The 2002 New Hampshire 300

For the first time since the spring of 2000, Mark leads the Winston Cup Points Standings. Claiming first place Mark now leads Sterling in points race

was not an easy task for Mark and the No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team, who had to overcome a flat tire on the 146th-lap of the rain soaked New Hampshire 300, to finish 16th and the first place position with only nine races remaining in the season.

"I'm not going to get too carried away with leading the points," said Mark after the race. "We had a really good car here today. The Viagra® Racing Team gave me the best short track car that I've ever had today and it's too bad that we didn't finish a little better. We had a top-five car, but on the other hand I'm thrilled that we didn't wreck when the tire blew.

"While I'm not going to get caught up in all the hoopla, I am very proud of this team and I do hope that these guys get some of the recognition that they so deserve for the job they have done this season. As for the points race, we have nine races to go. Taking the lead means that we scored the most points in the first 27 races of the season. Still, if these guys keep giving me these kind of cars to drive, we'll stay in this thing to the end."

Mark, who started seventh and had a strong car for most of the weekend, was running in seventh place when his right rear tire went flat on lap 146. The veteran driver called on all of his driving skills to keep the No. 6 Viagra® Ford Taurus from smashing into the turn x wall, before coming into the pits to change the tire. Once inside the pits, the hose that goes to the air gun, got wedged under Mark's tire and by the time the No. 6 Taurus returned to the field, Mark was two laps down, running in 33rd position.

"Those are the type of things that you just can't control," said Mark. "But what you can't do is let yourself short circuit and throw it all away. When that type of thing happens, you just have to keep digging and stay with what you have."

Mark in New Hampshire

Mark and the Viagra® Racing Team never gave up. By lap 162 Mark had regained one of the laps and by the time green flag pitting concluded on lap 166, Mark had raced his way back onto the lead lap and was running in 17th position.

Mark had worked his way up to 16th place when the day's third caution was called on lap 198. A few seconds later rain began to fall and the 300- lap race was called on lap 208 with Mark in 16th place. Sterling Marlin finished 21st and Mark assumed first place in the Winston Cup Championship race for the first time since 2000.

"It really doesn't matter what happens after here," said Mark while addressing the media after the race. "No matter what we should be proud of what we have accomplished. I'm proud. I'm very proud of this team. You don't get the opportunity to be in this situation often, but I've had the good fortune of being here a few times. We really didn't expect to be here at this point and I think that is a testament to this team and what they have been able to do."

Rain was the theme for the entire race, which started almost an hour late after persistent rains began to fall just before the race was set to begin. It took almost an hour for the track to be dried, before the green flag fell just shy of 2 p.m. However the rains returned soon after, forcing a caution after only 18 laps and the race to be stopped after just 22 laps.

The race did not resume until just after 4 p.m. Mark ran inside the top 10 for the entire race, until blowing the tire on lap 146.

Mark and the No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team will take their lead to Dover next weekend for the MBNA All American Heroes 400.