Team Dale Earnhardt Inc. Car/Make No. 1/Chevrolet Sponsor Pennzoil (2003) Crew Chief Tony Gibson
STATS	2003	CAREER
Rank	38	11*
Wins	0	2
Top 5	0	13
Top 10	1	37
DNFs	4	72
Top Finish	8 (Fontana)	1
*Indicates best career points finish

2003 recap
The good: Andretti hooked up with DEI in August for a one-shot deal at the Brickyard 400, qualifying an impressive 11th and challenging for the lead during the race before being involved in a wreck that left him with a last-place finish. However, that run was strong enough to convince DEI to bring him back to compete in 10 of the last 11 races of the season with hopes of a strong campaign in 2004, which have since been dashed

The bad: After showing unwavering loyalty to Petty Enterprises for nearly 5½ years while passing up numerous opportunities to jump ship, Andretti's loyalty was "rewarded" by being fired by the team in June.

Key stat: 38. Andretti suffered his worst-ever season finish in his Winston Cup career by finishing in 38th place. However, that final showing might have been higher had he not missed seven starts for lack of a team to drive for.

2004 outlook
What needs to be done: Things were looking perhaps more promising than they ever had for Andretti until Dec. 3, when DEI president Teresa Earnhardt said Andretti was only slated to drive the season-opening Daytona 500, and then the car will likely be parked while sponsorship opportunities for 2005 are pursued. That late move will make it very difficult for Andretti to find a full-time seat open, with Daytona potentially looming as his only start of the season, save for opportunities as a replacement driver.

Key change: Unless Andretti can find a new ride at this late stage of the offseason, with most other teams already committed with other drivers, Andretti likely will be forced to sit out the start of this season, potentially waiting for the first few drivers to be fired. Or, he could try his hand in the Busch Series, and even potentially return to his open-wheel roots.

Prediction: Had Andretti been able to race the entire 2004 season for DEI with full sponsorship, he potentially was on target to have his best campaign ever in Cup racing.

Did you know: John's godfather is legendary racer A.J. Foyt.

Your take
Will John Andretti ever find a well-funded full-time ride that will allow him to show off his full potential? Or, will he finally decide he's had enough of Cup racing and potentially return to open-wheel competition if an opportunity arises in the coming months? Here are your thoughts on Andretti's prospects for 2004.