Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Party in the Poconos 400
Michael Waltrip Racing
June 2013

POCONO ON MARK MARTIN’S BUCKET LIST?

Aims For A Spot Better Than 2012 Finish

Finished 2nd; 0.997 Seconds Behind Logano

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Mark Martin doesn’t have a racing bucket list, but if he did Pocono Raceway might be at the top of the list. Pocono, Homestead, Indianapolis, Daytona and Kentucky are the only active tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit where Martin has not won.

His 20 top-five Pocono finishes are the most of any driver and he’s finished second at the Pennsylvania track seven times including last year’s near victory.

At the June race, the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver made a daring pass on a restart to take the lead with just seven laps left. Joey Logano retook the top spot with three to go and beat Martin to the finish line by 0.997 seconds for the victory. The Michael Waltrip Racing team returns to the “Tricky Triangle” this weekend after finishing ninth last weekend in Dover.

NO WINS BUT SEVEN 2ND-PLACE POCONO FINISHES

“I don’t have a bucket list. I’ve always believed you are never owed this stuff. I’ve earned all those second place finishes, and I’m proud of that. You’re not entitled. You’ve got to go get ‘em. That’s what makes winning so rewarding. These races aren’t easy to win.”

WINNING THIS WEEKEND

“We struggled in May. We didn’t like how we ran at Darlington or Charlotte, but last weekend in Dover was a lot better. It was a great team effort. Obviously, until you are sitting in victory lane you have room for improvement but we think we should be pretty good this weekend at Pocono. “1

POCONO

“I admit I wasn’t overly optimistic about the repaving last year but they did a heck of a job. The race was a great show. The restarts at Pocono are insane and you have to take full advantage of them. That was the biggest opportunity to make gains and definitely big gains. You could get three or four at a time if somebody got bottled up a little bit. Had to be on your toes for the restarts for sure.”

NOTES

APPEARANCES

Mark Martin will sign autographs Friday at 2 p.m. behind victory lane and will appear at the Sprint Unlimited Experience 10 a.m. Sunday.

CHASSIS

759 raced in Darlington and Fontana.

POCONO STATS

In 52 starts at Pocono, Martin owns seven second-place finishes. He has 20 top-five finishes. He’s led 448 laps and won three poles.

CAREER STATS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 865 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. The 96 combined wins is sixth on the all-time list. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 34 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

SOCIAL STOP

Make MWR’s “Social Stop” your second screen to follow all the racing and social media action when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this weekend. MWR’s “Social Stop” goes live race morning allowing fans to view information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube all on one page. Twitter feeds from MWR drivers, media members and NASCAR fans will populate the page. Visitors can also interact with fellow race fans and answer poll questions on the page. Visit Michael Waltrip Racing - Cornelius, NC - Automotive | Facebook or click Michael Waltrip Racing - Social.

VOTE FOR No. 55 TRUCK DRIVER GLENN SHANO

Freightliner held the third round of the Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge in Charlotte. Now it’s time to vote the eliminated drivers back into the competition for the fourth round. The No. 55’s Glenn Shano needs votes to re-enter the final round of competition at Kentucky. You can vote for Shano once daily at Freightliner - The Competition. Voting ends June 21.

FOLLOW NO. 55 ON TWITTER

@55markmartin
@brianlvickers
@mw55
@rchilders55
@mwrteam
@mwrgirls
@aaronssports
@toyotaracing

PIT CREW

Crew Chief – Rodney Childers
Car Chief – Steve Channing
Front Changer – Ryan Langley
Rear Changer – Shannon Myers
Front Carrier – Chris Hall
Rear Carrier – Mark Kennerly
Jackman – Tony Cardamone
Gas man – Brian Dheel
2nd Gas Man- Josh Galloway
Spotter – Jeremy Brickhouse
Engineer – Billy Scott
2nd Engineer – Scott McDougall
Tires – Kevin White
Eng.Tuner- Denny Chandler (TRD)
Shocks – Mike (Nook) McCarville
Interior/7th man- Jacen Johns
Truck Driver – Glenn Shano
2nd Truck Driver – John Murphy
Pit Coach – Greg Miller
Dir. Race Engineering—Chad Walter
Ex. VP Engineering- Nick Hughes
Ex. VP Comp.—Scott Miller

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - FedEx 400 - Benefiting Autism Speaks
Michael Waltrip Racing
May 29, 2013

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Despite many asking, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Mark Martin doesn’t have a favorite victory, car or racetrack. The 34-year veteran isn’t big on making lists, but if you push him a little he has trouble hiding his affection for Dover International Speedway where the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races this weekend.

