Martin Set To Defend 'Monster Mile' Crown
fordracing.com
May 31, 2005THIS WEEK IN FORD RACING
Dover, Del. — Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra Taurus, is the defending champion of this weekend’s MBNA 400 at Dover International Speedway after winning last year’s race in dramatic fashion.
Even though Tony Stewart led three times for 234 of the first 315 laps, it was Martin who found himself behind Kasey Kahne in the closing laps. Kahne appeared headed for his first series win until hitting the wall with 17 laps remaining due to some oil that had been dropped on the track.
Martin, who is tied with Jeff Gordon and Ricky Rudd for the most Dover wins among active drivers with four, outran Stewart during the final nine laps to win for the 34th time in his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series career. He spoke about that win and the upcoming schedule prior to Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.
YOU’VE SAID BEFORE THAT WINS THAT ARE THE MOST FUN ARE THOSE YOU DON’T EXPECT. WAS THAT THE CASE AT DOVER LAST YEAR?
“We didn’t see it coming a long time away, but we did run really good in the second half of the race. It wasn’t a huge surprise. That’s a good place for us and our expectations are pretty high whenever we go there. We finished second in the second race up there, so it’s a good race track for us and we typically have fairly high expectations.”
WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN LIKE IT DID TO KASEY KAHNE AND YOU INHERIT THE LEAD, WHAT’S THE FIRST THING THAT POPS INTO YOUR HEAD?
“My first reaction was, ‘Hold on, I’m going too.’ After that it was still down to business. That was only one car. Tony Stewart was good that day and had been dominant. He’s dominant there all the time as well and we still had a race that could have slipped away from us very easily, so we still had our work to do.”
YOU WON FOUR STRAIGHT FALL RACES AT DOVER AND ARE ALWAYS A CONTENDER, SO YOU EXPECT TO DO WELL.
“We do and that’s not a good thing, but that’s just the way it is. That’s the reality is that we have run good there long enough and enough times that we go there expecting to run good.”
THIS SUMMER SWING HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY GOOD TO YOU.
“This is a good part of the season for us and there are a lot of good race tracks coming up for me. We have some of the less predictable race tracks behind us, so this summer time is a good time for us.”
Late Accident Caps Off Frustrating Evening for Martin, No. 6 Team
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Lowe's Motor Speedway/May 29, 2005CONCORD, N.C. (May 29, 2005) – For Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team, the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 simply provided more obstacles than they could overcome. Martin fought his way to the front of the pack on two different occasions, but in a race plagued by a NASCAR record 22 cautions, Martin could not manage to dodge enough bullets. The 21st waving of the yellow flag would see Martin’s chances of a strong finish come crashing down.
On lap 378 of the 400 lap event, the No. 25 car of Brian Vickers made contact with the No. 91 of Bill Elliot, causing a chain reaction that would see Vickers’ car fly back up the track and into Martin’s No. 6 Ford. Martin went high to escape the accident, but came up just short of clearing the carnage and was sandwiched between Vickers and the wall. The damage put an end to Martin’s chances of a fifth win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The team was able to make a few more laps and gain two positions, but Martin’s car eventually broke on lap 391 and the team retired to the garage, nine laps short of the finish.
“It was just that kind of night,” said Martin. “We ran up front early and then got behind and were forced to catch up. We got back up there, the caution caught us just off of pit road and put us in the back again. We were trying to get back up front again and we got caught up in a wreck, which isn’t surprising. When you have that many wrecks it’s pretty hard to dodge all of them.
“There were so many cautions that it really didn’t feel like we got to race much at all tonight. It was just a few laps and then a caution, a few more laps and then a caution. It was a tough night, but I’m proud of the way this Viagra® Team kept fighting. We’ll just have to put it behind us, move on and go try and win Dover again.”
The race was an up and down affair all night for Martin and the No. 6 Team, with Martin starting 13th and dropping back to 17th on the first lap with a ‘tight’ handling car. The car started to ‘come in’ around lap 35 and Martin would use the next 12 laps to move all the way to 11th place before green-flag pitting started on lap 57. The team came in for four tires and fuel. Several cars were on different cycles, but by the time everything had cycled through, Martin had moved into the top 10 by lap 71.
Martin was running ninth when the day’s third caution was called on lap 92. The team used the caution to come into the pits for four tires and fuel and Martin returned in ninth after a 13.62-second stop. Martin had moved up to eighth place by the time caution number five was called on lap 114. The team opted for two tires only and the move upped Martin to fourth place when the field went green on lap 121. By lap 231 Martin had moved to third, but he quickly dropped back to fifth where he was running when caution was again called on lap 140. The team came down pit road and delivered its best performance of the season, a 12.95-second stop that moved Martin back up to third when green-flag racing resumed on lap 146. Martin looked poised to take the lead after another quick caution, but he reported on the radio that it felt like he might have a tire going down on lap 161. Caution number eight came out just seconds later and the team was forced to come down pit road and change tires.
The unexpected stop halted Martin’s momentum, moved the No. 6 Team off its pit cycle and dropped Martin to 20th position when green-flag racing resumed on lap 166. By lap 185 Martin had climbed back to 13th position and he had moved all the way up to 11th place when the ninth caution of the race was issued on lap 201. The team pitted for the sixth time of the race and Martin restarted in 15th place, as a few teams took two tires or stayed out. Martin pitted again after the race’s 12th caution on lap 226, taking two tires and fuel. The majority of the leaders stayed out and Martin once again dropped back to 23rd place for the restart.
Struggling in traffic, Martin would not break back into the top 20 until lap 260. He started to mount a run after pitting under the day’s 18th caution on lap 289. The team used a 14.67-second stop to put on four tires, take fuel and make a wedge adjustment. The quick work moved Martin up three spots to 13th when the field went green on lap 292. Martin had moved his white Viagra® Ford into 12th place by the time caution number 19 was issued on lap 306. The team stayed out and Martin restarted the race inside the top-10 with just 89 laps remaining.
The veteran driver had advanced all the way to sixth place and was one of the fastest cars on the track by the time the team came in for a green-flag stop on lap 353. The over-the-wall crew reeled off another solid stop, but the team caught its second dose of bad luck just moments later when caution was called for the 19th time. Several of the cars in the back of the field had yet to pit, putting Martin and the rest of the race’s leaders behind them. Martin would restart in 23rd place, on the tail end of the lead lap.
The day’s 20th caution just a few laps later would put Martin and the leaders back solidly on the lead lap, but set up a scenario where the race’s fastest cars were in the back of the field. The scenario was a ready made recipe for disaster, as the faster cars would have little time to make their way back to the front of the field. Just six laps after the race went green, Vickers, who had been one of the field’s fastest cars all race, made the contact with Elliot, causing a chain reaction that would effectively put an end to Martin’s night. The team managed to make 13 more laps and secure two more positions, before the car finally gave way for good on lap 391.
The finish dropped Martin to 12th in the Nextel Cup point standing, but only 18 points out of 10th place. The team returns to action next week at Dover International Speedway for the MBNA 400, where Martin won last June.
10 Questions: Mark Martin
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
May 24, 2005Not that he needed to, but Mark Martin proved he's still a force to be reckoned with in the Nextel Cup Series when he won the 21st annual Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
During a break in the action during Speedweeks 2005 at Daytona, Martin sat down to answer 10 questions not specifically directed at his racing career.
Q: What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?
The Ford GT-40.
Q: Have you had an opportunity to drive one?
Yes.
Q: What's the most stunning characteristic of the Ford GT, which is really almost a racecar masquerading as a road car?
The way the clutch and the shifter -- how smooth it shifts. It's just the way that everything works between the clutch and the shifter.
Q: If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?
An incredibly obedient dog. Much like Opus -- Mike Skinner's Doberman.
Q: Do you favor a particular breed?
I don't. But I'd take Opus if Mike would give him up.
Q: What's your pet peeve driving on the road?
People who stop in the road before they turn. You know, they can't just make a corner.
Q: So you're a momentum kind of guy? It drives my wife crazy when I time everything and turn -- perpetual motion.
Yeah. That's the way it is.
Q: Racing means travel, so what is your worst hotel experience?
I've stayed in some of the worst, bug-infested (hotels) prior to NASCAR racing. I've stayed in some dives in NASCAR racing, as well.
But nothing compares to some of the places I stayed when I was racing before I got to NASCAR.
Q: And the worst thing is, no breaks on the room rate, right?
Nope (laughing). You'd just better be happy that you had (a room).
Q: What's your favorite food?
My favorite food would probably have to be a hamburger.
Q: Do you have a favorite burger joint out on the road?
Oh -- I don't eat (laughing). You said what was my favorite, but I don't eat 'em (laughing). I don't eat burgers -- I just don't.
