The 2005 Bud Shootout

Mark kicked off his "Salute To You" Tour 2005 season with an eighth-place run in Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Mark made his record 18th straight start in the Shootout, powering the Kraft The 2005 Shootout Car

Guess Who's Got Groceries Ford.

"I would have liked to have watched it, because it should have been a good show," said Mark after the race. "I just want to thank Kraft for their support of this thing. We had a giant motor under the hood and I guess we did good to finish eighth.

"We had a flat tire in that first segment and really were lucky to stay on the lead lap and that it didn't tear the car all to pieces."

The team was forced to battle back from a flat left-rear tire for the finish, after an early tire rub almost resulted in disaster for the No. 6 car. Mark started fourth and moved up to as high as sixth, but he was forced to drop to the back of the field after losing the left rear. Mark was able to stay on the lead lap and the team was able to repair the damage caused during the break between the first and second segments after lap 20. Mark finished the first 20-lap segment in 19th of 20 cars.

Working with the No. 8 car, Mark was able to drive his way to as high as sixth place in the second segment, but he was never able to get with the right group of cars to further advance.

"There were a couple of times when we had a chance to get up there and get in the mix," added Mark. But I never quite got into position where I had enough good cars behind me that they would wind up staying behind me. Each time I got near the front I would wind up at the tail end of the line on the outside. I had to do all my business on the outside and I just didn't have enough pals back there."

Mark and the team will now turn its attention to preparations for next Sunday's Daytona 500. Qualifying will be held on Sunday (Feb. 13), with the Gatorade Duel 150s on Thursday.

"The thing I look forward to is I got some big engines under the hood and we've got a great race team on pit road there for us, so I look forward to going out and racing," added Mark.