2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series

Marcos Ambrose won his first V8 Supercar Championship with Stone Brothers Racing.
Greg Murphy finished second for the second consecutive season.
Mark Skaife finished third, ending a three season long winning streak.

The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the fifth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on 22 March 2003 in Adelaide and ended on 30 November at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds. It ended with the awarding of the 44th Australian Touring Car Championship title by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport to Tasmanian driver Marcos Ambrose. It was the first time a Stone Brothers Racing driver had won the championship and marked the first title win by a Ford driver since Glenn Seton in 1997, ending a five-year run by Holden Racing Team drivers.

Teams and drivers

The following drivers and teams competed in the 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series. The series consisted of eleven rounds of sprint racing and two rounds (the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000) of endurance racing with each car piloted by two drivers.

Manufacturer Vehicle Team No. Drivers Events Endurance Event Drivers
Ford Falcon AU Ford Performance Racing 5 Australia Glenn Seton 1–3 —
Rod Nash Racing (FPR) 19 Australia David Besnard 1–6 —
00 Motorsport 7 Australia Rodney Forbes 2–3 —
Larkham Motorsport 10 Australia Mark Larkham 1–8, 11–13 —
20 Australia Jason Bargwanna 1–7
Australia Grant Johnson 9–10 Australia Kerry Wade
Noske Motorsport 23 Australia Mark Noske 1–8, 11–13 —
Australia Neal Bates 9–10 Australia Rick Bates
Paul Little Racing 75 Australia Anthony Tratt 1–7 —
Thexton Motor Racing 99 New Zealand David Thexton 1–4, 6–13 Australia Brett Peters*
Australia Stephen Voight**
Falcon BA Stone Brothers Racing 4 Australia Marcos Ambrose All Australia Russell Ingall
9 Australia Russell Ingall 1–8, 11–13 —
Australia Mark Noske 9–10 Australia Mark Winterbottom
Ford Performance Racing 5 Australia Glenn Seton 4–8, 11–13 —
Australia Darren Hossack 9–10 Australia Adam Macrow
6 Australia Craig Lowndes All Australia Glenn Seton
Rod Nash Racing (FPR) 7 Australia David Besnard 11–13 —
19 7–10 Australia Owen Kelly
00 Motorsport 7 Australia Rodney Forbes 1, 4, 6 —
00 5
Australia Greg Ritter 1–4, 6
Larkham Motorsport 10 Australia Mark Larkham 9–10 Australia Jason Bargwanna
20 Australia Jason Bargwanna 8, 11–13 —
Dick Johnson Racing 17 Australia Steven Johnson All Australia Warren Luff
18 Brazil Max Wilson All Australia David Brabham
Brad Jones Racing 21 Australia Brad Jones All Australia John Bowe
888 Australia John Bowe 1–8, 11–13 —
United Kingdom John Cleland 9–10 Australia Andrew Jones
Steven Ellery Racing 31 Australia Steven Ellery All Australia Luke Youlden
Briggs Motorsport 8
Triple Eight Race Engineering 5		 65 New Zealand Paul Radisich All Sweden Rickard Rydell
66 Australia Dean Canto All Australia Matthew White
Paul Little Racing 75 Australia Anthony Tratt 8–13 Australia Paul Stokell
Holden Commodore VX Tom Walkinshaw Racing Australia 4 (HRT)
John Kelly Racing 9 (HRT)		 15 Australia Rick Kelly 1–8, 11–13 —
Australia Cameron McLean 9–10 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx
51 New Zealand Greg Murphy 1–8 —
Lansvale Smash Repairs 3 Australia Cameron McConville All Australia Tim Leahey
Perkins Engineering 8 Australia Paul Dumbrell All Australia Tomas Mezera
11 New Zealand Steven Richards 4–5 —
Paul Weel Racing 16 Australia Paul Weel 1–8, 11–13 —
Australia Marcus Marshall 9–10 Australia Greg Ritter
50 Australia Jason Bright All Australia Paul Weel
Team Kiwi Racing 021 New Zealand Craig Baird All New Zealand Mark Porter
Romano Racing 24 Australia Paul Romano 1 —
Paul Morris Motorsport 24 Australia Wayne Wakefield 3–4, 7–8, 10 New Zealand Andy McElrea
Australia Alan Gurr 9
Garry Rogers Motorsport 33 Australia Jamie Whincup 1–9, 11–12 Denmark Allan Simonsen
Australia Nathan Pretty 10
Commodore VY Holden Racing Team 1 Australia Mark Skaife All Australia Todd Kelly
2 Australia Todd Kelly 1–8, 11–13 —
New Zealand Jim Richards 9–10 Australia Tony Longhurst
John Kelly Racing (HRT) 51 New Zealand Greg Murphy 9–13 Australia Rick Kelly
Perkins Engineering 11 New Zealand Steven Richards 1–3, 6–13 Australia Larry Perkins
Paul Morris Motorsport 29 Australia Paul Morris All New Zealand John Faulkner
Garry Rogers Motorsport 33 Australia Jamie Whincup 13 —
34 Australia Garth Tander All Australia Nathan Pretty*
Australia Jamie Whincup**
Team Dynamik 44 New Zealand Simon Wills All New Zealand Jason Richards
45 New Zealand Jason Richards 1–8, 11–13 —
France Nicolas Minassian 9–10 Australia Wayne Wakefield*
Denmark Jan Magnussen**
Wildcard Entries
Ford Falcon AU Fernández Racing 55 Australia José Fernández 10 Australia David Russell
Sydney Star Racing 89 Australia Mal Rose 10 Australia Grant Elliott**
Holden Commodore VX Robert Smith Racing 13 Australia Phillip Scifleet 9–10 Australia Steve Owen
72 Australia Alan Gurr 10 New Zealand Jonny Reid
Lansvale Smash Repairs 24 Australia David Krause 13 —
John Faulkner Racing 46 Australia Tony Ricciardello 9–10 Australia Dale Brede
Phoenix Motorsport 59 Australia Jamie Miller 10 Australia Ron Searle
Robert Jones Racing 69 Australia Robert Jones 10 Australia Peter Doulman

