You wouldn't be the first NASCAR driver to go from worst to first after
rolling snake eyes in the 500. Tony Stewart pulled it off in 2002, and last
year Ryan Newman finished last in the 500 but rose to fourth in points
before finishing sixth.Since you began driving for Roush Racing in 1988, you've had five finishes outside the top 30 in the 500: 41st in 1988; 33rd in 1989; 38th in 1998; 31st in 1999; and 33rd in 2001. But you battled back and finished 15th, third, second, third and 12th in points, and you and the No. 6 crew will rally again.
It's a shame a blown engine early in the 500 ended your day and landed you in last place, in light of the team's performance in the days leading up to the big race. Yes, stuff happens, but the weekend took an unexpected twist after Friday night's truck race, which was won by Carl Edwards. Your friend and car owner, Jack Roush, announced that Edwards was the heir apparent for the No. 6 two years hence.
Oh, the games people play.
Although you didn't seem too shocked by the news, I'm sure your back felt a little like a chopping block in a Ginsu commercial. You said the statement, which Roush has said was made solely to build Edwards' confidence, was part of "Jack's agenda."
You stood firm. "I'm in the driver's seat," you said confidently. "I know what I'm going to do, and Carl will be ready for a Cup ride long before I retire. I made a plan seven years ago and people laughed at me. This summer, we'll have to decide what 2006 brings, but I feel 100 percent different than I did 120 days ago.
"This is Jack's way of manipulating me and making me try harder. Sure it's mean, but that's what he did. He wants me to race beyond 2005, so he's working it. If I'm going to be riding in the middle of the pack, then I'm going to be looking for a way out. I'm not out there to make laps; I'm here to race."
You say you'd like to race 10 more years, until you're 55. Whether that will turn out to be, say, a partial Cup schedule or a full-time truck schedule hasn't been determined. But for now, you and your primary sponsor, Viagra, are under contract through 2005. Roush president Geoff Smith says that regardless of the sponsor situation, you can race as long as you want.
No one will ever doubt Mark's commitment. But after the disappointing outcome
in the Daytona 500, conspiracy theorists began wondering whether the No. 6 --
once the flagship of Roush Racing -- had been relegated to research and development.
Teammate Jeff Burton finished in the top 10 in points from 1997 through 2001,
but his engine also knocked him out of this year's 500 quickly, landing him in
42nd place.That wasn't the case for the drivers who embody the future of the organization. Defending points champ Matt Kenseth finished ninth, Greg Biffle was 12th and Kurt Busch finished 16th.
There's no doubt there's a plan in place for Edwards and trucks teammate Jon Wood, the future of Ford. They'll run for the title in the Craftsman Truck Series this season and then graduate to Busch in 2005.
Eventually, Wood is expected to get the family-owned No. 21 Ford that Ricky Rudd races. Rudd has a year left on his Wood Brothers contract with an option for 2005.
But sources say Ford would like Rudd to stick around and mentor Wood in the same manner Bill Elliott is working with Kasey Kahne in Evernham Motorsports Dodges. Mark could do the same for Edwards and Mark's son, Matt, who is 12 and already under contract to Ford and Roush.
"I was miserable and embarrassed last year," Mark says. "I'd be a fool to sign up for some more of that. I'd be an idiot.
"But Jack's on me. He's already started his campaign. Jack wants me to race for a long, long time, and Jack gets what he wants. But I don't think that running a deal like Bill has would be an option to me."
Last year, Mark couldn't wait for his contract to be over. The cars were slow, and morale on the No. 6 team was miserable. There's a renewed optimism with the team this year, and Mark credits crew chief Pat Tryson for the change.
But if Roush wants Mark to continue, the organization must provide him with strong cars. That way, when he does decide to retire, he can race out of the series with a blaze of glory, not with a flicker as he did at Daytona.
