Mark meticulously moved his way through the field of the 200-lap 3M
Performance 400 to score a top-10 finish Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. Mark started his
record-extending 72nd career event at MIS, and showed his experience, patiently working his way to
his to the top-10 finish.
“That was just an awesome effort by this U.S. Army Team,” said Mark moments after the race.
“We had a great car today and the team really did a great job on pit road. (Crew chief) Tony (Gibson)
made a great call to take four tires there at the end and the car really liked fresh
tires today.
Mark was running in 10th position when the race’s fourth caution was issued on lap 178. Gibson and the
team opted to put four tires on the car, while much of the field elected for two tires only. The move
paid off, with Mark restarting in 12th on lap 187, but needing only five laps to advance all the way to
seventh.
The team stayed out under the next caution, and Mark drove his No. 8 U.S. DEI Chevy Impala SS into
the top five on lap 194. Seconds later caution was issued again on lap 195. Mark again stayed out and
looked to be headed to a top-five finish before getting passed just at the finish line by the No. 17 car
of Matt Kenseth.
Mark started the race 15th based on Friday’s qualifying session. He struggled for much of the race with
the grip in the right rear tire over the long run. The car started to get faster after the team made a
track bar adjustment on lap 85. Mark broke into the top 10 for the first time on lap 178, and kept his
car there for the majority of the remainder of the race.
The finish was Mark’s eighth top-10 result in 17 starts in 2008. It is his 28th top-10 Sprint Cup
finish in 46 Cup starts at MIS and his 49th overall top-10 finish at the two-mile track.
The team remained in 15th in the Sprint Cup Owner points, only 146 points outside of 12th.
The team will return to action next week under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway, with rookie Aric
Almirola behind the wheel of the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevy. Mark will return to the car on Sept. 6 at
Richmond International Raceway.
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