2000 Daytona 500
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 34 in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
Track map of Daytona International Speedway showing mainly the speedway.
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| Date | February 20, 2000 | ||
| Location | Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4.02336 km) |
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| Distance | 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km) | ||
| Weather | Mild with temperatures approaching 73 °F (23 °C); wind speeds reaching as fast as 15.9 miles per hour (25.6 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 155.669 miles per hour (250.525 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Robert Yates Racing | ||
| Time | 47.098 | ||
| Qualifying race winners | |||
| Duel 1 Winner | Bill Elliott | Bill Elliott Racing | |
| Duel 2 Winner | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | |
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | |
| Laps | 89 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | CBS | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy, Buddy Baker, and Ned Jarrett | ||
| Nielsen Ratings | 8.4/22 (12.9 million viewers) |
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The 2000 Daytona 500, the 42nd running of the event, was held February 20 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida as the first race of both the 2000 NASCAR Winson Cup season and the 2000s decade. Richard Petty, the polesitter, led the most laps and won the race for the third time, after winning in 1993 and 1996. This was (to date) the last Daytona 500 to be televised by CBS and thus the last 500 broadcast for Buddy Baker and Ned Jarrett. Dave Marcis failed to qualify for the first time since 1968.
The average green flag run for the race was confirmed by NASCAR officials as 29 laps. 12% of the event was held under a caution flag, mostly for oil, debris, and accidents.
Dale Jarrett won the pole for the race with a speed of just over 191 mph, and started alongside his new teammate Ricky Rudd in an all-Robert Yates front row. A total of 57 drivers made an attempt to qualify for the 42nd Daytona 500. Bill Elliott won the first Gatorade 125 qualifying race after taking the lead from Jarrett on lap 1 and leading all 50 laps. Rudd won the second Gatorade duel after leading all 50 laps also. Both Gatorade 125 races were caution-free.
Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon stole headlines during qualifying when Stewart spun Gordon. Robby Gordon, who was trying to qualify his new #13 self-owned team in the race, confronted Stewart in the garages and asked Stewart about the spin. Stewart shoved Gordon as he turned away to walk off, leading to a fist-fight. Security broke them up. Stewart was fined $15,000 by NASCAR for the shove.
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