 Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - Kushaiwa kwekutsigirwa kwakamutadzisa kutanga mwaka kunyangwe akadanwa kuti atyaire apo mutyairi wenguva dzose Dario Franchitti akatyoka musana mutsaona yemudhudhudhu muScotland. Mumutambo wake wokutanga achityaira motokari yeNo. 27 Dallara IR-03 Honda HI3R V8, paIndy Japan 300 paTwin Ring Motegi, Wheldon akakodzera wechishanu uye akapedza nhangemutange yakapfupiswa nenjodzi yechinomwe. Wheldon akapedza ari wechishanu mumakwikwi ake okutanga eIndianapolis 500. Ava kunonoka munhangemutange, akarova rusvingo rwekongiri ndokudonhera mudenga asati awira pasi, izvo zvakamuita kuti adonhe achipedza ari wechi19. Mushure mekudzoka kwaFranchitti, Wheldon akachengetwa semutyairi zvichitevera kuenda pamudyandigere kwemuridzi wechikwata uye chipangamazano Michael Andretti. Akafambisa zvakanaka pashure pacho nemamwe magumo gumi okutanga masere. Akatanga ari mugumi paChicagoland Speedway, Wheldon akatungamirira mumakwikwi okutanga-soro emakore 38 uye akauya wechina. Akapedza mwaka uyu ari wechitatu paTexas Motor Speedway, achiwana 312 points kuti ave wechi11 pachikwata chemapoinzi. Kuita kwaWheldon kwakawedzera mukurumbira wake, uye akaratidzira kubvumirana nemakwikwi emumigwagwa yakatwasuka ayo vatyairi vakawanda vokuEurope vakanga vasina. Akapiwa 2003 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year, uye akavhotwa 2003 Autosport Rookie of the Year. 