DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The last time Steve Park drove a Cup car at Daytona International Speedway, he sat on the pole. This weekend, he'd settle for any one of the 43 starting spots in Saturday night's Coke Zero 400.

When you haven't raced in NASCAR's premier series in nearly seven seasons, just getting back in the show is a victory. And when you realize what Steve Park has gone through, just getting back in a Cup car is worth all the blood, sweat and tears.

"As time goes by, I don't think people realize that I was ready to come back," Park said. "I've been ready to come back for years. It goes right back to when you're hurt, you're labeled as a hurt product. I'm not hurt. I'm not a hurt product."

And that's why Park had a huge smile on his sweaty face after Thursday's first practice. A top talent in Modifieds, the East Northport, N.Y., native landed a ride with Dale Earnhardt's team near the end of the 1997 season. He finished 14th in the points in 1999, then parlayed a win at Watkins Glen and 13 top-10s into an 11th-place finish in 2000.

But after winning at Rockingham early in the 2001 season, Park suffered major head injuries in a freak accident under caution in a Busch Series race at Darlington later that year. He returned in 2002 but scored just five top-10s in a two-year span and lost his ride.

Now 42 years old, Park's been searching for a second chance ever since. He's raced and won at the regional and touring series level, but until this weekend, hadn't had the opportunity to return to Cup. With Tommy Baldwin Racing -- and driving a car decked out in the colors of his modified hero, Richie Evans -- Park is hoping this will jump-start his stalled career.

Still, Park knows this is all about driving within his abilities. (Continued)