But I do have a favorite restaurant out on the road. That is the one in Dover -- I think it's called Roma's. It's an Italian place there.
Q: Carbo-loading, right?
I go there every time we go to Dover.
Q: If you had to choose, would it be being honest or being nice?
Honest.
Q: Have you found that it comes around better?
Yeah. A lot of times it's more difficult, but it's the best policy.
Q: What's your fondest childhood memory?
My dad.
Q: I'll never forget, years ago, when we all sat in the media center at Daytona and you told us the story of standing in your dad's lap, driving while he floored it.
Oh yeah, that I couldn't make it over that one-lane bridge, going real fast on the dirt road.
But just anything with my dad are my favorite childhood memories. They were with my dad.
Q: What would be your dream date: Where and with whom?
It would be with (my wife) Arlene, just about anywhere, that I wasn't working (laughing). As long as I wasn't working, it would be the best.
Q: Racing and pranks seem to go hand-in-hand, so what's the worst prank that you either perpetrated or had played on you?
I have such a horrible memory. I'm not very good with things like that. I just don't remember because my mind just doesn't work like that.
I have a horrible memory. I'm sure that I've got some great stories -- they just don't stick out in my mind.
Q: What would you consider your "Welcome to NASCAR moment?"
I don't know if it would be Dick Beaty telling me "we don't run that Indy s--t here," about my brake pedals.
Q: I'm trying to think. If it was Mr. Beaty would that have been your second time around the league?
No, Beaty was there, as more of an inspector back in 1981. That was at Nashville when he told me that (before he was Winston Cup Director).
Then the next time -- but I guess it was my very first race was at North Wilkesboro. They started the race under caution because the track was wet, and I had never done that before.
And I was freaked out that they were going to turn us green while the track was still wet, so I never turned on the rear-end cooler. And so when they did go green, my rear-end burned up in about 40 laps.
So I guess that was my initiation, in my first race.
NASCAR: Martin stays fast at every turn
By Chris Bahn
NWAnews.com
May 19, 2005ROGERS — A tube of chap stick in his left hand and a permanent marker in his right, Mark Martin showcased what might be his most impressive skill during a promotional stop Wednesday in Rogers.
In what appeared to be one fluid motion, the Batesville native signed a picture bearing his likeness, soothed his cracking lips and struck an ear-to-ear grin for a camera-carrying fan. In the middle of all that, he still managed to carry on a conversation about his future and the ever-growing popularity of NASCAR.
It was just another display of one of Martin’s greatest gifts on and off the track.
Martin’s impeccable ability to multi-task has served him well during more than two decades of auto racing, and he might need that ability even more when his Nextel Cup racing career ends later this year.
Martin, 46, said he is intent on spending more time with his family and will attempt to do that by racing the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 25-race schedule. It’s a move that should also afford Martin more time with fans as he increases his public appearances.
All the while, he’ll juggle various business interests that include a car dealership and racing museum in his hometown. "People say they are disappointed I’m retiring, but I’m not retiring," said Martin, who appeared Wednesday at the opening of Rogers’ newest Wal-Mart store. "I never said I was retiring. Fans will see more of me next year than they do this year. I don’t expect it to slow down much."
A brief chat with the veteran racer revealed a competitive spirit that still runs full-throttle, and it’s easy to understand why.
Before the season, Martin had racked up 34 Nextel Cup victories in 545 consecutive starts. He ranked No. 5 in all time Nextel Cup points and finished runner-up in the overall standings on four occasions.
Martin ranks 10 th in the current point standings entering Saturday’s 7 p.m. All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N. C.
Martin has 10 top-10 finishes this season. He was 15 th last weekend at the Chevy American Revolution 400 in Richmond, Va. "Lots of guys go out kind of holding on," Martin said. "I’m going out with a competitive chance every week. We’re still racing for that championship. It means a lot to me to not have to just be out there riding around."
Neither Martin’s performance nor his popularity has fallen off in his final year.
Martin’s humble nature and clean racing style have been appreciated by racing fans since he entered racing at NASCAR’s highest level in 1981. He drew more than 250 fans for Wednesday’s autograph session.
Dwayne Wheeler of West Fork was first in line to meet his racing hero, arriving more than an hour and a half before Martin was escorted into the store by police. It was the first encounter with Martin for Wheeler, who had twice missed the Roush Racing icon in Batesville.
On two occasions in the past year, Wheeler made the nearly eight-hour round trip to see Martin in the town where his racing career began. Wheeler came away empty-handed and a bit disappointed both times. "I guess the third time is the charm," Wheeler said with a satisfied grin. "You can get down there three hours early and still have to wait in line behind several hundred people.
"It means a lot for him to be here. Taking time to be with the fans isn’t something he has to do. That’s part of the reason he’s so popular. He does a lot for the fans."
Don’t expect that to slow down anytime soon.
Martin Eyes Broom
fordracing.com
May 26, 2005Concord, N.C. — Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra Taurus, comes into this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 looking for a sweep after capturing Saturday night's Nextel All-Star Challenge. Martin spoke about the race ahead during a Goodyear announcement earlier this afternoon.
AFTER WINNING LAST WEEK IS IT A CASE WHERE YOU CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK IN THE CAR?
"I'm looking forward to it. Obviously, everybody knows I love this place regardless, but, certainly, we feel we're on a roll. We did do testing out here a couple of weeks ago. We brought two cars and the car that was faster and drove better we saved for this weekend, but, at the same time, I know that every competitor is gonna raise their game so we have to do the same if we want to contend to win this thing Sunday."
WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT BRINGING LAST WEEK'S CAR BACK FOR THIS RACE?
"It was common logic from mostly the media—are you bringing that car back. I've done all kinds of things in my career. If you don't bring it back and you don't run good, then you're a dummy. If you do bring it back and you don't run good, you're a dummy because you left the best one at home. So we're doing what we do. We chose that other car, the car for this race, based on it being faster and driving better. I know that the competition will be a lot tougher. There is a lot more time to adjust and make adjustments and there's also more practice time to get right.
”We caught those guys looking the other way. Elliott Sadler was really our main competition in that thing, but if we run the same as we ran out here Saturday night, we'll have at least a dozen to contend with if not more, so we're gonna have to try to raise the bar ourselves."
WHEN YOU WENT BACK TO BATESVILLE [ARK.] TO REARRANGE YOUR CARS, DID YOU LEAVE THOSE PLANS FLUID IN CASE YOU NEED TO DO SOME MORE REARRANGING?
"We're still in the early enough stages that we can make a lot more room. What we'll do is push some of the less important stuff out of the way and bring in the more important stuff."
THERE'S ONE PIECE OF HARDWARE THAT WOULD MAKE A NICE CENTERPIECE.
"Saturday night, I've said it was a bit of a miracle and the coolest thing in my career and all those things, but the championship would be the real miracle. To do that in your last try would be something that would be fun because I know it would kind of mess up NASCAR and Nextel just a little bit, but that would be kind of fun to do."
YOU MENTIONED GIL DE FERRAN LAST WEEK AND HOW HE LEFT THE SPORT. THAT RESONATED WITH YOU.
"It did. It brought tears to my eyes the way he went out. I knew going into this season that something like that was asking too much, but my desire is to go out as strong as possible. I do have a team that can contend for that championship, so if everything lines up right, contending for it would make me happy. Winning it would be another one of those miracles I think."
IF YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD WIN IT, YOU WOULDN'T BE BACK THIS YEAR WOULD YOU?
"No, I would not. I have reached deeper this year than I ever though possible and the only way to do that is to know that this is my last time I was gonna have to do that. I've had to raise the bar quite a bit each year the last four or five years, and going into this year I had to do it double because not only did I have to do it from a competition side, but I had to do it from a fan and media commitment as well. So it's a double reach and we're doing it and we're doing it with a smile. Stuff like Saturday night makes it easy to smile."
WHAT ABOUT THIS SPLIT-SEASON CONCEPT?
"It's the only way it would work. It's the only way. When I sat down and looked at what I would do in 2006, the thing I would not do is drive a limited schedule with a limited team and a limited budget and a limited deal because I'm not gonna be a part of that. So it made more sense to drop back and do a full truck schedule than it would be some kind of limited deal where I'd get limited results. If you could share a full schedule with the 6 car with another top driver, that's never been done before. Selling that to a sponsor, it would take the right sponsor and it would take a lot of things. I'm 100 percent headed truck racing, but I don't have any paper signed yet."
SO IT'S LIKE THE MUSEUM IN THAT YOU CAN STILL REARRANGE THINGS?
"I can still rearrange."
A sentimental journey
As his trips to Lowe's dwindle, Martin vows no tears for Sunday
By Nate Ryan - Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
TimesDispatch.com
May 25, 2005CONCORD, N.C. - Mark Martin wasn't sentimental after coming up empty in a final shot at the Daytona 500, openly admitting he didn't "have any major love for this place."
