Pocono 500 - 2000

Mark led only once for one lap to gain five bonus points in the Winston Cup points chase, Mark and Jack talk it over

but more importantly his fifth-place finish snapped a five-race streak of finishing outside the top 10.

It was the Arkansas driver's longest streak of finishing outside the top 10 in more than a decade. During the five-race streak, Mark plummeted from first to ninth in the point standings, where he remained following Pocono. After several weeks of bad luck, Mark's season began to look up at Pocono. Mark drove his Roush Racing Ford to a fifth-place finish in the rain-delayed Pocono 500.

Mark started the race in sixth place, but struggled early with the handling of his car. The track changed drastically from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning following rain showers, and the competitors were scrambling to make adjustments. Mark's team pulled a spring rubber on lap 21 and although he rejoined the race in 29th place, the handling of the car was improved.

Mark worked his way into the top 10 and led lap 113 before pitting under green. Another two-tire pit stop with 16 laps remaining moved Mark into fifth place and he held off Tony Stewart to keep the position, as Jeremy Mayfield won the race.

"We really needed that fifth-place finish," Mark said. "After the way the last five races have gone, finishing fifth felt like a win. The Valvoline/Cummins team worked hard all weekend and we knew we had a pretty good car. We picked up a little bit in happy hour on Saturday before it rained and I think we all felt confident going into this race. I just wish we could have run Sunday, but right now I'll take this finish any day of the week."


Congratulations, Jeremy Mayfield, for the win at the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Pocono 500 in Brooklyn Michigan.