The 2003 Ford 400

Mark and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team carried high hopes into Sunday’s Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Indeed Mark and Ward Burton mix it up

Mark and the team had one of the fastest cars on the track during the season finale. The team looked poised to take home another top 10 finish, when Mark and the No. 0 car of Ward Burton tangled up on lap 243; sending both cars to the garage and providing an early ending to both team’s day and season.

"We got too racy there with Ward there,” said Mark. “Ward and I were racing real hard and we got together and went around. It’s an unfortunate way to end the day because we had a pretty fast car all day, especially on long runs.”

Banking was added to the track during the off-season and the teams were allowed to test and choose between two cars to run during Sunday’s race. After testing on Wednesday, Mark and new crew chief Pat Tryson opted to go with a car that Tryson brought over from the No. 21 team of the Wood Brothers and the decision paid off. Mark posted some of the fastest times on the track during Friday’s practice session. However, due to track conditions the car was overly loose during qualifying and Mark was forced to take a provisional, starting 40th in Sunday’s race.

However, Mark wasted no time moving up the field, gaining five positions just three laps into the race when the day’s first caution was called. Several of the cars dove into the pits for fuel. Mark stayed out and restarted the race in 21st position. The car’s handling tightened up and Mark had fallen to 22nd place when the day’s second caution came out on lap 28. Mark came into the pits for four tires and to free the car up with wedge and air pressure adjustments. Mark once again restarted the race in 21st place.

The adjustments saw huge payoffs and Mark started to run some of the fastest times on the track, moving into 15th place by lap 52. By lap 67, Mark was the fastest car on the track, as he powered the No. 6 Viagra? Ford into the top 10. Mark had moved all the way to seventh place when caution No. three was called on lap 74. After another quick caution a few laps later Mark was running in ninth place, as the car began to once again get tight in its handling.

Mark remained in the top 10 and was running ninth when the day’s fifth caution was issued on lap five. The team came in for four tires and fuel and to once again make a wedge adjustment in hopes of freeing up the car. Mark restarted the race in 12th place and was running 11th when caution no. six was called a few laps later on lap 141. The majority of the field pitted for tires, but Mark came into the pits for fuel only and was running in sixth place when the race went green on lap 151.

Mark broke into the top 10 on the next lap, but got caught up in traffic and quickly fell to 10th place by lap 155. By lap 168 Mark had dropped all the way to 17th position and the car again became tight. Stronger on long runs, the car began to improve and Mark broke back into the top 15 by lap 183. Two laps later the veteran maneuvered by three cars to take 12th place.

The No. 6 was running in 11th place when the team came into the pits under caution for four tires, fuel and another wedge adjustment. Excellent work in the pits saw the team reel off a 14.227-second stop and Mark returned to the field in ninth place and with enough fuel to go the distance in the race.

Mark in a pack at Homestead

Still struggling on short runs, Mark dropped to 11th place on lap 226, but rebounded and moved back into the top 10 on lap 241. Two laps later Mark and Burton got tangled up in the accident and Mark and the team had to settle for a 33rd place finish. A disappointing finish to an equally disappointing season that saw several races end after getting tangled up in accidents.

Still Mark was upbeat after the race about his team’s future.

“We had a pretty fast car, and I was really happy with it,” said Mark. “It was certainly a top 10 car for sure. We were really great on the long runs. I wish I would have had some race cars like that this year because that thing was awesome.”

“I just can’t say enough about the way this team hung in there this year and kept fighting no matter what happened. I can’t thank them enough for that. I’m excited about what we have going on right now and we are ready to tackle the off season and come back strong next year.”