The 46-year-old figures to be in a more wistful mood when the longest race of the 2005 Nextel Cup Series season wraps up Sunday night. After the Coca-Cola 600, Martin will have only one or two dates left with the 1.5-mile oval that has overwhelmed him for nearly a quarter-century of competing on NASCAR's premier circuit.
"I love Lowe's Motor Speedway," Martin said. "In my opinion, it's the greatest place to race in the world. I can remember the first time that I ever went there in 1981 and thinking, 'Wow this is just like a small quarter-mile track somewhere, except it's huge.'
"Every time I go there, the first thing I do after the first lap is radio the team and tell them how awesome that track is."
After the last lap of Saturday's All-Star Challenge, which he won for the second time at Lowe's, Martin told his crew he would make an exception from an impending retirement at the end of 2005 and return for next season's event. The triumph was another career highlight at his favorite track. In May 2002, Martin broke a 73-race winless skid with an emotional victory over Matt Kenseth in the 600. On Sunday, he will try to win the Memorial Day weekend marathon for a second time.
But the conditions won't be the same as in Martin's past 40 starts at Lowe's.
Track President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler decided to smooth out its surface during the offseason. In a high-tech process relying on Global Positioning System and three-dimensional laser mapping, the asphalt underwent grinding to remove several bumps in the turns.
It's resulted in breakneck speeds approaching the 190-mph range of Atlanta and Texas, the two fastest tracks in Cup. The track record of 188.877 mph (set by Ryan Newman last October) is expected to fall in qualifying tonight.
Wheeler commissioned the touch-up of the pavement to promote more side-by-side racing, but in the short-term, the changes might have the opposite effect. In Saturday's all-star event, cars often fell into single-file lines. Jimmie Johnson said the higher speeds made it difficult to run side by side.
"Everyone talked about how much they loved racing there so they're in a risky situation to make it better," said Johnson, who has won three of the past four at Lowe's and is seeking to become the first to win three straight 600s.
"Humpy was willing to roll the dice and take a chance to make it better. So you have to respect that. He's put himself in a tough situation because it was one of the best tracks already and to make it even better . . . that's a tough challenge."
Martin said he wished Lowe's hadn't been altered - but it still hasn't affected his opinion of the track or an emotional farewell that waits ahead.
"There's nothing else close," he said. "If I had to look out on the grandstands before the race started and think that I would never drive again here, I would cry like a baby. But that's not the case. So we don't have to worry about it yet."
Mark Martin To Be Inducted Into Lowe's Motor Speedway's Court of Legends
Martin will be honored by the track before CTC Pole QualifyingCONCORD, N.C. (May 25, 2005) – Roush Racing driver and 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge winner Mark Martin will be inducted into Lowe's Motor Speedway's prestigious Court of Legends prior to CTC Pole Night qualifying. Martin is also featured and honored on the ticket for CTC Pole Night.
"It's a great honor," said Martin. "In my opinion Lowe's Motor Speedway is the greatest place on earth to race and I think a lot of the speedway and the people who have made it what it is. It's a great compliment to know that they think enough of me to do this and I'm honored by the recognition.
"We've had some great runs and great wins at Lowe's and hopefully we aren't done just yet."
Martin will join NASCAR legends such as Richard Petty, Junior Johnson and Darrell Waltrip as his handprints and racing shoe print are cemented in the Court of Legends walkway leading to Lowe's Motor Speedway's main entrance. Speedway officials will also present Martin with a special framed edition of the CTC Pole Night collectible ticket featuring his likeness and detailing his accomplishments at the track.
The ceremony will feature Martin and Lowe’s Motor Speedway president and general manager H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler and will be held at the Avenue of Flags leading to the second floor of the Smith Tower at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Temporary parking for media members will be available on either side of the Avenue of Flags at the main entrance to the speedway or in the Press Reserved lot adjacent to Gate 4.
Details: Martin and Wheeler will be available for one-on-one interviews following the ceremony. Questions should be directed to the Lowe's Motor Speedway marketing and public relations department at (704) 455-3209.
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich.-based Roush Industries that operates ten motorsports teams: five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
CTC Pole Night Ticket Features Mark Martin
Collectible CTC Pole Night Ticket Celebrates Mark Martin's 13 Victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor SpeedwayCONCORD, N.C. (April 28, 2005) - Celebrating Mark Martin's final start in the Coca-Cola 600 and his amazing 13 victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Batesville, Ark., native is featured on the collectible ticket for CTC Pole Night on Thursday, May 26.
In recognition of the No. 6 that has adorned Martin's race cars for many years, production of the Mark Martin collectible ticket, the 26th in a series of Lowe's Motor Speedway Pole Night ducats, was limited to just 6,000. The ticket, printed in vibrant four-color on quality stock, sells for $15 in advance and will be $20 the day of the event.
Martin has designated this season his "Salute To You" Tour as he concludes one of the most successful careers in NASCAR history. Since making his NEXTEL Cup Series debut in 1981, Martin has won 81 races in NASCAR's top two divisions with 10 of those coming at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
In one of the most spectacular drives ever through lapped traffic, Martin held off teammate Matt Kenseth to win the 2002 Coca-Cola 600. He also has three victories in the UAW-GM Quality 500 along with six NASCAR Busch Series triumphs at the 1.5-mile superspeedway.
In addition, Martin's Lowe's Motor Speedway win total includes the 1998 NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge and he is the only driver to win an International Race of Champions event at the track, claiming victories in 1996 and 1997.
"Lowe's Motor Speedway is a tough race track and the list of drivers who have won here reads like a who's who of our sport," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "The fact Mark Martin has been to victory lane 13 times is a testament to his skill and determination. As Mark winds up his career, we are honored to celebrate his accomplishments with this collectible CTC Pole Night ticket."
Time trial runs during CTC Pole Night on Thursday, May 26, will determine the 43-car starting field for the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Sunday night, May 29. The Lowe's Motor Speedway debut of the CRASHCars, a revolutionary new entry-level stock car division, and a giant fireworks extravaganza are also on the schedule.
The limited-edition Mark Martin CTC Pole Night ticket, along with tickets for all May events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, can be ordered online at Lowe's Motor Speedway or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.
2005 Mark Martin Track Notes - Lowe's Motor Speedway - May 29, 2005
Coca-Cola 600 - Lowe's Motor Speedway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
May 25, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Jimmie Johnson
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
May 30, 2004
Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Coca-Cola 600 - Started 18th, Finished 36thMartin was one of the favorites going into the Coke 600 and for the first 200 laps of the race he did everything he could to justify the hype. Martin was running in third and honing in on second place when his second ignition box malfunctioned on lap 200, forcing the team to bring the car down pit road and lose valuable time changing out the ignition box system. In the end, Martin lost several laps and was out of contention for the win. In what would drove to be a roller coaster ride of a race for the No. 6 team, Martin started the race 18th and wasted no time making his way through the field. Running some of the fastest times on the track, Martin broke into the top 10 on just the 23rd lap. By lap 40 Martin was running in sixth position and beading down on fifth place when he radioed to his crew that he had a tire going down. The team came in the pits for an unscheduled green-flag stop on lap 43. Still, Martin was fast enough to overcome the bad luck, pitting twice out of cycle. Despite being on tires that were 20 laps older than the remainder of the field, Martin moved all the way up to third place and a caution on 159 would be the break the team needed, as it would put Martin back on the same pit sequence as the remainder of the field. Martin was one of the fastest cars in the race and was moving in on second place when he radioed that the car was ‘dead.’ He had radioed on lap 122 that he had switched to the second ignition box. On lap 200 the second box went out and the team was forced down pit road for the lengthy stop to replace the bad boxes, an extremely rare occurrence.
FRESH OFF ALL-STAR VICTORY, MARTIN SETS SIGHTS ON 600
After a dominating performance in Saturday night's All-Star race, Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will look to make an encore appearance in victory lane this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-247) - The team will run RK-247 this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600. RK-247 tested to pleasing results earlier this month at Lowe's. It finished 20th earlier this year at Texas.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin won the 2002 Coca-Cola 600, his fourth win at Lowe's Motor Speedway and first and only Coca-Cola 600 victory.
IN THE POINTS
Martin goes into the Coke 600 in 10th place in the Nextel Cup point standings, 69 points out of fourth place and 218 behind first. He is currently only nine points behind ninth and only 20 out of eighth.
