| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 35 of 36 in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 2003 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 program cover. | |||
| Date | November 9, 2003 | ||
| Official name | 39th Annual Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 | ||
| Location | Rockingham, North Carolina, North Carolina Speedway | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 1.017 mi (1.636 km) | ||
| Distance | 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km) | ||
| Average speed | 111.677 miles per hour (179.727 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 60,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Penske Racing South | ||
| Time | 23.533 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | |
| Laps | 140 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | TNT | ||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
The 2003 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was the 35th stock car race of the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 39th and to date, final iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 9, 2003, before a crowd of 60,000 in Rockingham, North Carolina, at North Carolina Speedway, a 1.017 miles (1.637 km) permanent high-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 393 laps to complete. At race's end, Evernham Motorsports driver Bill Elliott charged to the front after starting from the rear to win his 44th and to date, final career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first and only win of the season.[1] Meanwhile, fourth-place finisher, Roush Racing driver Matt Kenseth, would lock up the championship, clinching the championship by points to win his first and to date, only NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship.[2] To fill out the podium, Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports and Jeremy Mayfield of Evernham Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.
- ^ Anderson, Lars. "A Rock For The Ages On a crossroads afternoon for NASCAR, old school fave Bill Elliott won the final fall race at Rockingham as Matt Kenseth clinched the 2003 crown". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
- ^ Rees, Chris. "Kenseth wins 1st Winston Cup championship with 4th place finish at Rockingham". WIS News. Retrieved 2022-02-17.