The 2004 Siemen's 300

Mark and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team had their work cut out for Mark in Loudon in July 04

them going into Sunday’s Siemen's 300, after fighting all weekend with and ill-handling car. The crew made massive changes throughout the weekend and on Sunday morning leading into the race. In the end Mark’s Ford Taurus was strong on long runs, but tended to struggle on restarts. The team needed long green-flag runs to advance through the field, but a rash of cautions down the stretch would keep the team from a top-10 finish, as Mark moved on to the 14th place run.

“That was a special job by Pat Tryson and this race team today,” said Mark. “The Viagra® Race Team is an incredible race team. I knew it would take an incredible job today to get a top-15 finish and they went out and did just that. It was a great job by this team.

“If there hadn’t been so many cautions in the end we could have ran about eighth,” added Mark. “My car just wouldn’t take off after cautions. It was really good when the tires were warmed up. It was a sixth-to- tenth place car on hot tires and about a twenty-something place car on cold tires. That is why we struggled so much on restarts and in qualifying and in practice. However, at lap five it would stabilize and at lap 20, I would run off and leave all the guys that were eating me up on the restarts.”

Mark started the race 26th after struggling in Friday’s qualifying session. The race started with a long green-flag run and by lap 26 Mark had moved inside the top 20. By lap 56 Mark was running 15th place and turning some of the fastest times on the track. The day’s first caution occurred just three laps later and Mark came into the pits for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. The team turned in its first of several fast stops on the day and after 14.92-second stop, Mark returned to the track in 11th place once the field went green.

As would be the case all day, the car struggled on the restart and Mark dropped to 13th. After two more quick cautions, the team gambled and stayed out and Mark was running in 12th place when the field went green on lap 102. Another long green flag run helped Mark move back inside the top 10 by lap 140 when the day’s fourth caution was called. The team reeled off its fastest stop of the day, a 13.384-second stop to take four tires and fuel. The excellent pit work moved the No. 6 Viagra? Ford up to sixth place.

Once again the car struggled on the restart, and by lap 158 Mark had dropped to 11th. However the car got better as it settled in and Mark powered his way back inside the top 10 where he was running when the day’s fifth caution was issued on lap 174. The team came down pit road for fuel only and Mark returned to the fielding 10th place.

Again the car struggled on cold tires and by lap 192 Mark had dropped back to 12th, where he was running when caution No. seven was called on lap 210 after Mark accidentally got into the back of the No. 21 car who was slowing down to avoid a wreck ahead of him. The team came down pit road for its final stop of the day, taking four tires and fuel in another fast stop of 13.945 seconds, and Mark returned to the field in ninth place.

Again the car would not go on new tires and after another quick caution, the No. 6 Ford had dropped to 13th place when the day’s ninth caution was issued on lap 232. Desperately in need of a long green flag run, the No. 6 team would be out luck as three more cautions in the last 46 laps would prevent Mark from gaining on the field, as the No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team would have to settle for the 14th place run. Roush Racing Teammate Kurt Busch went on to win the race.

“We really just didn’t have the car we wanted today,” said Mark. “We struggled all weekend, but the guys just did a great job to make it what it was. We could have easily have run 25th or so, but Pat and the guys never gave up. The strategy was solid and the stops were some of the best we’ve had all year.

“We’ll have a better car next week at Pocono,” added Mark. “So we’ll just have to wait until then to get back out there and get after it.”

Mark remains in 15th place in the Nextel Cup Point standing, 192 points outside of the top 10.

The team will remain on the move, flying straight from Loudon to Watkins Glen, where they will conduct a two-day test session in preparation for the year’s second and final road-course race. The team will return to racing action next week at Pocono Raceway.