News Article

Joe Nemechek Wins MBNA Armed Forces Family 200

May 13, 2003

NASCAR Busch Series MBNA Armed Forces Family 200 winner Joe Nemechek meets with the media after the race. Photo by Patricia Blood

(Dover, DE) – Joe Nemechek passed Matt Kenseth to win the MBNA Armed Forces Family 200 NASCAR Busch Series event at Dover International Speedway. The 1992 NASCAR Busch Series champion earned his third victory of the season in just seven events and led the last 21 laps over Scott Riggs, David Green and Brian Vickers. Nemechek becomes the first driver to win from the pole since Morgan Shepherd did it way back in the fall of 1986.

"We made a lot of changes on this car last night because it was really, really loose," said the 39-year-old Nemechek. "I got up real close on Matt (Kenseth) and I was beginning to work him over pretty good and then he just spun out. Whether I could have passed him or not, I’m not sure. It’s awful tough to pass people at this track. It’s gratifying to come back and have some success at a place where you’ve had troubles in the past. They (the crew) just kept working on the car where I could get it to go early."

Matt Kenseth was on a tear leading 160 laps, seven shy of the record set by Darrell Waltrip back in 1985. Kenseth missed a shift on a lap-154 restart causing a 10-car scatter on the frontstretch. The No. 17 Alka-Seltzer Chevrolet Monte Carlo car was loose giving Kenseth a handful at the wheel. Kenseth lost control of the car and spun off turn two on lap 179 while leading and never could regain the lead.

"I sure would have liked to have won today," said Kenseth. "We had a great car. I just needed to do a better job of keeping up with my adjustments. You always get scared of being tight at Dover and my car was too loose. I should have known to tighten it up enough since we were trying to stay ahead of Joe. I didn’t do a very good job of that and it cost us."

Scott Riggs finished second in the No. 10 Nesquik Ford Taurus. This is his third event at Dover International Speedway and sixth top-10 of the season.

"It was a good run for everyone on the Nesquik Ford Taurus," said Riggs, who won from the pole at Dover International Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series just two years ago. "My hat’s off to these guys. We’re racing for every weekend to have a top-five and to be consistent. This team is having a great time right now."

Joe Nemechek Wins MBNA Armed Forces Family 200. Photo by Randy Dickerson

Rounding out the top-10 was Bobby Hamilton Jr., Todd Bodine, Kasey Kahne, Mike Bliss and Ron Hornaday Jr. The MBNA Armed Forces Family 200 event averaged 104.651 mph with seven cautions for 36 laps. Twenty-seven of the 43 starters finished 22nd annual event under mostly cloudy skies.