2000 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500
Fourth race of the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
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The 2000 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 41st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 12, 2000, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent D-shaped oval racetrack. The race was contested over 325 laps. At race's end, Dale Earnhardt, driving for Richard Childress Racing, held off Bobby Labonte in a photo finish for his 75th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win. Earnhardt would beat Labonte by 0.010 of a second.[1] To fill out the podium, Mark Martin of Roush Racing would finish third, respectively.
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 4 of 34 in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
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The 2000 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 program cover. | |||
| Date | March 12, 2000 | ||
| Official name | 41st Annual Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 | ||
| Location | Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 1.54 miles (2.48 km) | ||
| Distance | 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km) | ||
| Scheduled distance | 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km) | ||
| Average speed | 131.759 miles per hour (212.046 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Robert Yates Racing | ||
| Time | 28.789 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | |
| Laps | 191 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ABC | ||
| Announcers | Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ray Evernham | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
Background
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.54-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.
The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.
Entry list
- (R) - denotes rookie driver
Practice
First practice
The first practice session was held on Friday, March 10, at 11:00 AM EST, and would last for one hour and 30 minutes.[2] Steve Park of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.047 and an average speed of 190.863 mph (307.164 km/h).[3]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 29.047 | 190.863 |
| 2 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 29.125 | 190.351 |
| 3 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 29.159 | 190.129 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
Second practice
The second practice session was held on Friday, March 10, at 1:40 PM EST, and would last for 23 minutes, due to inclement weather.[2] Steve Park of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would set the fastest time in the session, with an average speed of 190.995 mph (307.377 km/h).[4]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 190.995 |
| 2 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 190.981 |
| 3 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 190.058 |
| Full second practice results | |||||
Final practice
The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 11.[2] Robby Gordon of Team Menard would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.455 and an average speed of 188.219 mph (302.909 km/h).[5]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | Robby Gordon | Team Menard | Ford | 29.455 | 188.219 |
| 2 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 29.633 | 187.088 |
| 3 | 90 | Ed Berrier | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 29.695 | 186.698 |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | ||||||
Qualifying
Qualifying was held on Friday, March 3, at 2:00 PM PST. Each driver would have one lap to set a fastest time; and that lap would count as their official qualifying lap. Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[6]
Dale Jarrett of Robert Yates Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 28.789 and an average speed of 192.574 mph (309.918 km/h).[7]
Five drivers would fail to qualify: Dave Marcis, Ed Berrier, Johnny Benson Jr., Mike Bliss, and Robby Gordon.
Full qualifying results
Race results
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 325 | 34 | Running | 180 |
| 2 | 22 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 325 | 46 | Running | 175 |
| 3 | 11 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 325 | 7 | Running | 170 |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 325 | 1 | Running | 165 |
| 5 | 8 | 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 325 | 0 | Running | 155 |
| 6 | 13 | 97 | Chad Little | Roush Racing | Ford | 325 | 2 | Running | 155 |
| 7 | 24 | 91 | Todd Bodine | LJ Racing | Chevrolet | 325 | 0 | Running | 146 |
| 8 | 18 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 324 | 0 | Running | 142 |
| 9 | 7 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 324 | 4 | Running | 143 |
| 10 | 10 | 94 | Bill Elliott | Bill Elliott Racing | Ford | 324 | 3 | Running | 139 |
| 11 | 34 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 324 | 0 | Running | 130 |
| 12 | 39 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 324 | 0 | Running | 127 |
| 13 | 38 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 324 | 0 | Running | 124 |
| 14 | 31 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 324 | 2 | Running | 126 |
| 15 | 37 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 324 | 0 | Running | 118 |
| 16 | 16 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 324 | 1 | Running | 120 |
| 17 | 19 | 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 324 | 0 | Running | 112 |
| 18 | 23 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 324 | 0 | Running | 109 |
| 19 | 36 | 15 | Derrike Cope | Fenley-Moore Motorsports | Ford | 323 | 0 | Running | 106 |
| 20 | 9 | 93 | Dave Blaney (R) | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 322 | 0 | Running | 103 |
| 21 | 25 | 41 | Rick Mast | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 322 | 0 | Running | 100 |
| 22 | 15 | 27 | Jeff Fuller (R) | Eel River Racing | Pontiac | 322 | 0 | Running | 97 |
| 23 | 42 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 322 | 0 | Running | 94 |
| 24 | 32 | 42 | Kenny Irwin Jr. | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 322 | 0 | Running | 91 |
| 25 | 38 | 7 | Michael Waltrip | Mattei Motorsports | Chevrolet | 319 | 0 | Engine | 88 |
| 26 | 40 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 319 | 0 | Running | 85 |
| 27 | 41 | 60 | Ted Musgrave | Joe Bessey Racing | Chevrolet | 318 | 2 | Running | 87 |
| 28 | 33 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 310 | 0 | Running | 79 |
| 29 | 2 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (R) | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 307 | 8 | Running | 81 |
| 30 | 14 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 305 | 191 | Engine | 83 |
| 31 | 43 | 66 | Darrell Waltrip | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 298 | 0 | Running | 70 |
| 32 | 30 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 274 | 0 | Accident | 67 |
| 33 | 12 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 271 | 0 | Accident | 64 |
| 34 | 27 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 270 | 0 | Accident | 61 |
| 35 | 17 | 9 | Stacy Compton (R) | Melling Racing | Ford | 264 | 0 | Running | 58 |
| 36 | 1 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 257 | 5 | Engine | 60 |
| 37 | 26 | 55 | Kenny Wallace | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 253 | 0 | Engine | 52 |
| 38 | 5 | 16 | Kevin Lepage | Roush Racing | Ford | 238 | 8 | Running | 54 |
| 39 | 21 | 75 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Galaxy Motorsports | Ford | 208 | 0 | Accident | 46 |
| 40 | 4 | 17 | Matt Kenseth (R) | Roush Racing | Ford | 199 | 2 | Engine | 48 |
| 41 | 20 | 32 | Scott Pruett (R) | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 177 | 0 | Accident | 40 |
| 42 | 6 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 135 | 5 | Engine | 42 |
| 43 | 29 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 68 | 5 | Accident | 39 |
| Official race results | |||||||||
Media
Television
The race was aired live on ABC in the United States for the twenty ninth and final time Bob Jenkins, 1973 Cup Series champion Benny Parsons and two-time Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 winning crew chief Ray Evernham called the race from the broadcast booth. Jerry Punch, Bill Weber and John Kernan handled pit road for the television side.
| ABC | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth announcers | Pit reporters | |
| Lap-by-lap | Color-commentators | |
| Bob Jenkins | Benny Parsons Ray Evernham |
Jerry Punch Bill Weber John Kernan |