Martin makes his 54th start Sunday at the concrete mile oval. His first came May 16, 1982 when the 23-year-old rookie finished fifth, only four laps behind race winner Bobby Allison who won by three laps. Martin has logged four victories and 24 top-five finishes at the “Monster Mile” including a third-place finish in September.

Martin said the first step toward a good finish Sunday at Dover is getting in a good qualifying lap on Friday. He set the track record of 132.719 mph in September 1997 and he won the pole at this race last year by trusting in his crew chief Rodney Childers. Martin said Childers installed a chassis setup right before qualifying that might have made the driver shudder had he known the full details.

That’s when the driver/crew chief trust produces results on the track.

MARTIN ON WINNING POLE RUN LAST YEAR

“I would never try that again (laughter). I anticipated the car being loose, but I didn’t ask Rodney (Childers, crew chief) if he tightened it up. I knew the conditions were looser than they were in our mock qualifying run and I didn’t want to ask him because I didn’t want to get concerned. I knew that I only had to make it one mile without wrecking and I was going to drive to the limit and slightly beyond and I felt like I did that. I certainly wouldn’t cheat it again that far. That’s how much trust we put in our crew. They listen to my input and I trust their judgment.”

MARTIN ON DOVER

“Ever since I started racing there in 1982 I have loved Dover. It’s hard to put into words, but from the first moments it just felt good. In the 1980s it was asphalt and you slipped all over the place, but it was a blast to drive. They put concrete down in the mid-1990s and like most drivers I haven’t been a big fan of concrete. I understand why track owners do that but as a driver I wish they had left it asphalt. Despite all that, Dover is still a good place to race even with concrete. Anywhere you have a shot to win you are going to be pumped up to go to the track and this weekend we’re pumped up for Dover. We had a rocket ship there in September. We fell down two laps because of a caution flag and then made them up and finished third.”

NOTES

CHASSIS NOTES

Primary-774. Backup-720 neither have raced in 2013.

DOVER STATS

In 53 starts at Dover, Martin owns four victories (fall races in 1997, 1998 & 1999 plus the 2004 spring race.) He has 24 top-five finishes. He’s led 1,769 laps and won five poles. He owns the Dover track record of 132.719 mph set in September 1997.

CAREER STATS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 864 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 33 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

VOTE FOR No. 55 TRUCK DRIVER GLENN SHANO

Freightliner held the third round of the Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge in Charlotte. Now it’s time to vote the eliminated drivers back into the competition for the fourth round. The No. 55’s Glenn Shano needs votes to re-enter the final round of competition at Kentucky. You can vote for Shano once daily at http://freightlinerhaulerchallenge.com/site/vote Voting ends June 21.

AAA: Mark Martin will visit the AAA display in the midway on Sunday at 10:10 a.m. The visit is open to race fans.

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying - Coca-Cola 600
Toyota Motorsports
May 23, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Starting Position: 4th

How close was your lap to the pole?

“That wasn’t even close — I asked, ‘Was it close?’ They said, ‘It was a .75.’ I said, ‘That’s not even close.’ Great job by everybody at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing). They got this Camry hooked up today and I knew we were going to be good. Knew we would have a shot at it. It was a really good lap. Got a little bit too much on the race track in turns three and four and had to squeeze up off the throttle coming up off a little bit to stay down out of the wall. Still wouldn’t have been enough, but it would have been close if we would have been able to turn up off turn four. So much fun. I do get tired of the feeling that I have before I leave pit road. I never get tired of the feeling I have right now.”

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Coca-Cola 600
Michael Waltrip Racing

No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Mark Martin finished a media session Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway and walked only a few steps away before quickly turning around.

“I remember one more thing,” he said as a smile came across his face. He had just spent five minutes talking about Dick Trickle to the assembled NASCAR media.

But even after the session his memories kept coming.

