The 2003 Main Event (known for naming rights reasons as the 2003 Main Event presented by VIP Petfoods) was the thirteenth and final round of the 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It was held on the weekend of 28 to 30 November at the Eastern Creek International Raceway in Sydney, New South Wales. It consisted of one 150 km race held on Saturday and a 300 km finale on Sunday.

Three drivers entered the weekend with a mathematical chance of winning the championship - Marcos Ambrose, Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife. Skaife claimed pole position for the first race but a false start gave him a penalty which sent him out of the running. Murphy, who was struggling with the balance of the car, was also penalised for spinning Glenn Seton. The Kiwi would not take part in the second race after sustaining an injury during a demonstration event proceeding the race. Ambrose romped home unopposed to victory as a result. Sunday's race was just as assertive for the Tasmanian and amidst the downpour which would end the race early, Ambrose would take his first V8 Supercar championship title.

The race was also notable for an incident between Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall. Late in race two, the two drivers exited turn nine side-by-side and the ensuing contact saw Skaife fired into the concrete wall and out of the race. Skaife remained on the circuit until Ingall cycled around and reacted angrily toward Ingall at the edge of the track. Ingall was subsequently excluded from the weekends results, issued a $15,000AUD fine, and the incident remains one of the most controversial and infamous in the series' history.

Background The event was held on the weekend of 28 to 30 November 2003. It was the 11th ATCC/V8 Supercar event to be held at Eastern Creek International Raceway, the second event at the venue in 2003, and consisted of one 150 km race followed by a 300 km final. Both races necessitated compulsory pitstops for fuel and tyres.

This round featured a unique qualifying format. Differing from the standard hour-long qualifying session and shootout formats used year-round, the Main Event would utilise the shootout format for all 33 entrants. The starting order for the shootout was determined by a barrel draw.

Entry list

There were 33 drivers entered into the event. It featured mixture of vehicle models - three AU Ford Falcon's, fourteen BA Falcon's, nine VY Commodore's, and seven VX Commodore's.

Jamie Whincup would debut a brand-new Garry Rogers Motorsport-built VY Commodore.

David Krause would make his sole appearance for 2003 driving for Lansvale Racing Team under the Romano Racing licence in a VX Commodore.

This event would be Mark Larkham's last solo appearance in the V8 Supercar series.

Race report Qualifying Mark Skaife led a Holden Racing Team one-two to take pole position for the first race and bolstered his championship chances. Russell Ingall was excluded from the results due to a technical infringement. David Thexton missed the 105% qualifying time by less than a tenth of a second and thus failed to qualify for the race.

Pos No Driver Team Vehicle Time 1 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:32.4870 2 2 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 1:32.9156 3 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 1:33.0504 4 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.0745 5 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.1261 6 18 Max Wilson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.2579 7 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 1:33.7456 8 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.7854 9 65 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.7924 10 7 David Besnard Rod Nash Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.8328 11 10 Mark Larkham Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 1:33.9154 12 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:33.9302 13 3 Cameron McConville Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:33.9327 14 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 1:33.9559 15 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:33.9586 16 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 1:33.9787 17 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:34.0187 18 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 1:34.1635 19 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 1:34.2596 20 20 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 1:34.2635 21 45 Jason Richards Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 1:34.3314 22 888 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:34.4242 23 33 Jamie Whincup Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:34.6032 24 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 1:34.6134 25 66 Dean Canto Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 1:34.7008 26 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 1:34.7687 27 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 1:34.8456 28 23 Mark Noske Noske Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 1:34.9141 29 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:35.0176 30 24 David Krause Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 1:35.9353 31 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 1:36.1515 EXC 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) time excluded DNQ 99 David Thexton Thexton Motor Racing Ford Falcon (AU) did not qualify Source:

Race 1 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 01:02:46.3944 4 2 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 39 + 15.839 3 3 2 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 23.130 2 4 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 37.187 7 5 18 Max Wilson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 41.496 6 6 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 42.062 5 7 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 42.409 1 8 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 50.020 27 9 20 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 54.029 20 10 3 Cameron McConville Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 39 + 56.800 13 11 888 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:03.249 22 12 65 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:05.760 9 13 33 Jamie Whincup Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 1:07.101 23 14 45 Jason Richards Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 1:08.688 21 15 66 Dean Canto Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:09.109 25 16 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:09.730 29 17 23 Mark Noske Noske Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 39 + 1:10.736 28 18 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:11.966 8 19 10 Mark Larkham Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 39 + 1:18.157 11 20 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:23.920 12 21 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 39 + 1:24.899 24 22 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 1:25.049 15 23 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 1:28.437 14 24 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 + 1:28.621 17 25 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 39 + 1:33.415 16 26 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 38 + 1 lap 26 27 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 38 + 1 lap 31 28 7 David Besnard Rod Nash Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 38 + 1 lap 10 29 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 38 + 1 lap 18 Ret 24 David Krause Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 8 Mechanical 30 Ret 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 3 Accident damage 19 DSQ 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 39 Disqualified 33 Fastest Lap: Marcos Ambrose (Stone Brothers Racing) - 1:34.1055 on lap 4 Source:

Race 2 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 01:47:59.1941 1 2 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 57 + 0.516 2 3 18 Max Wilson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 3.077 6 4 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 6.354 7 5 34 Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 57 + 7.186 23 6 20 Jason Bargwanna Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 7.670 10 7 65 Paul Radisich Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 9.153 13 8 3 Cameron McConville Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) 57 + 9.759 11 9 66 Dean Canto Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 10.665 16 10 15 Rick Kelly John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) 57 + 12.137 26 11 7 David Besnard Rod Nash Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 13.522 29 12 8 Paul Dumbrell Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VX) 57 + 17.044 22 13 23 Mark Noske Noske Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 57 + 18.551 18 14 888 John Bowe Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 19.840 12 15 33 Jamie Whincup Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 57 + 20.544 14 16 11 Steven Richards Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VY) 57 + 21.425 5 17 75 Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 21.967 28 18 21 Brad Jones Brad Jones Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 + 22.855 17 19 29 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VY) 57 + 26.445 9 20 021 Craig Baird Team Kiwi Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 56 + 1 lap 27 21 45 Jason Richards Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 56 + 1 lap 15 22 44 Simon Wills Team Dynamik Holden Commodore (VY) 56 + 1 lap 32 23 31 Steven Ellery Steven Ellery Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 54 + 3 laps 25 Ret 10 Mark Larkham Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon (AU) 54 Retired 20 Ret 16 Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VX) 42 Retired 30 Ret 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 41 Accident 8 Ret 5 Glenn Seton Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 36 Retired 19 Ret 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 24 Engine 21 Ret 2 Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VY) 10 Power steering 3 DSQ 9 Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BA) 57 Disqualified 4 DNS 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing Holden Commodore (VY) Did not start / Injury DNS 24 David Krause Lansvale Racing Team Holden Commodore (VX) Did not start Fastest Lap: Marcos Ambrose (Stone Brothers Racing) - 1:33.9705 on lap 4 Source:

Championship standings No Driver Team 1 4 Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing 2085 2 51 Greg Murphy John Kelly Racing 1983 3 1 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team 1817 4 50 Jason Bright Paul Weel Racing 1770 5 6 Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing 1756

References