Stewart, Newman not best of friends at Dover in '03

In their first season as teammates, Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman have exceeded expectations. Both drivers are solidly in the top 10 in the standings, and both have put together a series of consistent finishes. If anything, the two seem perfectly suited for each other.

But that wasn't the case six years ago when the Cup cars visited Dover International Speedway for the 2003 MBNA Armed Forces Family 400. After Stewart's failed attempt to pass eventual winner Newman in an effort to get back on the lead lap, the two future teammates seemed anything but complimentary toward each other.

The similarities between the two seasons are somewhat striking. Both the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600 were plagued by rain in 2003, just as they were this year. In both instances, Newman finished in the top five at Charlotte before heading to Dover. And Stewart was still winless after 12 events, although he would break into the win column one week later at Pocono.

Newman won the pole but teammate Rusty Wallace, starting on the outside of the front row, immediately grabbed the lead from the outset on a cloudy, windy day when the temperature struggled to reach 60. And because continual overnight rains had washed away the buildup of rubber on the concrete surface, it didn't take long for trouble to set in.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., forced into a backup car after crashing his primary in practice, was caught up in an eight-car pileup just as the tail end of the field crossed the start-finish line for the first time. Despite that early accident, Junior would remain on the lead lap and finish 11th. (Continued)