THE COCA-COLA 600
Starts: 21
Wins: 1
Top 5's: 6
Top 10's: 8
Poles: 1
Highest finish: 1st (5/27/02)
First time: 5/30/82 (27th)
Last time: 5/30/04 (36th)MARTIN AT LOWE'S
Martin has four wins at Lowe's including one in the Coca-Cola 600 (2002). In addition he's won twice in the All-Star race at Lowe's, including his dominating performance last Saturday night. His 15 top-five finishes are the most of any active driver at the 1.5-mile track. The four wins tie Jeff Gordon for the most of any active driver and for the third most ever. In addition he boasts six Busch wins and an IROC win at Lowe's as well.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS
- Martin has four wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including one in the Coca-Cola 600.
- Martin's four wins at Lowe's tie for the most of any active driver.
- Martin won the All-Star Challenge at Lowe's last Saturday in a dominating victory.
- Martin has 19 top-10 and 15 top-5 finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
- Martin has led 1,148 laps at Lowe's, the most of any active driver.
- Martin has won six Busch races at Lowe's and the All-Star event in 1998 and 2005.
- Martin has not finished in the top-10 at Lowe's in the last five points races.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Martin has led a total of 1,148 laps in his 40 races at Lowe's, the most of any active driver.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON - THE COCA-COLA 600
Mark Martin:
"I tell you what I love Lowe's Motor Speedway. In my opionion, it's the greatest place to race in the world. I can remember the first time that I ever went there in 1981 and thinking 'wow' this is just like a small quarter-mile track somewhere, except it's huge, but you could race just like that. Everytime I go there the first thing I do after the first lap is radio the team and tell them how awesome that track is. To me, it just doesn't get much better and after Saturday night we can't wait to take a crack at the 600.
"I love racing in the 600 and this team is excited about what we have going on. We have some great tracks coming up for us, even after the 600, and we'd love to get on a little bit of a role here in the next couple of months. Pat Tryson and this Viagra Team have done a wonderful job and it's just great to be a part of this team. We had a great run in the All-Star and got the victory and we'll be gunning for the same thing this weekend in the Coca-Cola 600. I know we have the team to do it."
Pat Tryson:
"I don't think it's a secret that Mark really loves racing at Charlotte and anytime you can go to a track that the driver loves, it's great. Now it also means that you have a certain amount of pressure, because your stuff better be right. We tested here a couple of weeks ago and really liked what we had, so I'm excited about this weekend and the team can't wait to get that car back out on the track at Lowe's."
Martin to Run Special Retro '93 Paint Scheme in 16th Consecutive All-Star Race
The No. 6 Viagra® Ford will feature the second of four "Salute to You" retro paint schemesCONCORD, N.C. (May 18, 2005) – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team will take another stroll down memory lane during this weekend’s Nextel All-Star Challenge, with Martin’s No. 6 Viagra® Ford featuring a special Retro ’93 paint scheme for Saturday night’s Nextel All-Star event. The retro scheme is the second of four the team will run during this year’s “Salute To You” Tour. The team ran a Retro ’89 scheme earlier this year at Texas.
“That was a really special time,” said Martin referring to the era from 1992-95 when the paint scheme initially ran. “That’s when we really capitalized on all of the building that we had done from 1988-92. Those were just some really good times. We had some great wins and special moments.
“I have great memories of the people that we had a chance to work with during that time period and I’ll always look back fondly on those times.”
Martin finished inside the top-six in the points in all four years that the scheme ran, including a second place run in 1994. He collected 50 top-five and 78 top-10 finishes during that four year period and garnered 11 poles and 13 wins.
“I think these paint schemes are really cool,” added Martin. “It’s important to me and it’s an important part of our history. I think that each time we run these paint schemes it’s a “Salute” to the guys that worked on these cars and to all of their families who had to give so much. It’s also a “Salute” to the fans who have been with us for all of these years and everyone who has help support this thing and made it the success it is today.”
The team will run two more retro paint schemes this season with the next coming with the Retro ’91 scheme that will run in August at the Brickyard 400. The final scheme, a Retro ’81 scheme similar to the one Martin ran during his first Cup event in 1981, will run during the final race of the “Salute Tour” in November at Homestead.
RETRO ’93 STATS
Seasons – 1992-95
Highlights – Ran for four seasons…Finished top-six in the points all four year including three top-five finishes and a second place in 1994 ... Garnered 50 top-five and 78 top-10 finishes ... Had 11 poles and won 13 times ... Won at Martinsville (5/26/92), Charlotte (10/11/92), Watkins Glen (8/8/93), Michigan (8/15/93), Bristol (8/28/93), Darlington (11/5/93), Phoenix (10/31/93), Watkins Glen (8/14/94), Atlanta (11/13/94), Talladega (5/30/95), Watkins Glen (8/13/95), North Wilkesboro (10/1/95) and Charlotte (10/8/95).Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich.-based Roush Industries that operates ten motorsports teams: five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
2005 Mark Martin Track Notes - NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge - May 21, 2005
Lowe's Motor Speedway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
May 18, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Matt Kenseth
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge
Lowe`s Motor Speedway
Start 4
Finish 10Martin Finishes 10th in All-Star Challenge
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Lowe's Motor Speedway/May 22, 2004
Roush Racing
May 24, 2004CONCORD, N.C. – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team boasted one of the top cars all weekend at the Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The team qualified fourth on Friday and Martin ran in the field’s top five for most of night, before an incident on lap 61 with the No. 8 and No. 5 cars ended Martin’s bid for the win.
The No. 8 car appeared to bump Martin’s car from the rear, getting Martin’s car loose. Martin was able to save the car, but not until after he had made contact with the No. 5 car of Terry Labonte. The contact caused severe damage to the sheet metal and exhaust system of Martin’s car and the No. 6 Viagra® Ford was never the same again. Martin was able to run on to a 10th place finish, but he would not be a contender for the remaining 29 laps of the race.
"I think I got a little bit of a nudge from behind there and it knocked me up into Terry,” said Martin. “That messed our car up. We had a pretty competitive car up until that point. We finished third in the first segment and sixth or seventh in the second segment after the inversion. We were fixing to do something there and just got a little help. I was just out there racing giving it my best. After that accident it messed our car up and we just had to kind of hang on and do what we could."
The Nextel All-Star Challenge is divided into three different segments of 40, 30 and 20 laps. Martin’s car was strong early and the veteran was able to narrowly avoid an early accident that claimed seven cars and badly damaged three others. Martin went on to move into the field’s top three by lap 29. He held that position for the remainder of the session. After the first segment the top eight cars of the field were inverted, so Martin started the second segment in sixth position accordingly.
A 12.99-second pit stop under caution on lap 55 helped move Martin up to fourth place when the field went green on lap 60. With 30 laps to go, Martin was in striking distance with one of the fastest cars on the track. However, on the next lap the No. 8 car hit Martin, causing the damage to his Ford Taurus. Martin dropped all the way to eighth place, before getting back by the No. 2 car to finish the second segment in seventh.
Martin fought to move back up front, but the damage proved to be too severe as he eventually dropped back to 10th place where he finished the event. Matt Kenseth went on to win the event.
“I’m not even really sure what happened,” added Martin. “My guys told me I got a little nudge, but whatever. I wound up sideways and into Terry and that messed my car up. We had a real competitive car. We got off just a little bit in the second segment, but made our adjustments for the last segment and were anxious to go see what we could do. It was a good run. We have such a great race team right now. We ran fast on Friday and we ran fast tonight and we hope to run faster next week."
The team returns to points racing next weekend in the longest race of the Nextel Cup season, the Coca-Cola 600; an event Martin won in 2002.
MARTIN SET FOR 16TH STRAIGHT ALL-STAR RACE
After a 15th-place finish at Richmond, Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will take a week off from point racing at the Nextel All-Star Challange at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where Martin will be making his 16th consecutive appearance in the All-Star event.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-221) - The team will run RK-221 this weekend at the All-Star. RK-221 finished fourth at Atlanta in its only other run this season. Last season, it finished second in the fall at Atlanta and Darlington.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin will run a special throw-back Retro '93 paint scheme in this his 16th consecutive All-Star.
A TRUE ALL-STAR
This will be Martin's 16th straight and most likely final All-Star Challenge. Martin won the event formerly known as The Winston in 1998. Martin has posted six top-10 and four top-four finishes in "The All-Star."
THE ALL-STAR
Starts: 15
Wins: 1
Top 5's: 4
Top 10's: 6
Poles: - 0
Highest finishes: 1st (1998) and (2005) First time: 1990 (3rd)
Last time: 2004 (10th)GOING RETRO
Martin's car will feature a Retro-93 paint scheme this weekend at the All-Star. The scheme is the same as Martin ran during the 1993 season and is the second of the special throw-back schemes that Martin will run during his "Salute To You" Tour this season.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS - ALL-STAR
- Mark Martin will compete in his 16th straight All-Star event. Martin won the event in 1998 and has posted four top-five and five top 10's at the All-Star event. Martin finished 10th last year in the All-Star race.
