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Atlanta 500 preview
| NASCAR Winston Cup Series -- Atlanta 500 |
| When:Sunday, Nov. 19 -- 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN |
| Where:Atlanta Motor Speedway |
| Distance: 500.5 miles/325 laps |
| Posted Awards: $2,900,522 |
| The Field: |
| Field consists of the fastest 36 cars through time trials. Also, seven provisional starting positions based on 2000 owner points, for maximum 43-car field. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NWCS champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.
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| The Schedule: |
| Friday, Nov. 17 |
| 11:30am Practice until 1:30pm |
| 3pm Qualifying (pos. 1-25, one lap) |
| Saturday, Nov. 18 |
| 9:30am Practice until 10:15am |
| 11am Qualifying (pos. 26-36, one lap) |
| Sunday, Nov. 19 |
| 12:30pm Start of the Atlanta 500 |
| Track facts |
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Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54-mile paved track with 24-degree banking in all turns and 5-degree banking in the straightaways. This is the 41st running of the NAPA 500.
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| Atlanta 500 Notes |
- The NASCAR Winston Cup Series Leader Bonus is worth $50,000 this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Ga.
- The spring race earlier this year at AMS had one of the closest margins of victories in the sport between Dale Earnhardt and Bobby Labonte, with Earnhardt taking the checkers by 0.010 second.
- More races have been won from the pole position at this track than any other starting position - 13 times.
- Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with the most wins at AMS - nine.
- The Wood Brothers leads all car owners with the most wins at AMS - 12.
- Earnhardt and Labonte remain the only drivers among the top-40 drivers that do not have a DNF on their 2000-season record.
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| Other Notes |
- With his fourth-place finish on Sunday, Bobby Labonte clinched the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. His championship comes in his eighth full season. Since joining the circuit in 1993, he has driven for only two car owners: Bill Davis and Joe Gibbs.
- He became the 24th different driver to win the title and joins older brother Terry (1984 & 1996) as the only brothers to win the NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship.
- Labonte's car owner and three-time winner of the NFL's Super Bowl, Joe Gibbs, can now add NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship car owner to his resume.
- Going into the season finale this weekend at Atlanta, Labonte is the only driver ranked in the top 40 that has locked-in his final points position.
- Jeff Burton moved into second place, knocking Dale Earnhardt to third in the standings.
- Matt Kenseth continues to lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year charge with a 28-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
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