Top five NASCAR moments

The season was also tainted by tragedy, with Kenny Irwin, Busch Series racer Adam Petty and Craftsman Truck driver Tony Roper all involved in fatal accidents.

Autosport.com picks its five most memorable moments from a memorable season of top level stock car racing...


Jeremy Mayfield out-intimidates the Intimidator, dale Earnhardt, at Pocono. Racing for the win, the Kentuckian dived down the inside and pushed Earnhardt wide and up the banking - something you just don't do to the hardest man in NASCAR! Earnhardt was shocked, but impressed...

NASCAR underdog Johnny Benson loses his sponsorship on the eve of the Daytona 500, Winston Cup racing's superbowl, but a last-minute deal allows him to start the race - and nearly win it in fairytale style. With just a handful of laps to go, Benson is poised to take the lead, but the vagaries of restrictor plate racing see him 'hung out to dry' and tumbling down the order to an eventual 12th.

The rookies dominate at Charlotte. Dale Earnhardt Jr wins the Winston and Matt Kenseth takes the Coca Cola 600, the longest race on the schedule. The 2000 rookie class was touted as the strongest in years, and for once, Little E and Kenseth more than justified NASCAR racing's unashamed sense of hype.

Bobby Labonte wins the Southern 500 at Darlington. By then, the Texan looked set to take his first Winston Cup crown, but victory at the egg-shaped, original superspeedway cemented his claim to join NASCAR's greats.

The Winston 500 at Talladega - the race of the decade. Modifications to the restrictor plate rules used on the superspeedways were introduced for the first time at the daunting 2.66-mile Talladega speed bowl. More power, but more drag too, ensured a record number of lead changes and an amazing fight through the field by that man Dale Earnhardt Sr to take his second win of the season.