The Autism Speaks 400 Dover Motor Speedway Dover, DE June 4, 2007

Congratulations, Martin Truex Jr., for winning the NASCAR NEXTEL 2007 Autism Speaks 400.

Mark and the No. 01 U.S. Army Team showed its best Car of Tomorrow effort of the season with a seventh-place finish in Monday's rain-delayed Nextel Cup race at Dover International Speedway. The result lifted Mark to 12th in the point standings and back in the "Chase" cut-off mark, despite having run three fewer races than the majority of the field. The 01 Ginn Racing team remained sixth in owner points. The result also gave Mark his sixth top-10 and ninth top-15 finish in the 10 Cup races he has competed in 2007. His worst finish was 17th at Richmond. “That was by far our best COT effort,” said Mark. “We are still a whisker off, but we’ve made a lot of strides in a short time. Ryan (Pemberton, crew chief) and these guys have done a great job. It’s just an honor to drive this Army Chevy for our soldiers." “I actually had fun today for the first time in a COT,” added Mark. “We didn’t have a car to win, but we had a good car and I had a lot of fun driving it.” Mark was running in sixth position when the day’s seventh and final caution was called on lap 356. Pemberton opted to bring Mark in for four tires. Half of the top 10 stayed out, while Mark and the other half pitted. Mark returned in ninth when green flag racing resumed with 39 laps to go. Mark was able to fight back to seventh with four laps remaining. “That was a tough call,” said Pemberton. “It might have worked better to stay out, but at the time it seemed like the right thing. Mark did a great job as always and it was a great effort by the U.S. Army team.” Mark started the 400-mile event 21st after getting loose in Friday’s qualifying session. With the car set up dialed in for the long run, Mark patiently bided his time early, moving in and out of the top 20. By the time NASCAR called its second competition caution of the race on Lap 66 of 400, Mark had moved his Army Chevy into 17th position. Quick work in the pits by the U.S. Army crew put Mark inside the top 15 for the first time. Mark moved inside the top 10 on Lap 124, where he would run for the remainder of the event at the Monster Mile. Mark and the No. 01 U.S. Army team will return to action Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Mark has never won at Pocono, but has finished second on six occasions and has 19 top-fives.