* = Drove in Sandown 500 only

** = Drove in Bathurst 1000 only

Driver changes

Team changes

Results and standings

Race calendar

The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series consisted of 13 rounds which included eleven sprint rounds of one, two or three races and two longer distance endurance races requiring two drivers per car.

Rd. Round Name,
Circuit		 City / state Date Format Winner Team Report
1 Clipsal 500 Adelaide,
Adelaide Street Circuit		 Adelaide, South Australia 20–23 Mar 2 races Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Report
2 Phillip Island Phillip Island, Victoria 11–13 Apr 1 race Craig Lowndes Ford Performance Racing
3 Eastern Creek Raceway Eastern Creek, New South Wales 2–4 May 1 race Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing
4 Winton Motor Raceway Benalla, Victoria 23–25 May 1 race Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing
5 VB 300,
Barbagallo Raceway		 Perth, Western Australia 6–8 Jun 3 races Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing
6 Hidden Valley Raceway Darwin, Northern Territory 27–29 Jun 3 races Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing
7 BigPond 300,
Queensland Raceway		 Ipswich, Queensland 18–20 Jul 1 race Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing
8 Oran Park Raceway Sydney, New South Wales 15–17 Aug 1 race Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing
9 Betta Electrical Sandown 500,
Sandown International Raceway		 Melbourne, Victoria 12–14 Sep 1 race Mark Skaife
Todd Kelly		 Holden Racing Team Report
10 Bob Jane T-Marts 1000,
Mount Panorama Circuit		 Bathurst, New South Wales 9–12 Oct 1 race Greg Murphy
Rick Kelly		 K-mart Racing Team Report
11 Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge,
Surfers Paradise Street Circuit		 Surfers Paradise, Queensland 23–26 Oct 2 races Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing
12 Placemakers V8 International,
Pukekohe Park Raceway		 Pukekohe, New Zealand 7–9 Nov 3 races Greg Murphy K-mart Racing Team Report
13 VIP Petfoods Main Event,
Eastern Creek Raceway		 Eastern Creek, New South Wales 28–30 Nov 2 races Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing

Drivers championship

Drivers were required to drop the points earned at their worst round from their total, regardless of how many rounds were entered. Drivers who only entered one round lost all their points.