Less than 24 hours earlier, Trickle, 71, racing’s “winningest short track driver” had ended a life that included over 1,200 race victories and mentoring some of the sport’s brightest stars on the short tracks of middle America.

One teenager seeking Trickle’s wisdom was Martin who battled the Wisconsin legend in several stock car series before moving south to win 40 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and likely earn a place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

“Dick made himself a mentor to many, Rusty (Wallace), myself, Alan Kulwicki -- you know we wouldn’t have been the racers that we were when we got here had we not come under his influence,” said Martin.

Martin didn’t subscribe to everything in Trickle’s legendary lifestyle. Martin didn’t smoke in the race car and he certainly couldn’t keep up with Trickle’s rule of needing only an hour of sleep for each 100 laps of the next day’s race. But Martin and others learned plenty.

“I was proud of who we were and the racers we were. For the influence that he had on us and the etiquette and the way he raced. He raced us real hard on the race track, but off the race track, he was very free with parts or advice -- he gave freely.”

Those short track days may be a memory but the lessons learned as a teenager under Trickle’s guidance are still around. When Martin starts Sunday’s Coke 600 he’ll remember one of the first lessons.

"He was the one that told me, and this is kind of corny, but it isn't when you're 18 or 19 years old. He told me in order to finish first, first you must finish. That has always kind of stuck with me.”

Trickle’s last NASCAR race came in 2002 and Martin said the pair had rarely crossed paths of late, but “he was part of the influence that helped mold the people and racers that we were.”

As for that extra memory Martin added after the media session?

It goes back to 1977 when the 18-year-old Martin travelled from Arkansas to Wisconsin where they raced five nights a week. The promoter at Wisconsin Rapids’, high-banked, third-mile Golden Sands Speedway offered $100 bonus to anyone breaking the track record.

Martin set a new track record and grabbed the provisional pole. As qualifying wound down he started thinking of ways to spend the extra cash.

All of sudden an open trailer arrived at the track then rolled through the pits with an idling racecar sitting on the back. The crew climbed from the trailer, dropped the gate and Trickle drove the car down the ramp then onto the track where he knocked Martin off the pole and set a new track record.

"After beating me he got on to me for breaking the record too much. He said we were only supposed to break it a little at a time so we could collect the 100$ every week,” laughed Martin.

“I'm sure he'd like to be remembered the way all of us that knew him remember him -- and that is he was a hell of a hard guy to beat.”

MARK MARTIN ON COKE 600

“The 600 is one of the top races of the year up there with Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. I love racing at Charlotte. The mile-and-a-half tracks are some of my favorite tracks. It’s long, it starts in the heat of the day and ends at night - it has lots of challenges. We had a pretty rough All-Star race after getting spun. But the 600 is a whole other ball game. Qualifying well Thursday night is the first step. ”

NOTES

STATS

In 56 starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Martin owns four victories (600 race in 2002 and fall races in 1992,1995 & 2002) and 18 top-five finishes. He’s led 1,185 laps and won poles at both races in 1991. Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 862 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 32 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

MWR FAN FEST MOVED TO FALL

Michael Waltrip Racing will host its annual Fan Fest in the fall at the height of NASCAR’s “Chase for the Sprint Cup.” The event at MWR’s headquarters in Cornelius, N.C., has traditionally been held during Charlotte Motor Speedway’s May events, but this season the race shop is undergoing some capital improvements to further enhance the visitor and employee experience. This month MWR began construction of a new 7,500-square-foot training facility. The multi-level gym will further the skills of pit crew members. The facility includes an inlaid car silhouette so crews can practice agility drills around a car, free weights, weight machines, CrossFit elements, cardio equipment as well as locker rooms and offices. Construction should conclude in June.

PAINT SCHEME

The No. 55 and all MWR Toyotas will carry special “NASCAR: An American Salute” paint Scheme on Sunday at Charlotte.

CHASSIS NOTES

Primary-765 finished 14th at Texas with Martin behind wheel. Backup-720 has not raced.

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Mark Martin claimed his first NASCAR All Star race victory in 1998 and scored another in 2005.

As the Michael Waltrip Racing driver prepares for his 24th All-Star Race -the most of any driver- he figures Saturday night will be a good time to hoist another trophy in victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Saturday night’s race will consist of 90 total laps; four 20-lap segments followed by a mandatory four-tire pit stop and a 10-lap sprint to the $1 million big-money finish.

