Mark 5th in Gatorade Duel #2

Mark teamed up with Roush Racing teammates Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray The 2006 Ford Fusion

to move his way to the front of the field and into contention for the win in Thursday afternoon’s second session of the Gatorade Twin 150’s at Daytona International Speedway. Running with Biffle and McMurray, Mark found himself all the way up in second place and gaining on leader Jeff Gorden with only two scheduled laps remaining in the 60-lap event. Moments later the day’s third and final caution would set up yet another green-white-checkered finish. Mark would end up finishing fifth in the event, which decides starting places for Sunday’s Daytona 500, and earn a 10 th place starting position for the 500.

“The No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion was just spectacular today,” said Mark on pit road after the race. “We were able to move up front and stay there. We worked really will with Greg (Biffle) and we were in position to contend for the win if things had of worked out the right way. They ultimately didn’t, but that is all you can ask for. Pat (Tryson) and the guys have done a great job with this car and hopefully we can make some more noise come Sunday.”

After the day’s second caution on lap 51, Mark and the team had opted to come down pit road for right-side tires only, while several cars, including leader Jeff Gordon decided to stay out on the track for track position. Mark, who went into the pits in second, returned in seventh when green-flag racing resumed on lap 54. Working with Biffle and McMurray the Roush trio wasted little time moving back through the field and by lap 58, Mark had just moved around second place Kyle Busch. With Biffle pushing from behind, it looked as if Mark would be able to overtake Gordon for the lead, but the third caution with only one lap remained, set up the green-white-checkered finish.

Busch was ahead of Mark by inches when the yellow was waved, so Mark restarted in third.

“I messed up right there at the end,” said Mark. “I waited a little bit too long. I didn’t want to pull out. I had a chance to get on the outside and the 43 wasn’t up to me yet, so I was waiting for him to catch, and he caught me so quick that when I made my move to pull out in front of him, he was already there. We were looking good. We’ve got a good race car; where we start doesn’t matter, so I wanted to protect it. It was a great run. We had a shot to challenge for it. Then the caution came out and e verything went different, and then we were actually looking good again. That green-white-checkered, that’s always crazy.”

Still, Mark, who saw his car severely damaged in last year’s 150, was j ust glad to bring the car home in once piece, while preserving it for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

“I’m just glad we didn’t need any of that AAA roadside assistance,” added Mark. “A lot of times you leave here with a wrecked up car and we were able to bring it home in one piece, with a really solid showing.”

Mark had started the race 12 th, before working in the draft to move into the top-five by the 17 th lap of the race. Still running fifth, the team pitted after the first caution on lap 27 and used a 14.09-second stop to take four tires and make a chassis adjustment, while gaining two positions to restart in third place on lap 32.

Patiently biding his time, Mark remained in third place as an eight car pack began to pull away from the remainder of the field. The veteran patiently waited, before making his move on lap 49. The move was successful and he was able to take second place, just before caution was called two laps later, setting up the two-tire stop and the run at the lead.

Mark and the team again shift their focus to Sunday’s 500, where Mark will start on the outside of row five.