Mark has been in and out of Winston Cup racing since 1981. His first
race was at North Wilksboro Speedway on the 3rd April 1981, he qualified 5th,
ran 166 laps, before going out of the race with a bad engine, after losing a
cylinder. In all he competed in six races that year, and at 22 years old, in
only his fifth race, he finished 3rd, at the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville
Speedway.The first race in 1982 was the Busch Clash, Mark finished 8th, the first rookie to qualify for the now famous season opener at Daytona. By the end of 1982, he had eight top ten finishes, and was fourteenth in the final points standings. But it was not enough to win the Rookie of the Year competition, which was won by Geoff Bodine, but still it was a good rookie year, in a car he owned.
In 1983, he signed up with J D Stacy, to drive the #2 Buick, this partnership only last until Martinsville, he then raced a car owned by D K Ulrich at Talladega and a week later at Nashville, but the partnership broke up after that. Following that he drove a Chevrolet, fielded by Emanual Zervakis at the World 600 at Charlotte. Two more missed races, and Mark found himself driving for Morgan-McClure, who at the time ran Oldsmobile’s. The Morgan-McClure, Martin partnership lasted for six races.
The following year, Mark took a step back, to ASA. He raced for Randy Rieble in 1984. But two years later he added his fourth ASA driving title, this time he was driving for Jerry Gunderman, with Jimmy Fennig as his crew chief. During this time is tried out a few more Winston cup races, also in a car owned by Gunderman. The following year saw him take another step closer to returning to Winston Cup, when he moved up to the Busch Grand National series, driving a car owned by Bruce Lawmaster. The first win came at Dover, this was also Ford first win in Busch. This win was followed up with wins at, Orange County Speedway, North Carolina, and Richmond.
1987, proved to be a pivotal year for Mark’s career. As halfway thought
the season, Ford asked him if he would drive in Winston Cup for them, this then
lead to Mark signing for Jack Roush for the ’88 season.The first year was a struggle, which saw Mark finish 15th in the points. The breakthough came in 1989. Five poles, two sixth places finishes, a fourth, five third places, four second place finishes and to top the year off a win over Rusty Wallace of just 2.98 seconds at the AC Delco, Rockingham, after leading the final 77 laps. It was not enough, as Rusty Wallace went on to be Champion that year.
Mark has finished in the top ten every year since, excepted for 2001, where Roush as a team struggled overall. This includes two runner up places in 1994, to yet again Dale Earnhardt, and then in 1998 to Jeff Gordon. He has also finished 3rd three times, in 1993, 1997 and 1999. Other Championship top ten include a fourth in 1995, a fifth in 1996, two sixth place finishes in 1991 and 1992. And eighth place in the Championship in 2000.
So here he is in 2002, second in the points to Sterling Marlin. So far this year he has six top fives and eleven top tens, the worst finish came at Dover with a 41st place finish, the best? His one and only win, came at the Coca-Cola Family 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway. And still, he is looking for that elusive Championship. A humble family man from Batesville, Arkansas. A man who has won four ASA championships and has forty-five Busch wins, under his belt, but, deserves just one Winston Cup championship before he retires.