Pos. Driver No. ADE
South Australia		 PHI
Victoria (state)		 EAS1
New South Wales		 WIN
Victoria (state)		 BAR
Western Australia		 HID
Northern Territory		 QLD
Queensland		 ORA
New South Wales		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 BAT
New South Wales		 SUR
Queensland		 PUK
New Zealand		 EAS2
New South Wales		 Pen. Pts.
1 Australia Marcos Ambrose 4 1 Ret 17 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 5 6 6 4 6 23 9 1 1 0 2085
2 New Zealand Greg Murphy 51 10 11 3 5 14 1 4 3 6 5 2 8 11 3 1 2 2 1 1 3 23 Ret 0 1983
3 Australia Mark Skaife 1 2 1 6 19 6 2 1 23 1 2 3 Ret 3 1 8 3 3 7 2 1 7 Ret 105 1817
4 Australia Jason Bright 50 3 6 2 4 2 12 10 10 3 4 4 5 19 31 Ret 4 Ret 21 3 2 2 2 0 1770
5 Australia Craig Lowndes 6 Ret 7 1 2 10 6 Ret 17 28 27 15 6 2 16 2 15 9 16 12 18 6 4 0 1756
6 New Zealand Steven Richards 11 4 2 7 8 3 4 3 8 9 6 5 Ret 23 6 4 Ret 22 20 6 6 4 16 50 1709
7 Australia Russell Ingall 9 7 12 10 3 4 5 27 14 Ret 17 8 1 8 5 6 1 1 19 26 10 DSQ DSQ 90 1701
8 Australia Rick Kelly 15 9 24 11 9 11 10 9 4 14 7 18 9 24 3 1 5 7 8 13 5 25 10 25 1675
9 Australia Todd Kelly 2 5 5 5 Ret DSQ 7 7 2 7 24 Ret 3 6 1 8 10 Ret 2 4 4 3 Ret 0 1628
10 New Zealand Paul Radisich 65 12 4 12 15 7 16 13 6 5 8 23 Ret Ret 7 7 11 6 5 7 8 12 7 0 1618
11 Australia John Bowe 888 Ret 23 21 30 8 30 11 11 10 10 7 7 7 4 10 14 10 12 10 Ret 11 14 0 1478
12 Australia Garth Tander 34 13 15 4 6 Ret 9 5 5 4 3 24 25 4 18 19 16 Ret 3 Ret 21 22 5 0 1470
13 Australia Paul Weel 16 14 3 8 11 5 13 6 7 12 11 13 10 16 22 Ret 13 16 15 11 12 29 Ret 0 1450
14 Australia Jason Bargwanna 20 15 19 26 14 13 Ret Ret DNS 17 13 20 17 15 9 Ret 17 13 4 5 13 9 6 0 1341
15 Australia Glenn Seton 5 18 10 9 26 12 14 15 18 Ret 16 17 Ret Ret 16 2 12 5 11 9 11 18 Ret 0 1266
16 Australia Steven Johnson 17 6 Ret 18 17 19 29 18 12 13 29 12 12 Ret 15 13 8 8 10 Ret 16 20 Ret 0 1229
17 Brazil Max Wilson 18 26 Ret 16 16 9 24 17 13 Ret 20 16 24 Ret 19 12 9 23 18 24 19 5 3 0 1214
18 Australia Cameron McConville 3 8 Ret Ret 12 17 21 8 9 23 14 14 15 9 Ret 20 19 15 Ret 18 20 10 8 0 1191
19 Australia Steven Ellery 31 29 DSQ 20 22 25 11 16 Ret 8 15 9 14 21 2 3 Ret Ret 9 21 14 24 23 0 1164
20 Australia Brad Jones 21 24 18 15 Ret 26 15 14 15 15 21 10 Ret 12 4 10 Ret 18 22 22 15 16 18 0 1127
21 Australia David Besnard 19/7 Ret Ret Ret 13 24 20 20 Ret 24 18 28 11 13 8 Ret 7 Ret 25 15 Ret 28 11 0 1059
22 New Zealand Simon Wills 44 16 9 22 7 Ret 8 Ret 16 11 9 6 Ret Ret Ret 22 22 11 13 8 7 Ret 22 0 1059
23 Australia Paul Morris 29 27 20 13 10 Ret 18 Ret 20 Ret 23 30 4 Ret 13 Ret 20 19 14 16 Ret 8 19 0 1047
24 Australia Dean Canto 66 20 Ret 29 23 23 27 22 26 18 12 19 22 10 14 Ret Ret 24 17 14 25 15 9 0 1001
25 Australia Mark Larkham 10 23 16 23 18 22 26 23 27 26 30 21 Ret 18 9 Ret 18 17 27 20 23 19 Ret 0 949
26 New Zealand Jason Richards 45 28 Ret 28 21 15 28 12 25 16 31 24 20 5 Ret 22 23 Ret DNS DNS DNS 14 21 0 909
27 Australia Jamie Whincup 33 17 22 25 Ret Ret 22 Ret 21 20 Ret 11 16 20 29 19 25 12 28 17 Ret 13 15 0 906
28 Australia Mark Noske 23/9 Ret 13 30 27 18 17 19 19 19 25 29 21 14 11 Ret Ret 25 Ret DNS DNS 17 13 0 905
29 Australia Paul Dumbrell 8 11 8 31 20 Ret 19 26 Ret 27 22 Ret 13 17 Ret 14 26 21 24 28 17 21 12 0 887
