From a press release issued by Willow Springs International Raceway:

After considering input from numerous riders and teams who want to participate in the Toyota 200, but had contractual obligations to their sponsors to race in all the AMA road racing events in 2003, including the season-ending races at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on September 19-21, 2003, Willow Springs International Raceway has decided to move the Second Annual Toyota 200 date from September 19-21, 2003, to October 17-19, 2003.

“Over the years, we’ve dealt with the issue of event scheduling from every perspective,” said Chris Huth, Director of Operations at the facility. “Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts are a part of the motorsports business that are practically unavoidable. You’re going to be too close to, or on top of some other event, somewhere, and the people most affected are the competitors. The last thing we want to do is put them in the middle of something they have no control over. Because of our position in this particular event, as promoter, track owner, and sanctioning body, we have total control, and the capabilities of moving the race date without too many problems.

“Even though we spent money advertising the date before AMA announced their schedule, we felt it was the right move. Make no mistake, we had no problem going head-to-head with the AMA event. We know we’ll fill the 40-rider grid with quality racers, and judging by our inaugural event we’ll get plenty of race fans in the house, and we really wanted to make September the traditional month of this classic event. But in the end it was consideration for the racers’ needs that made up our minds. We want the racers to know that Willow Springs and WSMC have always been about them.”