Photo – Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Out of all the June races at Pocono, none was more entertaining than the 2000 Pocono 500.

Rain on Sunday postponed the race to Monday. Rusty Wallace started on the pole at Pocono, seeking for his fourth win at the track. Wallace led 107 laps, but to win, track position was important.  Early in the race, many drivers elected to take two tires to get out front. The race featured 24 lead changes among 11 drivers.

With a caution at 17 laps to go, it was decision time, whether to take two or four tires. Tony Stewart led coming into the pits, but briefly stalled the car leaving his pit box, costing him a few seconds.  After pit stops, Dale Earnhardt’s crew got him out front, with Jeremy Mayfield in second. Earnhardt was looking to complete the weekend family sweep, as son Kerry won the ARCA race on Saturday.

The battle for the win came down between Earnhardt and Mayfield.  On the last lap, Mayfield got a great run off of the tunnel turn and closed right up on him. Going into turn three, Mayfield nudged Earnhardt out-of-the-way and intimidated “The Intimidator.”

Mayfield scored the win at Pocono getting a mixed reaction from the fans, while Earnhardt slid back to fourth.

In victory lane, Mayfield said he wanted “to rattle his (Earnhardt’s) cage a little.”  The famous quote came from Earnhardt after he nudged Terry Labonte out of the lead at the Bristol Motor Speedway in August 1999.

2000 Pocono 500 Top-Ten.

1. #12 Jeremy Mayfield (third career win)
2. #88 Dale Jarrett
3. #28 Ricky Rudd
4. #3 Dale Earnhardt
5. #6 Mark Martin
6. #20 Tony Stewart
7. #99 Jeff Burton
8. #24 Jeff Gordon
9. #31 Mike Skinner
10. #2 Rusty Wallace (took four tires on the last pit stop)