Nemechek Wins at Richmond!

RICHMOND, Va. (May 5, 2003) – Joe Nemechek and the No. 25 UAW-Delphi team won the Pontiac Excitement 400 on Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, taking their Chevrolet Monte Carlo to Victory Lane after a dominating performance. “It feels great to be back in Victory Lane,” said Nemechek, who started from the outside pole position. “My No. 25 UAW-Delphi Chevy was awesome. It could go high, low -- pretty much anywhere I wanted to take it. “I just want to thank Papa Joe Hendrick, Rick Hendrick, UAW-Delphi and everyone else that have supported us. Man, this is cool.” It was Nemechek’s first NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory since winning at North Carolina Speedway on Nov. 4, 2001 and the first for Team 25 since Nov. 19, 2000 with driver Jerry Nadeau, who was critically injured in a crash during practice at RIR on Friday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry Nadeau, his wife and his little girl,” Nemechek said. “We’re all pulling for him.” Nemechek’s win vaulted him six places in the Winston Cup championship standings to 14th overall and officially earned him a spot in The Winston, NASCAR’s all-star event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 17. Jeff Gordon finished 17th in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, with Jimmie Johnson 19th in the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy and pole-sitter Terry Labonte 21st in the No. 5 Kellogg’s / got milk? Monte Carlo.