30 New Zealand Craig Baird 021 21 14 19 24 DSQ 25 24 22 22 19 27 18 22 Ret 17 21 14 23 19 22 26 20 0 856
31 Australia Anthony Tratt 75 19 Ret 24 Ret 16 31 21 24 25 Ret DNS 19 Ret 30 Ret 24 20 Ret 25 24 27 17 0 678
32 Australia Greg Ritter 00/16 22 13 14 28 20 29 26 20 22 Ret 0 537
33 New Zealand David Thexton 99 DNQ DNQ DNQ 29 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 23 DNQ 26 16 DNQ DNQ 26 27 26 DNQ DNQ 0 348
34 Australia Rodney Forbes 7 25 21 27 25 DSQ 23 25 28 21 28 26 0 238
35 Australia Luke Youlden 31 2 3 0 188
36 Australia Larry Perkins 11 6 4 0 180
37 Australia Tony Longhurst 2 10 5 0 176
37 New Zealand Jim Richards 2 10 5 0 176
39 Sweden Rickard Rydell 65 7 7 0 168
40 Australia Owen Kelly 19 8 Ret 0 164
41 United Kingdom John Cleland 888 20 9 0 160
41 Australia Andrew Jones 888 20 9 0 160
43 Australia Wayne Wakefield 24/45 DNQ 21 DNQ DNQ 28 DNQ 0 156
44 France Nicolas Minassian 45 28 11 0 152
44 Australia Mark Winterbottom 9 11 Ret 0 152
46 Australia David Brabham 18 19 12 0 148
47 Australia Cameron McLean 15 12 Ret 0 148
47 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 15 12 Ret 0 148
49 Australia Warren Luff 17 15 13 0 144
49 New Zealand John Faulkner 29 13 Ret 0 144
51 Australia Matthew White 66 14 Ret 0 140
51 Australia Tomas Mezera 8 Ret 14 0 140
53 Australia Darren Hossack 5 17 Ret 0 128
53 Australia Adam Macrow 5 17 Ret 0 128
53 New Zealand Mark Porter 021 Ret 17 0 128
56 Australia Grant Johnson 20 23 18 0 124
56 Australia Kerry Wade 20 23 18 0 124
56 Australia Nathan Pretty 33 18 Ret 0 124
59 Australia Tim Leahey 3 Ret 20 0 116
60 Australia Steve Owen 13 21 21 0 112
60 Australia Phillip Scifleet 13 21 21 0 112
62 Australia Marcus Marshall 16 22 Ret 0 108
63 Australia Dale Brede 46 24 Ret 0 100
63 Australia Tony Ricciardello 46 24 Ret 0 100
65 Australia Neal Bates 23 25 Ret 0 100
65 Australia Rick Bates 23 25 Ret 0 100
67 Australia Alan Gurr 24/72 27 Ret 0 88
67 New Zealand Andy McElrea 24 27 DNQ 0 88
69 Australia Paul Stokell 75 30 Ret 0 80
69 Denmark Allan Simonsen 33 29 Ret 0 80
Denmark Jan Magnussen 45 11 0 0
Australia Jamie Miller 59 15 0 0
Australia Ron Searle 59 15 0 0
Australia Stephen Voight 99 16 0 0
Australia Grant Elliott 89 23 0 0
Australia Mal Rose 89 23 0 0
Australia Brett Peters 99 26 0 0
Australia Paul Romano 24 Ret Ret 0 0
Australia David Krause 24 Ret Ret 0 0
Australia Jose Fernandez 55 Ret 0 0
Australia David Russell 55 Ret 0 0
Australia Peter Doulman 69 Ret 0 0
Australia Robert Jones 69 Ret 0 0
New Zealand Jonny Reid 72 Ret 0 0
Pos. Driver No. ADE
South Australia		 PHI
Victoria (state)		 EAS1
New South Wales		 WIN
Victoria (state)		 BAR
Western Australia		 HID
Northern Territory		 QLD
Queensland		 ORA
New South Wales		 SAN
Victoria (state)		 BAT
New South Wales		 SUR
Queensland		 PUK
New Zealand		 EAS2
New South Wales		 Pen. Pts.
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold - Pole position
Italics - Fastest lap

See also

References
  1. "Skaife named owner of Holden Racing Team". 2 June 2003. Retrieved 9 April 2023 – via www.abc.net.au.
  2. "Holden completes V8 racing team sale". The Age. 6 June 2003. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
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