- Martin's car will feature a Retro-93 paint scheme this weekend at the All-Star event. The scheme is the same as Martin ran during the 1993 season and is the second of the special throw-back schemes that Martin will run during his "Salute To You" Tour this season.
- Martin finished third during his first All-Star race, back in 1990.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON - THE ALL-STAR
Mark Martin:
"We always enjoy the All-Star race. It's not a points race, so it takes a little bit of the pressure off, while at the same time you can really go out there and go for it. I love racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway so that's always something we look forward to. We won the All-Star back in 1998 and it was a great win. It would be nice to win that thing again. Hopefully we can have another strong run this weekend in the All-Star race and them come the next week and go after that 600 again.
"We had a bit of an off weekend at Richmond, where we normally run well, so I think we'll be ready to come back with a couple of strong runs over the next two weeks. Charlotte is probably my favorite race track and I always love racing there. This could be my last All-Star, so we'd love to go out with a trip to victory lane."
Pat Tryson:
"We tested at Lowe's a couple of weeks ago and were really happy with what we had there. We are looking forward to going back there this weekend for the All-Star race and then next week for the 600. The All-Star race is always a great event for the team. We get to go out and have a little fun and do some great racing. Hopefully we can cap it all off with a couple of trips to victory lane over the next couple of weeks."
Martin Fights to 15th-place Finish at Richmond
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Richmond International Raceway/May 14, 2005RICHMOND, Va. (May 14, 2005) – Mark Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team fought to a 15th place finish Saturday night in the Chevy Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The finish was Martin’s sixth top-15 finish in 11 races. Martin sits at 10th in the Nextel Cup standings, only 63 points outside of the top five and 218 points behind first.
The team started the race 13th and Martin struggled with his Viagra® Ford’s handling for most of the night. Martin brushed the wall early, but sustained little damage. The team was never able to truly find the handle on the car, but Martin maintained positioning inside the field’s top 20 all evening long, fighting several times to stay on the lead lap and secure the top-15 finish.
“We just weren’t very good tonight,” said Martin. “It was a great effort by the team and they didn’t give up. The car just wasn’t very good and it was hard to drive. We gave it all we had and I’m proud of the guys and we’ll just have to regroup and come back at it next week.”
The trend for the night would be a ‘loose’ handling car early in a run that would become ‘tight’ late. The team worked with the car during several adjustments, but to little avail. Martin was able to fight to as high as 12th position as late as lap 342 of the 400 lap event, but he would be unable to break into the top 10. He restarted in 15th place after the day’s eighth caution on lap 376 and he would be able to hang on to 15th through one more caution and the race’s final 24 laps.
The highlight of the night was the Viagra® Team’s work in the pits that included stops of 13.6, 13.74, 13.59 and 12.75 seconds, gaining the team several positions and securing their place on the lead lap.
The team will take a week off from point racing for next week’s All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, before heading into the Coca-Cola 600 the following week at Lowe’s as well.
Martin Finishes Seventh in Busch Race at Richmond
Mark Martin and the #9 Pennzoil Racing Team
Richmond International Raceway/May 13, 2005RICHMOND, Va. (May 13, 2004) – Mark Martin and the No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Team ran to a seventh place finish in Friday night’s Funai 250 at Richmond International Raceway. It was Martin’s 18th top-10 finish in 23 Busch races at Richmond, and Martin’s third top-10 finish in four Busch starts in 2005.
“It was a good run for the No. 9 Pennzoil Team,” said Martin. “We had a good car on long runs, but with all of the wrecking going on out there, it was really hard to do any racing. It seemed liked every time we went around someone was wrecking, so we didn’t really have a chance to see how good the car might be. Still the guys did a good job all night and we were able to get a solid finish out it.”
Martin started 10th and ran inside the top 10 for virtually the entire race. Running sixth, the team pitted after the night’s third caution on lap 57. The team opted to come into the pits for four tires and fuel. The majority of the field stayed out and Martin returned to the field in 28th when green-flag racing resumed. Eventually the gamble to pit paid off with Martin able to stay out during the next two cautions, thus advancing back to sixth when the field went green on lap 117 after the day’s fifth caution.
Martin’s car was strong on long runs and the veteran all-time win leader in the Busch Series broke into the top five for the first time of the race on lap 185. However, the race was a virtually caution fest with 13 on the night and Martin eventually fell to seventh place on lap 223 after several more cautions. The team was unable to get the long green-flag run it needed and Martin was able to hang on to seventh place as the race fittingly finished with a green-white-checkered finish after the night’s final caution with only three laps remaining.
Roush teammate Carl Edwards was able to get by Elliot Sadler for the win, as Martin notched his 133rd career top-10 finish in the Busch series.
2005 Mark Martin Track Notes - Richmond - May 14, 2005 - Nextel Cup
Chevy American Revolution 400 - Richmond International Raceway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
May 10, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
MARK MARTIN 2004 EVENT - Finished 7th, Started 12th:
Martin Martin has Solid Showing in Richmond
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Richmond International Raceway/May 15, 2004Richmond, VA (May 15, 2004) – The No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) team had a solid showing at Richmond International Raceway in the first Saturday night race of the 2004 NEXTEL Cup season. With Mark Martin behind the wheel, the team rolled to a top-10 finish while moving up one position in the overall point standings, another step in the right direction for the veteran team.
During Friday's qualifying session, Martin drove the No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford to the 12th place starting position with a lap time of 20.929 seconds. Rookie Brian Vickers took the pole with a lap time of 20.772 seconds. Following qualifying, the NEXTEL Cup cars took to the track for happy hour and Martin again had a solid showing. Upon completion of the session Martin was pleased with the car after running lap times in the top five. The team looked ahead to Saturday's race and felt confident that they had a car to win.
Vickers brought the field down for the green flag and immediately moved into the lead while Martin maintained his 12th place position. After a quick caution on lap three, the field resumed under green on lap 12 and Martin began his ascent to the front of the field. By lap 79 he broke into the top 10 and the team began planning their adjustments to help the tight problem Martin was reporting. On lap 103 the No. 6 Ford arrived on pit road for service. Under caution, the team changed four tires, took on fuel and made an air pressure adjustment in just 14.4 seconds returning Martin to the track in seventh for the re-start on lap 107.
By lap 121 Martin had moved to fifth and when the fifth caution flew on lap 151 Martin came over the radio to report, "We have a great car!" The No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) team was one of the few leaders to pit under caution. This moved Martin to 15th for the re-start on lap 157 but when the sixth caution came on lap 169, the remaining leaders pitted placing Martin in fourth. Martin continued to run in the top-10 but as the night wore on the car began to loosen up. The No. 10 lost a motor on lap 343 bringing out the ninth and final caution along with a round of pit stops. On lap 345 the No. 6 team pitted for the fifth and final time taking on four tires, fuel and making a wedge adjustment to help the loose in just 14.34 seconds. This put Martin back on the track in ninth and away he went to chase down the leaders.
The field ran under green flag conditions for the last 45 laps and Martin drove hard trying to catch the leaders battling his way through lapped cars. When the checkered flag flew on lap 400 Martin crossed the line in seventh while Dale Earnhardt Jr. went on to win.
"We were really awesome early and then we were off in the middle of the race and got an adjustment behind," said Martin. "At the end we got it back to where it was hooked up. The No. 6 Viagra Taurus was blazing at the end there and it was too bad the race ended when it did because I was passing cars left and right and was coming on strong. I'm so proud of this team. It feels so good to drive a race car that'll run. We had great power tonight, we had it all. We had a great car."
Martin moves to 12th in the overall NEXTEL Cup point standings, up one position from the previous week. He sits just seven points out of 11th and 96 points out of 10th. The No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) team prepares for the NEXTEL All-Star race this coming Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway with the hopes of bringing home the $1 million prize.
MARTIN SHIFTS FOCUS TOWARDS RICHMOND
Fresh off their strong fourth-place run at Darlington, Martin and the Viagra® team will look to continue their success at Richmond, where Martin has finished in the top 10 in five of his last six races.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-274) - The team will run RK-274 at Richmond. RK-274 is the same car Martin ran at Phoenix three weeks ago for a 16-th place finish. The car finished third at Martinsville in its other run this season.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin earned his first career top-10 finish at Richmond in Sept. of 1981.
IN THE POINTS
Martin's strong run moved him up five places to sixth in the Nextel Cup point standings. Martin is currently 43 points behind fifth and 293 points out of first.
MARTIN AT RICHMOND
This will be Martin's 41st start at Richmond, dating back to Sept. 13, 1981 when he earned his second career Cup pole in only his fourth career start. Martin rolled on to a seventh place finish, the first of his 22 career top-10 finishes at Richmond, where he's finished top 10 in five of his last six.
