Mark started the Pepsi 400 in seventh
position and ended up finishing seventh. Martin led one time for four laps during
the race, but fell back through the field in the closing laps after taking
only two tires on his final pit stop. "We had a great car," Martin said.
"That's just a shame we finished where we did. We had to compromise in
order to get track position and that is why we took two tires at the end.
We were too far back and hoped that would help."
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Mark lost his front tire changer, Robert
Benfield, to a kidney stone the day of the Pepsi 400 and he figures
that hurt his team's pit performance. "I tried to speed on pit road
to make up for it and then I just had to settle for losing ground in
the pits all the time," said Mark who maintained second in the Winston
Cup point standings.
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During the first caution period, NASCAR
penalized Mark for speeding on pit road and sent him to the end of
the longest line on the restart. He fought his way back and led once
for four laps, but said "it just didn't work out for us." "It's a shame
because we really had a great car, but we had to compromise it in
order to get track position and that was the compromise."
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On another note, Mark and Jeff Burton have extended their contracts
with Roush Racing through 2005, it was announced Aug 21. Rousch Racing also will
remain as the exclusive licensing agent and attorney for the two
Winston Cup drivers with regard to all transactions with licensees
and sponsers.
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Mark, who is second in the Winston Cup point standings,
has spent the last 12 years with owner Jack Rousch and will co-own the Winston Cup car
driven next season by rookie Matt Kenseth. Burton, who is sixth in the
point standings, is in his fourth year with Roush.
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"Oour competitive success in all NASCAR
series is attributable to the efforts of many people, and particularly
because of Mark's and Jeff's commitment to not only better their own
race teams, but to assist and nurture all of the programs throughout
our organization." Rousch said in a prepared statement.
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"Their commitment allows Rousch Racing
to continue in a postition of prominence in motorsports for many
years to come."
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