The 2002 Bud Shootout

Rains subsided just in time for driver introductions. Mark Mark Martin

started his record 14th straight Budweiser Shootout on Sunday under a cloud filled sky that shadowed over the event most of the day. In the race, which is a prelude to next week’s Daytona 500, Mark drove the No. 6 Kraft Ford Taurus to a 12th place finish. Tony Stewart went on to win the race.

Mark started 18th in the field, which was made up of a record 22 cars. Starting position was based on a drawing that took place on Thursday.

Mark quickly drove the No. 6 Kraft car into the top 10, running in eighth position just five laps into the race. Mark began to drop to the back of the field as he got bumped out of the draft and the handling of his car became too difficult to run the high line. He found himself in 19th position by lap 32 of the race. Bud Shootout rules dictate that each team pit at least one time during the race and make a change to at least the left side tires. Mark pitted with most of the field on lap 40 running in 18th position. The No. 6 Roush Racing team changed all four tires, made an air pressure adjustment and took out two rounds of wedge. Mark returned to the field in 17th position.

With the No. 6 Kraft Ford Taurus handling better, Mark drove his way back up the field, running as high as 10th with just 10 laps remaining in the race before finishing 12th in the field.

After the race Mark was pleased with the progress the No. 6 team has made since the team arrived in Daytona on Friday.

"We had a really good pit stop and we made some great adjustments on the car when we stopped and moved up from the back to the middle of the pack," said Mark. "We have been able to get a lot accomplished since we got here. We’ve got our hands full for the 500, but we have a week to work on

it. "We were very fortunate to make such progress in that short of a time period," continued Mark. "If we are fortunate to make that much progress that will mean a lot. We made a lot of progress and the challenge will be to continue that. We do have our hands full, but we still are going to be able to make some gains."

"The teams did a nice job," said Roush Racing owner Jack Roush. "The cars ran well and didn’t have any problems and the tires did a good job during the race."