AT RICHMOND
Starts: 40
Wins: 1 (1)
Top 5's: 12 (6)
Top 10's: 22 (11)
Poles: 3 (1)
Highest finish: 1st (2/25/90)
First time: 9/13/81 (7th)(Pole)
Last time: 5/15/04 (7th)
9/11/04 (5th)MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - RICHMOND
- Martin has finished inside the top 10 in five of his last six races at Richmond.
- Martin earned his first career Cup top-10 finish at Richmond on Sept. 13, 1981 with a seventh place finish.
- Martin sat on the pole at his first career Cup race at Richmond in 1981.
- Martin has one win, 22 top-10 and 12 top-five finishes in 40 races at Richmond.
- Martin earned his 41st career Cup pole at Richmond in Sept. of 2001.
- Martin has five Busch wins at Richmond and will race in the Busch race this Friday night.
FIRST AND THE LAST
Martin's first and last runs at Richmond would have to rank among two of the most memorable of his celebrated career. Martin earned his second career pole and first career Cup top-10 finish at his first Richmond start in 1981. He clinched a spot in the inaugural Race for the Nextel Cup top-10 there last year on Sept. 11, capping off a mad furry of top-five finishes and surviving a mulit-car wreck and 360 degree spin down the backstretch to clich a spot in the playoff run for the championship with a fifth-place finish at the .75-mile track.
ON THE POLE
Martin earned his second career Cup pole at his first start at Richmond in 1981 and his 41st pole there in Sept. of 2001.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON
Mark Martin on Richmond:
"Richmond is a cool track and a fun place to race. It's always been a challenge, but we've had a lot of success there over the years and a long history and we've been really good there lately as well. We are excited about going back there and racing again this week.
"We had a strong run last week at Darlington and a good points day. Pat (Tryson) and the team gave me a really good car and it was fun to drive. I made a mistake late that could have cost us, but the team was really on their game and we were able to get a fourth place out of it. Hopefully we can keep that going this weekend and get another strong run at Richmond. We are pretty excited about the string of races we have coming up at some of my favorite tracks."
Pat Tryson on Richmond:
"Richmond is a good race track for this team and it's a place where Mark has always been strong. We are taking the Phoenix car, which actually ran really well there, and hopefully we'll be able to put together another good run. We know Mark is capable of winning at all of the next few tracks we have coming up, so it will be up to this team to step it up and make sure that he has the cars he needs to seize the opportunity."
2005 Mark Martin Track Notes - Richmond - May 13, 2005 - Busch Series
Funai 250 - Richmond International Raceway
#9 Pennzoil Ford Taurus
May 10, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. 9 Pennzoil
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Kyle Busch
MARTIN LOOKS TO GO THREE-FOR-FOUR AT RICHMOND
Mark Martin and the Pennzoil Platinum No. 9 Racing Team will be looking for their third win in four starts in the Busch Series in 2005 when they take the green flag this Friday night in the Funai 250 at Richmond International Raceway.
IN THE BUSCH SERIES
Martin made a name for himself in the Busch Series, taking a series record 45 checkered-flags from 1987 until he 'retired' from the series in 2000. Martin has posted an additional two wins this year, boosting his record total to 47. All in all Martin has run 207 Busch races, collecting 132 top 10's and 96 top-fives. Martin has won 22 percent of all the Busch races he's entered and finished inside the top 10 sixty-four percent of the time. Martin has led 5,185 laps in the series.
AT RICHMOND
This will be Martin's 23rd start in the Busch Series at Richmond, where he boasts five wins, 13 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Martin has won 22 percent of his Busch races at Richmond, while finishing inside the top 10 seventy-seventy percent of the time.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - RICHMOND - BUSCH RACE
- Martin has five Busch wins at Richmond.
- Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 77 percent of his 22 Busch races at Richmond.
- Martin has 13 top five and 17 top 10 finishes in 22 Busch starts at Richmond.
RECORD 47 CAREER VICTORIES
Martin will be going for his record-extending 48th win in the Busch Series. Martin's first win in the Busch Series came on May 30, 1987 at Dover. His last win in a Busch car came in March at Las Vegas. It was Martin's second Busch win of the season. Despite running a limited schedule of 15 races or less, Martin won at least two Busch races each year from 1993-2000, including six-win seasons in '92, '96, '97 and '99.
PENNZOIL AND ROUSH
Pennzoil first sponsored Jack Roush in the 1960's, when the former Ford Motor Company engineer was a driver himself. This season Pennzoil is proud to once again team up with Jack Roush as sponsor of all five 2005 Roush Racing Nextel Cup teams as well as the NASCAR Busch Series Pennzoil No. 9 Team. Martin will run seven races this season in the No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Ultimate Protection Ford, with Matt Kenseth running two (Charlotte 2, Texas 2).
QUOTING MARK MARTIN ON THE BUSCH RACE AT RICHMOND
"Richmond is a great track and we are excited about taking the No. 9 Pennzoil Ford back out on the track. We've had a lot of success over the years in the Busch Series at Richmond and hopefully we can pick up our third Busch win this season on Friday night. I know Pat (Tryson) and the team has been working really hard and we had a test up there a couple of weeks ago, so we'll be looking to come out of the gate strong and go for win number three."
2005 BUSCH SERIES SCHEDULE
2/26 - California (Winner)
3/12 - Las Vegas (Winner)
4/17 - Texas (31st)
5/13 - Richmond (15th)
7/9 - Chicagoland
9/9 - Richmond
10/8 - Kansas City
11/19 - Homestead
Gunning for the finish line
By Stu Durando - Of the Post-Dispatch
STLToday.com
May 9, 2005In any other sport, the facial creases, thinning gray hair and Viagra sponsorship would be telltale signs that Mark Martin is near the end of the line and that time has eaten into his productivity.
However, while age is indirectly involved in Martin's decision to make this his final season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, it is not the driving force.
Time has not slowed the 46-year-old driver of the No. 6 Ford, who finished fourth in the standings last year and is sixth after a fourth-place finish at Darlington on Saturday. He does not appear to be fading in the face of an uprising by the sport's youth movement.
However, a 23-year run of Cup racing has left a void in Martin's life, the part that unfolds at home on Sundays while he's working. So despite remaining one of NASCAR's top drivers, the native of Batesville, Ark., is ready to step aside.
Since that announcement, he has displayed one obvious sign that close observers have noticed.
"The smiles are because I see the weight lifting," he said at NASCAR media day. "I can see the end of the tunnel. For so long I knew I was buried and could never see the end of the tunnel. I see it and really need to be out from under the pressure and grind, and I need to reclaim a piece of my life back for my family."
They will watch for 26 more races as Martin attempts to win his first career championship after four runner-up finishes and 10 seasons in the top five.
With plans to run in the Craftsman Truck Series - "I'm way too young to stop racing," he says - Martin will not walk away completely. But he will take time for the things that have slipped away while he was earning more than $50 million.
Martin never has been to a family reunion because of racing. He missed his grandfather's funeral. He can't enjoy a big Sunday dinner with the family.
"If you've got a day off and it's Monday and the kids are in school and everyone else you know is working, what good is it?" he said. "A Sunday is a totally different day than a Monday, and when you haven't had any for 30 years, it's really a different day."
Martin is retiring in the same year as fellow elder statesmen Rusty Wallace and Terry Labonte. At a time when drivers seem to be griping and sniping at each other on a regular basis, Martin is usually above the fray.
Other drivers have talked about following his advice to race with respect, and he has earned that in return.
"Mark is a good friend," Wallace said. "I've never had a problem with him. We short-tracked a lot and made our names in the Midwest. He's a great guy and a quality character, and if I'm going out with anybody, I'm excited I'm going out with him and Terry."
The biggest difference for Martin's final go-round and those of Wallace and Labonte is that he has no championship titles. He finished 26 points behind Dale Earnhardt in 1990 and 38 behind Tony Stewart in 2002. His other runner-ups were in 1994 and '98.
Martin attributes his continued success to dedication that goes beyond working hard and extends to playing hurt.
"I have never, ever called in sick," he said. "I've driven with broken knees and wrists and ribs and bruised this and sick that. That's the kind of commitment it takes. I'm not willing to make that commitment for 2006. But I will not miss a day of work in 2005. If I'm alive, I'll be there."
He has been there for 612 Cup starts and 209 in the Busch series. He is the career leader in Busch wins with 45, but he never has driven enough on that circuit to challenge for a title.
Part of Martin's secret to longevity is a commitment to conditioning. He is as small as they come in NASCAR, all of about 135 pounds.
But he discovered weight lifting in 1988 and has worked hard to maintain his shape. There was a time when he tried to bulk up but found that his body refused to cooperate.
