The 2000 Daytona 500

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. Dale Jarrett, 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.

The green flag waved at 12:15 pm as pole-sitter Dale Jarrett led the field to the start of the race. However, he did not lead until lap 5 since he lost the first lap to outside polesitter Ricky Rudd. Mike Skinner took the lead away from Rudd on lap 2 and led two more. Bill Elliott briefly took the lead on lap 34, and then Jarrett regained it just before the first caution came out due to oil on a section of the track. The next green flag period lasted nearly 100 laps, in which Mark Martin took the lead and remained there for 65 laps. The second caution (also for oil) came on lap 134 and the third one came out on lap 157. During the latter caution, Johnny Benson, Jr. passed Martin for the lead as the lead-lap cars raced back to the yellow flag.

Benson, Jr. led the next 39 laps, which included yet another caution on lap 170, once again for oil. On lap 192, several drivers, including Michael Waltrip, Elliott Sadler, and John Andretti, were involved in a crash right at the start-finish line. The race restarted with four laps to go, and Benson, Jr. looked as if he might capture his first cup series win in the biggest event of the season when the Fords of Jarrett and Jeff Burton ganged up on and passed him entering turn 3. One lap before the white flag was scheduled, Jimmy Spencer hit the front stretch wall, which allowed the final lap to be run under caution, securing a third Daytona 500 win for Jarrett, making him the fourth driver to win three or more Daytona 500s.