2003 Banquet 400

2003 Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods

Race details
Race 30 of 36 in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 2003 Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods program cover.
Date	October 5, 2003
Official name	3rd Annual Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods
Location	Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas Speedway
Course	Permanent racing facility 1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance	267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.542 km)
Scheduled Distance	267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.542 km)
Average speed	121.63 miles per hour (195.74 km/h)
Attendance	80,000
Pole position
Driver	Jimmie Johnson	Hendrick Motorsports
Time	29.938
Most laps led
Driver	Bill Elliott	Evernham Motorsports
Laps	115
Winner
No. 12	Ryan Newman	Penske Racing South
Television in the United States
Network	NBC
Announcers	Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Radio in the United States
Radio	Motor Racing Network

The 2003 Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods was the 30th stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, and the third iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 5, 2003, before a crowd of 80,000 in Kansas City, Kansas, at Kansas Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent D-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 267 laps to complete. At race's end, a cunning pit strategy for Penske Racing South driver Ryan Newman would propel him to his ninth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his eighth win of the season.^[1] To fill out the podium, Bill Elliott and Jeremy Mayfield of Evernham Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.

Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The NTT IndyCar Series also raced there until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.

The first practice session was held on Friday, October 3, at 11:20 AM CST, and would last for 2 hours.^[2] Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.102 and an average speed of 179.390 miles per hour (288.700 km/h).^[3]

The second practice session was held on Saturday, October 4, at 9:30 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.^[2] Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.821 and an average speed of 175.205 miles per hour (281.965 km/h).^[4]

The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, October 4, at 11:10 AM CST, and would last for 45 minutes.^[2] Ryan Newman of Penske Racing South would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.814 and an average speed of 175.245 miles per hour (282.029 km/h).^[5]

Qualifying was held on Friday, October 3, at 1:05 PM CST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.^[2] Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.^[6]

Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would win the pole, setting a time of 29.938 and an average speed of 180.373 miles per hour (290.282 km/h).^[7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify: Larry Foyt and Johnny Sauter.