"I have a blessed metabolism," he said. "I've traded a lot of body fat for some muscle but didn't really gain weight. I've tried to get big, but I don't have the body type for that. I still strength train, but I don't bench press 230 anymore, and I don't squat 275."
But he drives with the best, which is another reason Martin is ready to retire.
When he finished 17th in the 2003 Cup standings, he feared he might no longer be competitive. Last year's push for the championship restored his confidence. Now, Martin is ready to go out on a high note.
"I won't be caught hanging onto something I can't hang onto," he said. "And not being competitive on the track, that scares me to death. It's really important to go out as close to the top of my game as possible."
Mark's numbers:
46 - Age
41 - Career poles
34 - Career wins
23 - Seasons in Cup series
Reporter Stu Durando
Martin Turns in Strong Fourth-place Finish at Darlington
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Darlington Raceway/May 7, 2005DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 9, 2005) – Mark Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team turned in one of their strongest performances of the season Saturday night at Darlington Raceway with a fourth-place run and advanced five places to sixth in the Nextel Cup point standings. Martin made it interesting, spinning out with only three laps to go while attempting to move into third position, but the team was ready for the challenge, quickly rebounding for the fourth place run.
“I'm just proud of this race team,” said Martin. “It was a hard fought fourth, but they had the car to do it - just not quite enough car to win with. But it was an awfully good run. It seemed like forever before we got to the top five, but once we got there it was no problem to stay there. I just have to thank the Viagra® team for a good car and it was a good run. “
Martin spent the first 100 laps of the race moving towards the front of the field, before eventually breaking into the top five on lap 277. He would run there for the next 87 laps until lap 364 when his No. 6 Viagra® Ford got away from him while attempting to take third position by making an inside pass on the No. 9 car of Kasey Kahne. The veteran quickly corrected the car, dropping only two places to sixth before caution was issued for the spin. Race leader Ryan Newman opted to stay out, while the majority of the field opted to pit, allowing Martin the opportunity to bring his Viagra Ford to pit lane for four fresh tires.
The race would finish under a green-white-checkered two-lap dash to the finish, with Martin restarting in eighth. He was able to power his No. 6 Ford four more places to fourth, just narrowly beating out Newman at the line for his third top-five finish of the season and his fifth top 10.
“If I hadn't spun out there, we would have run third but we were lucky to get back to fourth,” added Martin. "I got a little greedy and tried to make a pass too quick. I stepped on that big motor and it was like stepping on a cat’s tail and it went right around. It worked out OK. I was going to pass them both and get third, but I couldn't waste any time. I had a chance to go and I stepped on the gas a little bit too hard and you really had to feather the throttle with those old tires so it slipped away from me."
Martin started the race 20th based on Friday’s qualifying effort. Two quick cautions in the race caused pit strategy to come into play and Martin and crew chief Pat Tryson used the second caution on lap six to come into the pits for four fresh tires, while the majority of the field stayed out. Martin dropped back to 31st on the restart, but the gamble for fresh tires paid off, as Martin wasted little time slicing through the field as the race went green on lap 10. By lap 20 Martin had moved all the back up inside the top 20. By lap 28 he was running in 15th and by the time the day’s third caution was called on lap 39, Martin had advanced 20 positions all the way up to 11th.
The team used the caution to come into the pits and take four fresh tires, fuel and make a track bar adjustment to help the car turn better in the corners. Martin needed only two laps once the field went green on lap 47 to move inside the top 10 for the first time of the evening. Eventually the he began to struggle with the car’s handling and dropped all the way to 16th by lap 85. The day’s fifth caution on lap 95 afforded the team the opportunity to come into the pits for four fresh tires, fuel and further adjustments and by lap 134 Martin had moved his No. 6 Ford back inside the field’s top 10 where he would run for the remainder of the day, with the exception of green-flag pit cycles.
At the halfway point on lap 183 Martin had moved up to eighth place and had established himself as a fixture in the race’s top 10. He cracked the top-five on lap 277, and was running fifth when the day’s 10th caution was issued just moments later on lap 282. With the car handling well, Martin opted for no changes and four tires and fuel and the team turned in a lightning fast 13.9-second stop to send Martin back out in fourth when the field went green on lap 286.
With the race winding down, Martin was running in fifth place with third and fourth place in his sights. With three laps to go Martin caught up with fourth place Kasey Kahne and third place Jeff Gordon and was set to move to the inside for the pass, but his 40-lap old tires just did not have enough grip to support his effort and the back end of the car got away from him as he moved in to take the position. Keenly, Martin was able to collect the car and save it from colliding with the inside wall, while jumping back in line and holding position, while dropping only to sixth. The field’s decision to pit just prior to the green-white-checkered finish, allowed Martin to pit as well and set him back up with a solid opportunity at a top-five finish. He restarted in eight and was able to get by four cars in the final two laps for the fourth-place run.
Martin and the team return to action next Saturday night at Richmond, where Martin has finished inside the top 10 in five of his last six races. With 10 races in the books, Martin is currently in sixth place in the Nextel point standings, 41 points outside of fifth.
MARK MARTIN - No. 6 Viagra Taurus (Finished 4th)
"I'm just proud of this race team. It was a hard fought fourth, but they had the car to do it - just not quite enough car to win with. But it was an awfully good run. It seemed like forever before we got to the top five, but once we got there it was no problem to stay there. I just thank the Viagra team and it was a good run. If I hadn't spun out there, we would have run third but we were lucky to get back to fourth."
WHAT HAPPENED THERE?
"I got a little greedy and tried to make a pass too quick. I stepped on that big motor and it was like stepping on a cats tail and it went right around. It worked out OK. I was gonna pass 'em both and get third, but I couldn't waste any time. I had a chance to go and I stepped on the gas a little bit too hard and you really had to feather the throttle with those old tires so it slipped away from me."
THE LAST NIGHT AT DARLINGTON. A MEMORABLE NIGHT?
"It was OK. It was alright. I ain't no big deal."
NASCAR stars shine in Reality TV
By Mike Harris
The Associated Press
May 5, 2005Several of NASCAR's biggest stars performed well during the first season of "NASCAR Drivers 360," a reality show on FX.
Tony Krantz, one of the two executive producers of the weekly show that follows Cup drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Rusty Wallace and Kenny Wallace through the week leading to the latest race, said he was confident when developing the show that the drivers would handle the scrutiny better than most.
"I think you start with the baseline that NASCAR drivers are public figures under all circumstances," Krantz said. "They are superstar athletes who are used to being photographed. They have corporate sponsors where they have to show up for various functions. They're very much in the public eye and perform in front of 150,000 people on a week-in and week-out basis. So they're used to having cameras in close proximity to them."
The show will begin its second season May 13 and several drivers, including Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin and Kurt Busch, have been added to the cast.
Krantz said he is proud of the in-depth look the show is able to give fans into the lives of their heroes.
"We're right there with Kasey Kahne when he's waking up in his trailer right before the Daytona 500," Krantz noted. "We're literally in his trailer while he is waking up, about to go to the bathroom when he first wakes up. You can't get any more personal, you can't get any more inside.
"Certain drivers take a little while to get used to it. Other drivers take to it like a duck to water. But, under all circumstances, there is a limitation to how present we can be and not be a nuisance. The drivers let us know and we shut the cameras off at that point and go and come back at a point when it makes more sense to be with them."
Krantz said the drivers have been very open and very willing to let blemishes show.
"When we first approached Kevin Harvick about participating in the show for the first season, he said, 'I just don't want to be seen in a compromising situation. For example, I don't want to be seen kicking my dog.' We laughed and told him we never show that kind of thing if you don't want it to be shown.
"In the first episode that Kevin participated in, his dog barges in on him when he first wakes up in the morning. He sort of knees the dog a couple of times. He loves his dog and he just knees the dog to get it out of the way. So I laughed about that because in the very first episode, Kevin is kicking his dog.
"Of course, he isn't doing it with malice. That shows you how far it came because Kevin approved that content. It made him human, it made him real. That's what I think is so interesting about the show. It creates a real look at who these people are so that we get to know them as people, not just the superstars that they are."
Sometimes, though, the other people around the drivers are not as comfortable.
"Certain wives and girlfriends of the drivers in the past have indicated a hesitancy because it is an invasion on their privacy," Krantz said. "They're not the subject of the show. But that's how you get a great television show, because you're there in good times and bad and you're there when you don't think the camera is actually recording the action."
The show, which follows NASCAR Busch Series races shown on FX, started slowly but wound up tripling the average viewers for the time period over the previous year.
"As word of mouth spread about the show, as NASCAR fans found out about the show - because it would play at odd hours and odd times - more and more people starting to come to the show," Krantz said. "We started to hold a greater and greater percentage of the audience that was watching the Busch race."
So, how long can a show like this stay fresh and interesting to the public?
