Mark and the No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Race
team went into Saturday’s United Way 300 looking for Mark’s third Busch
Series win of the season and his record-extending 48th career victory.
He was in contention for the majority of the race, with Mark running inside
the top five for the majority of the race and in second position with only
28 laps remaining. However Mark’s bid at the victory would end on lap 172
when he lost a left-front tire and was forced to come into the pits under
green. Mark returned to the field in 22 nd place, one lap down. The team
was able to get back onto the lead lap, as Mark fought down the checkered
flag to get his No. 9 Ford back to 14th.
“Well we had a strong run,” said Mark. “It wasn’t the finish we were looking
for because we lost the tire there late in the race. Still, at least we were
able to save the race car and come back for a respectable finish. The No.
9 Pennzoil Ford was strong all day and we’ll look for that next win in a
few weeks down at Homestead.”
The team started the race eighth and broke into the top-five for the first
time of the day on lap 37. Mark would remain in the top five for the remainder
of the race until the problem with the tires on lap 172. The highlight of
the day in the pits was a 13.76-second stop on under caution on lap 124 that
advanced Mark from fifth to third when the field went green on lap 128. Mark
would move into second on lap 149 and run behind leader Greg Biffle until he
was forced into the pits with the flat tire.
A caution on lap 184 gave Mark the lucky dog and the opportunity to return
to the lead lap and fight for position. Mark restarted on lap 185 in 20th
place and had moved up to 17 th when the 10 th and final caution was issued
on lap 193. The caution would set up a green-white-checkered finish with
Mark gaining one more position to 14th before taking the checkered flag.
Mark will close out his 2005 “Salute To You” Busch schedule at Homestead,
where he will run the Craftsman Truck, Busch and Cup races in the season’s
final weekend.
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