The 2005 Pennsylvania 500

Mark, the ultimate "old school" racer wasn't able to take advantage of his Mark pits at 2nd Pocono 2005 race

forte Sunday at Pocono Raceway, but he was satisfied to end Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 in third position.

"Not only did we lead the race in convincing fashion on the next-to-last set of tires, which felt really good," Mark said. "We had great pit strategy, great pit stops and a good car."

Pocono is usually considered a place that transfers information well to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the series' next stop in two weekends, so Mark indicated he had high hopes for his Chase for the Nextel Cup chances.

"If we can do this next week at Indy, we'll be looking good," Mark said. "I know our car will be this fast next week, and if we can get the same kind of result (we'll get) another top five."

Mark held the middle position in a three-man Roush Racing finish amongst the top-four. Defending Nextel Cup Series champion Kurt Busch won for the second time this season and Carl Edwards -- who won here in June -- was fourth.

Mark's fellow veteran Rusty Wallace, who like Roush's lead driver has said this would be his final full-time season, was second, his best finish this season.

"We thought we had the perfect strategy until we had 50 cautions there at the end," Mark said. "I love that old school racing when they don't have all those cautions."

Actually, there were five cautions in the final 27 laps, including the record-tying 13th yellow flag that sealed Busch's victory as he raced on Lap 203.

The number equaled Pocono's high in 56 Cup races since 1974, which occurred in June 1990.

The cautions exacerbated a brake deficiency that Mark said he battled particularly for the last 120 laps of the race. The restarts brought on by the final four cautions completely sealed his fate.

"I pumped (my brakes) the whole race last time here, and I pumped 'em most of this race," Mark said. "I didn't have anything for Rusty with all those cautions.

"Our car was pretty good, but we can't seem to wind one of these races up without about six or eight cautions nowadays."

The day was a good one for Mark with six races remaining before the cutoff for the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Jimmie Johnson, with a come-from-behind 12th place finish, remained the series points leader, 66 ahead of new second place man Tony Stewart.

Mark remained in seventh but moved to within 309 points of Johnson -- and unofficially 118 points clear of 10th.

"We both were points racing," Mark said of he and Wallace. "We didn't have a car to win and we didn't see any need in running over each other for five points.

"Right at the end, Rusty and I have been doing this a long time, we're trying to make the Chase rather the force the issue and slam the brakes on and have nothing but the rear (brakes). I was happy to finish it off.

"I wish that they wouldn't have had all the cautions there at the end. We did have a good enough car to get up there, I think, and get by Rusty -- but we couldn't run with Kurt on that last set of tires.

"We restarted in front of (Busch) and he passed us and went on. We had what we had (and) it was a great run. The brakes are taking more abuse everywhere we go now because of the gear rule."

Jack Roush agreed with Mark's assessment on the added stress on brakes due to less engine compression to aid in slowing down.

Roush said the organization would no doubt have an answer this week for the situation, which to some degree also afflicted Busch and teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished 36th.

"The short answer is that, probably by Tuesday we'll have a teardown layout of all the brakes off all the cars, and we'll evaluate them," Roush said. "There was something going on that we've got to look at the hydraulic side of it, and the pads and rotors and see if something is glaring (wrong)."