"We think it can continue indefinitely," Krantz said. "We think that there is a different story with every driver each week. We are hoping that the show establishes itself as a companion to all the Busch races that FX carries and it becomes sort of a classic piece of television in the way that the great NFL films are classic pieces of television."
2005 Mark Martin Track Notes - Darlington - May 7, 2005
Dodge Charger 500 / Darlington Raceway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
May 4, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Jimmie Johnson
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT AT DARLINGTON
November 14, 2004
Darlington Raceway - Mountain Dew Southern 500
Started 5th, Finished 2ndMartin’s No. 6 Viagra Ford was the fastest car on the racetrack as the final laps winded down on the Southern 500. The veteran picked up five spots in the final 14 laps to run to an impressive second-place finish in Darlington Raceway’s final fall Nextel Cup event. After running the majority of the race in the top two, Martin found himself in sixth place when the field went green on lap 349 after the ninth and final caution of the afternoon. Martin spent the next three laps battling past persistent lapped traffic, before he began to mount his move back to the front with only 14 laps remaining.
Martin broke back inside the top five, passing teammate Carl Edwards on lap 355. Four laps later he moved by points leader and Roush teammate Kurt Busch for fourth. Martin used the next three laps working his way around the No. 9 car and he found himself in third place with just five laps to go on lap 362. Martin would move back into second place – moving by the No. 42 car – with only one lap remaining, as he closed in on the leader and eventual winner Jimmie Johnson as the checkered flag fell. The race was Martin’s second top-two finish in the past three races.
MARTIN, NO. 6 TEAM LOOKS TO REBOUND AT DARLINGTON
After exhibiting one of the strongest cars in the field, Martin and the No. 6 Viagra Racing Team were forced to settle for a disappointing 33rd place finish after getting caught up in a massive 25-car accident at Talladega. The team will look to rebound this weekend at Darlington where Martin finished second last fall.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-231) - The team will run RK-231 this weekend at Darlington. RK-231 finished seventh in its only other start this season at Fontana. It was considered Martin's strongest car last season.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin won the famed Southern 500 in 1993. In addition, he has finished inside the top 10 in sixty percent of his races there.
MARTIN AT DARLINGTON
Martin has finished inside the top 10 in sixty percent of his 38 starts at the 'Track Too Tough to Tame.' All in all Martin has 16 top-fives, 23 top-10's, two poles and a win in the 1993 Southern 500. In addition, Martin won eight Busch races at Darlington, making him one of the most successful drivers in the tracks famed history.
Starts: 38
Wins: 1
Top 5's: 16
Top 10's: 23
Poles: 2
Highest finish: 1st (9/5/93)
First time: 4/4/82 (7th)
Last time: 11/14/04 (2nd)MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS - DARLINGTON
- Mark Martin won the Southern 500 in 1993.
- Martin has 16 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes in 38 races at Darlinton, including a second-place run last fall.
- Martin finished seventh in his first race at Darlington on April 4, 1982.
- Martin has finished in the top 10 in 60 percent of his races at Darlington.
- Martin has eight Busch wins at Darlington.
FIRST AND THE LAST
Martin earned his first top-10 finish at Darlington in his first start, a seventh place finish in the the 1982 Rebel 500. He finished second there last fall in his last race at the 1.36-mile track. He'll be looking to close his Darlington career out in the same fashion with a strong run.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON
Mark Martin on Darlington:
"Darlington is a cool track that I've always liked. I ran second there to Dale Earnhardt twice in '89 and '90 and finally won in '93. Sometime I think that people seem to forget that I won a Southern 500. I've had a lot of success at Darlington and an enormous amount of Busch wins. The place brings back some great memories of some great battles. Actually the win in '93 was four in a row and that was a big deal.
"It's a jagged oval. It's not a smooth radius turn. The wall goes in and out and in an out. Your line is as smooth as anywhere else, but the tracks all over the place. You go from touching the apron to touching the wall and you've never even changed directions. It's really narrow and banked a lot. The cars go really fast and the track goes everywhere so it's always a challenge, but after Talladega you can't help but really look forward to that kind of racing again.
"We had a tough finish last week and Darlington could be the perfect place to get back on track. We really need a solid run and we are really looking forward to the next round of tracks we have coming up."
Pat Tryson on Darlington:
"Darlington is a great race track and I can't wait to get out there. It's one of those tracks with a lot of history and it's a great place to race. We are looking forward to getting Talladega and restrictor plate racing behind us and getting out there at Darlington and hopefully making some noise."
Martin Gets Caught Up in "The Big One" at Talladega, Finishes 33rd
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Talladega Superspeedway/May 1, 2005TALLADEGA, Ala. (May 1, 2005) – Mark Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team appeared poised down the stretch for another strong finish in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Martin had run inside the top-10 for the majority of the day, leading laps and running amongst the field’s leaders. But in a weekend characterized by torn up race cars, Martin would see an end to his chances come crashing across the front stretch. The veteran was running in 10th position when this year’s version of ‘The Big One’ hit. Contact between the No. 8 and No. 4 cars resulted in a massive 25-car accident that caused much of the field’s top cars to suffer severe damage, thus slamming the door on the chances of over half of the race’s competitors.
“We had the best race car that I’ve had a Talladega in a long time,” said Martin. I wish I would have been ahead of it, but the way it works out there is you're always in a cycle - moving forward or moving back. I really didn't think I was that far back, but I was far enough back to be caught in it. The timing was just such that there wasn't anywhere or anything you could do.”
The race was red flagged for over 43 minutes as track workers worked to remove the mangled mass of cars and repair damage to the track’s retaining wall. Once the red flag was lifted, teams including the Viagra® Racing Team, worked frantically to repair the damage sustained in the accident. Martin was able to get back out on the track and drive home his damaged Ford to a 33rd place finish. The finish dropped Martin to 11th-place in the Nextel Cup point standings, but only one point outside the top 10.
I appreciate the effort by the guys and I wish when we raced we could get the kind of result that the effort shows,” added Martin. “This is a tough one. You just have to hope when you come here that you're in the right place to miss those things. The drivers have done a fabulous job of preventing that to happen, but the longer you run the more you need to race the more it's likely to happen. Unless you're really, really lucky you're going have that no matter how good the drivers behave themselves. They're just in a situation where that's so likely to happen that it's hard to get a race and not have it."
Martin had started the race 16th and wasted no time powering his Viagra® Ford to the front. Using his mastery of the draft, Martin broke into the top-five by lap eight. He continued to move in and out of the top-five, maneuvering his Ford between fifth and 10th place, and he was running in eighth place when the day’s second caution was called on lap 37. The team came into the pits for four tires and fuel and came out in 12th place when the field went green, as some teams elected for a two-tire stop.
Bogged down in heavy three-wide traffic, Martin fell back to as low as 25th, before regrouping and mounting a move to the front. Utilizing excellent pit strategy, Martin came into the pits on lap 72 for a green-flag stop while running in 16th position. The stop allowed Martin to hook up with teammate Kurt Busch and the No. 29 car, and by lap 76 the trio had moved all the way to the front, with Martin running in third position. Martin would remain inside the top-10 for the next 55 laps, before getting caught up in the accident on lap 131.
Martin had advanced all the way to second place when the day’s fourth caution was called on lap 116. The team came into the pits for fuel only and used a lighting fast stop to beat all the other cars off pit road, thus earning Martin five bonus points for leading a lap. Martin restarted the race in first place on lap 120. Shuffling in and out of the draft, Martin rotated between fourth and tenth. He was in 10th position and starting yet another march forward when the huge-multi car accident put an end to his chances at victory on lap 131. The race was the second largest in the history of Talladega Superspeedway. On the day, over 30 of the race’s 43 cars sustained severe damage.
The team returns to action this Saturday night at Darlington where Martin has one victory, 16 top-fives and 23 top-10 runs in 38 races.
Ford Post Race Notes and Quotes - Aaron's 499:
MARK MARTIN - No. 6 Viagra Taurus (Finished 33rd)
YOU WERE IN THE TOP 3 ONE SECOND AND THE NEXT YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WRECK.
"Yeah. I wish I would have been ahead of it, but the way it works out there is you're always in a cycle - moving forward or moving back. I really didn't think I was that far back, but I was far enough back to be caught in it. The timing was just such that there wasn't anywhere or anything you could do. We had a good car. The best car I've had at Talladega in a while. I appreciate the effort by the guys and I wish when we raced we could get the kind of result that the effort shows. This is a tough one. You just have to hope when you come here that you're in the right place to miss those things. The drivers have done a fabulous job of preventing that to happen, but the longer you run the more you need to race the more it's likely to happen. Unless you're really, really lucky you're gonna have that no matter how good the drivers behave themselves. They're just in a situation where that's so likely to happen that it's hard to get a race and not have it."
