The 2006 Sharpie 500 at Bristol

It was simply one of those nights for Mark and the No. 6 AAA race team. In a race that started with great promise, Mark at Night Bristol 2006

Mark was penalized early for pitting out of the box and was held for a lap by NASCAR. Mark fought diligently to get back on the lead lap, at one time passing and holding off the leaders for several laps, but an accident with the No. 4 car on lap 210 caused severe damage to the alignment of Mark’s Ford Fusion, effectively ending his bid for a solid finish. Mark would be forced to limp home to a 28th place finish, while preserving his place in the Nextel Cup top 10 with two races remaining until the cutoff point for the Chase to the Nextel Cup.

“That was a tough night,” said Mark. “I messed up getting in the pits and that set us back and cost us a lap. We had a good car and were able work our way back up front and even drive our way back on the lead lap at one time, but we just weren’t able to get a break there, and when we got caught up in that accident it knocked the tow out on the car and it was just too tight to drive from that point on. It’s a shame, because the team did a great job and we really had a good car going into this thing.

“We really just can’t worry about that now,” added Mark. “We just have to go back and get them in California next week. We should be really good there and we’ll just have to go there and beat those other guys on the track. That is what we have to do and we will be up for the challenge.”

Mark started the race 15th after an early draw hurt his qualifying effort on Friday. However, by the weekend’s final practice session, Mark had one of the fastest cars in the field and was poised for a run at the trophy on Saturday night. The veteran needed only two laps to move to 13th once the race went green, and he was running there when the race’s first caution was called on lap 61. The team came down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment and picked up one spot to 12th. However, NASCAR penalized Mark for pitting out of the box and he was forced to come back down pit road and serve a one-lap penalty. He returned in 33rd position and one lap down when the field went green on lap 67.

The penalty would deal a severe blow to Mark and the team’s chances, but Tough Night For Mark at Night Bristol 2006

Tough Night For Mark at Night Bristol 2006

true to character Mark and the team dug down and came back fighting. By lap 121, Mark had driven himself into the lucky dog position as the first car one lap down. On lap 132, he passed race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. to get back on the tail end of the lead lap. Mark was able to keep the leaders at bay for the next 57 laps, before eventually being overtaken by race leader Jeff Gordon on lap 189. Mark was able to collect the free pass back to the lead lap on lap 210 after the race’s fifth caution, but the caution would come at a huge price for Mark and the AAA team. The No. 4 car missed a shift, and Mark was unable to avoid a collision with the car. One lap later with Mark running 30th, the No. 4 car blew up causing the caution, but the tow had been knocked out of Mark’s car, effectively ending any chances he had for a good finish.

He would spend the remaining laps of the race, holding on to what position he could, as he was forced to settle for the 28th -place finish. The finish dropped Mark six places to 10th in the Nextel Cup point standing. With two races remaining at Fontana and Richmond, Mark currently holds on to a 90 point lead over 11th-place Kasey Kahne. He trails ninth by just two points and is only 48 points out of fourth.

The team will return to action next week at California Speedway, where Mark finished ninth in the spring and 11th last year. Mark has one win, three top fives and six top 10 finishes in 12 starts at California.