 1:* View the most recent comment <#7> | Post a comment <#post> 1. RaceFanX posted: 12.31.2007 - 3:31 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mark Martin returns to IROC after a 3 year absence by laying a hurting on the field and picking up his 11th IROC victory. There were no crashes in this race although Steve Kinser spun out in the tri-oval at one point. The starting grid for first IROC race of season is the luck of the draw, but it still is wierd to have a stock car race at Daytona with two World of Outlaws regulars starting on the front row. 2. Anonymous posted: 03.14.2009 - 11:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Number / Color / Driver 1 / Black / Steve Kinser 2 / Silver / Danny Lasoski 3 / Purple / Sam Hornish, Jr. 4 / Rose / Jimmie Johnson 5 / Aqua / Felipe Giaffone 6 / Red / Mike Bliss 7 / Cream / Ryan Newman 8 / Green / Mark Martin 9 / Orange / Kurt Busch 10 / Medium Blue / Helio Castroneves 11 / Gold / Kevin Harvick 12 / Light Blue / Greg Biffle 3. RaceFanX posted: 02.01.2011 - 4:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) IROC debuts for Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Mike Bliss and Felipe Giaffone. Giaffone would only run the first two races due to injuries suffered in the IRL race at Kansan with his 10th here being his best in IROC. 4. Unser1 posted: 07.02.2011 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Helio Castroneves made a great save in the latter half of the tri-oval after contact from behind from Giaffone (possibly helped by Mark Martin but too close to tell). He recovered quickly and almost didn't lose the draft. This was Giaffone's first-ever race in a stock car, he never even drove one before testing one at Daytona on the Tuesday before the race. 5. RaceFanX posted: 01.27.2018 - 12:11 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Tony Stewart, the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, was naturally offered an invitation to compete in the 2003 IROC season but turned it down, becoming the second Cup champion in a row to decline the invitation after Jeff Gordon chose not to take part in 2002. Stewart cited his need to focus on his commitments to his NASCAR team and his efforts to repeat as that series' champion as preventing him from being a part of the action. While Gordon never returned to IROC Smoke eventually would for the final IROC season in 2006. IIRC Stewart's decision not to be a part of IROC this season, especially given his "he'll race anything, anywhere" reputation, combined with sponsorship concerns the series had at the time with True Value about to depart and Pontiac having already dropped manufacturer support led many to wonder if the series was in trouble. 6. RaceFanX posted: 01.27.2018 - 12:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The 2003 IROC season saw the series continuing to race stock cars modeled after Pontiac Firebird Trans-Ams. This is notable because that car was no longer in production, General Motors put the Firebird and its corporate cousin the Chevrolet Camaro out to pasture after the 2002 model year. Pontiac was no longer backing IROC at this point, they dropped support after 2001, so it made it little difference and with no other manufacturers stepping up to take over the role the Firebirds would remain in use through the end of IROC after its 2006 season. The Camaro would eventually return to showrooms in 2010 but Pontiac didn't last long enough for the Firebird to ever be revived. Of course with IROC long dead at that point we'll also likely never see a return of the famous IROC-Z Camaro either. 7. Rich posted: 04.13.2021 - 6:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bob Jenkins along with Scott Goodyear and Jeff Burton were the commentators. Dr. Jerry Punch was the sole pit road reporter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: