The 2006 Ameriquest 300 Busch Race

In the end the cards just simply did not fall right for Mark and the No. 6 Ameriquest Team, but make no mistake, Mark Mark And Kasey Kahne At Fontana

was dominant in Saturday night’s Busch race at California Speedway. Mark started 11th, quickly powered through the field, took the lead on lap 39 and drove away from the field. The fastest car on the track for the majority of the night, Mark enjoyed as much as a 17-second lead at one point in the race.

“We really had a hot rod out there tonight,” said Mark. “Mike (Beam) and the guys really gave me a good car. They are my Craftsman Truck team as well, and I think that they proved out there tonight that they really know how to set up a Busch car as well. The Ameriquest Ford Fusion was just awesome all night. The car just worked really well and we were able to pass and get by the other cars. It’s really a lot of fun to drive a race car like that. I know it would have been more fun to win, but we sure had a lot of fun out there tonight.”

In a move that would ultimately lead to victory for the No. 9 car, Kasey Kahne brought his No. 9 car down pit road after the night’s sixth caution on lap 92. Kahne then topped off with fuel one lap before the field returned to green. The strategy would pay off for Kahne with the race going green for the final 51 laps of the race. Mark would be forced to come back down pit road for fuel and tires with just 20 laps remaining on lap 130. He came back out in 25th position. By far the fastest car on the track, Mark broke back into the top 10 just seven laps later. He was chasing Kahne down by one second a lap, but he simply ran out of time, crossing the finish line in third position behind the No. 9 and Busch Series point leader Kevin Harvick.

Mark started 11th mostly due to an early draw in qualifying. He moved inside the top 10 just one lap later. He broke into the top five on lap 17 and took the lead on lap 39. Turning the fastest times on the track, Mark pulled away from Kahne and the field, leading by as many as 25 car lengths. Mark gave up the lead to Kahne on pit road on lap 75, but needed only one lap when the field returned to green to power his No. 6 Ameriquest Ford Fusion back out front, before again pulling away from the field. Mark would lead the next 51 laps before pitting for fuel and tires on lap 130.

“Mike made the right call,” said Mark. “It just didn’t work out for us tonight. I’m not sure we could have made it on fuel from there, and really you just never know how these things will go down the stretch. Still, it was a great car and I’m glad we were able to get this Ameriquest Ford out front and lead a lot of laps and get a good finish.”

Mark will run his final Busch race of the season in November at Texas Motor Speedway. He will return to action with the No. 6 Busch/Truck team in two weeks at Loudon in the Craftsman Truck Series.