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Mark’s No. 8 Chevrolet Impala was the class of the field as
the laps wound down in Sunday’s Subway
Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Unfortunately Mark and the team came up short on
fuel, while settling for a fifth-place finish at the 1-mile track. In one of Mark’s strongest
outings in recent history, the veteran led 68 laps and had the fastest car on the track for much
of the race.“First of all I have to say just how proud I am of this U.S. Army team,” said Mark on pit road after the race. “Our car was fantastic tonight. We had a great run and it’s just an honor to drive this car and represent out soldiers and everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc. “Obviously we had a car that could win this race,” added Mark. “I thought we could make it on fuel, but in the end we couldn’t. However, this is a team effort, and I stand behind these guys. When I put the car in the wall out there someday, they will stand by me, just like I’m standing by them right now. “The thing to remember is that this was a great effort by this team, and I think that we showed that we are a team that can contend and that we are a team that can go out and win races. That’s all I’ve ever asked for and we have that with this No. 8 U.S. Army Team.” Mark was strong in the race, leading 68 laps on two different occasions and holding the race lead for 29 of the final 39 laps. Mark passed the No. 88 car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. on lap 271 of the 312 lap event. Thinking the car was one-lap short on making the race on fuel, Mark quickly pulled away from the field and began to conserve fuel. Mark held the lead until ten laps remaining, before crew chief Tony Gibson opted to bring Mark in the pits for two-tires and fuel, rather than risk running out of fuel late in the race. A handful of cars including the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson opted to stay out, and Johnson ended up winning the race. “You hate to see it come down that way,” said Mark. “But you also don’t want to run out of fuel with one to go and finish 20th in a race that you’ve been up front the entire time. Again, it was a great run. I don’t really know how many more nights like this I have in my career, so you have to enjoy all of them and not worry about what didn’t happen.” Mark took the lead for the first time on lap 167 of the race and ran inside the top two for the remainder of the race, before coming into the pits for fuel on lap 302. With the finish the team moved to 14th in Sprint Cup owner points, just two spots and 13 points outside the coveted top 12. Mark, who has started just six races in 2008, is 27th in Sprint Cup owner points, ahead of nine drivers who have started all eight events |
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