2003 Winston Cup schedule announced

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR officials on Monday released the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule, a lineup of 36 series championship events that will begin Feb. 16 with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

The season -- which will end Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- has no changes from 2002 in terms of the number of races on the schedule or the sites. But there is one significant alteration: The annual fall event at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., has been switched to a Saturday night (Oct. 11).

"Obviously, night races have become very popular with the fans," said Jerry Gappens, vice president of public relations for Lowe's Motor Speedway. "When we moved The Winston and the Coca-Cola 600 to a night race in the '90s, it make a tremendous difference. We think that this will be good for everyone.

"Attendance should increase at the track because they have another travel day built in. The TV networks will benefit because October is during the ratings sweeps.

"But best of all, it gives the teams another Sunday off during the 20-week stretch of the season."

Lowe's Motor Speedway was the first superspeedway to add lights, hosting The Winston in 1992 and putting the Coca-Cola 600 under illumination in 1993.

The NASCAR Winston Cup Series again visits 23 tracks, in a total of 19 states.

2003 NASCAR WINSTON CUP SERIES SCHEDULE

Feb. 16: Daytona International Speedway

Feb. 23: North Carolina Speedway

March 2: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

March 9: Atlanta Motor Speedway

March 16: Darlington Raceway

March 23: Bristol Motor Speedway

March 30: Texas Motor Speedway

April 6: Talladega Superspeedway

April 13: Martinsville Speedway

April 27: California Speedway

May 3: Richmond International Raceway

May 25: Lowe's Motor Speedway

June 1: Dover International Speedway

June 8: Pocono Raceway

June 15: Michigan International Speedway

June 22: Infineon Raceway

July 5: Daytona International Speedway

July 13: Chicagoland Speedway

July 20: New Hampshire International Speedway

July 27: Pocono Raceway

Aug. 3: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Aug. 10: Watkins Glen International

Aug. 17: Michigan International Speedway

Aug. 23: Bristol Motor Speedway

Aug. 31: Darlington Raceway

Sept. 6: Richmond International Raceway

Sept. 14: New Hampshire International Speedway

Sept. 21: Dover International Speedway

Sept. 28: Talladega Superspeedway

Oct. 5: Kansas Speedway

Oct. 11: Lowe's Motor Speedway

Oct. 19: Martinsville Speedway

Oct. 26: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Nov. 2: Phoenix International Raceway

Nov. 9: North Carolina Speedway

Nov. 16: Homestead-Miami Speedway