The five drivers that failed to qualify for the race were David Stremme, Travis Kvapil, Eric Darnell, J. J. Yeley, and Scott Wimmer.
Yeley scored 24 USAC wins in his 2003 season, breaking the previous record of 19 set by A. J. Foyt in 1961 and later tied by Sleepy Tripp (1988) and Jay Drake (2000).
The team later used a number of drivers after Bliss left, including Geoffrey Bodine, Steve Park, Johnny Sauter, Ron Fellows, Casey Mears, J.J. Yeley, and Dave Blaney.