If one driver wins all four 20-lap segments and bests the field in the final 10-lap shootout, he will double his winnings and take home Bruton Smith's Big Bonus of an additional $1 million.

MARK MARTIN

“The All-Star race is one of the highlights of the season for all of us. It’s just a great event for the fans and the drivers. Charlotte is home for a lot of people in NASCAR. Friends and family get to come out and watch you race.

The other thing is the All-Star race is really a break from counting points. In this race you run for a big trophy and a big check. That’s incentive enough for me. I’d love to take a big trophy and some of Bruton’s money home Saturday night.”

MOST STARTS

“Sure that is gratifying. I’ve been fortunate to work with a whole lot of great people, teams and organizations over the years. I’ve had a ton of help.

It’s hard to believe this will be number 24, but I’ve enjoyed every one. It’s a great event and I’m honored just to be part of it. This race creates memories.”

Mark Martin On Dick Trickle
May 17, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

What memories do you have of Dick Trickle?

“Dick (Trickle) made himself a mentor to many, Rusty (Wallace), myself, Alan Kulwicki — you know we wouldn’t have been the racers that we were when we got here had we not come under his influence. Of course, you have to change, after a while you have to adapt to circumstances as well. I was proud of who we were and the racers we were. For the influence that he had on us and the etiquette and the way he raced. He raced us real hard on the race track, but off the race track, he was very free with parts or advice — he gave freely. Really, really good dude. I’m confused and broken-hearted about what happened.”

Why was Dick Trickle such a likable guy?

“He got the job first of all because he was the winningest driver in the country. Probably bar-none. Yeah he raced for five nights a week, but he won a lot of them too. He had a real special personality. He was tough, but he was fun. He was just a very unique person. He was in his element — short track racing where he didn’t have to look over his shoulder or worry about anything. That’s why he didn’t come NASCAR racing when he might have and was young enough that he really could have gotten his feet planted firmly here. He was doing it his way.”

Do you have any good Dick Trickle stories?

“He was the one that told me, and this is kind of corny, but it isn’t when you’re 18 or 19 years old. He told me in order to finish first, first you must finish. That stuck with me always.”

What were your thoughts when you first heard of the circumstances of his passing?

“Sad. I knew Dick (Trickle) really well and I just can’t fathom it coming to this. He is a little older than we were — Rusty (Wallace) and myself and some of the others that are in NASCAR now — that he was part of the influence that helped mold the people and the racers that we were.”

Did you have a chance to say good bye when you last spoke?

“No, I did not.”

Was Dick Trickle a guy that wouldn’t want to be seen feeling down?

“He’s not the kind of guy would be down in front of everyone, but if I know (Dick) Trickle, I would like to think he would like to be recognized for the good — and for the person he was.”

Do you remembering meeting Dick Trickle?

“Well, he was a hero for sure and it was just as thrilling and exciting for me getting to race against him as it was for me the first time I got to race with Richard Petty.”

Had you been in contact with Dick Trickle much in recent years?

“I haven’t been in contact with him since he quit driving in NASCAR much at all unfortunately, and so I’m realty out of touch with what was going on in his life.”

Did some people think he was up in Wisconsin?

“I did know he was here, but I’ve been in Daytona (Beach, Florida), so our paths just have not crossed.”

How should fans remember Dick?

“I’m sure he’d like to be remembered the way all of us that knew him remember him — and that is he was a hell of a hard guy to beat.”

Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing May 17, 2013

Starting Position: 8th

What was it like having no pit road speed limit?

“I have missed that (no pit road speed limit) and I certainly appreciate the safety factor, but I have missed it. It is an exciting element to our sport. It’s too bad that it’s not safe for our guys over the walls. One of the best things they ever did was instate the speed limit, but it takes away a little bit of the thrill on entry and leaving.”

What is your strategy for the race?

“Try to win however you can — figure it out as you go. Try to have the best, do the best.”

Why did the team choose to do left side tires first?

“They had practiced that stop and I lost time leaving pit road and couldn’t get the rear tires hooked up coming down through there so I feel like I lost speed there. There was more there, but we don’t ever do it. You can’t judge it and you can’t practice it very much.”

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Bojangles' Southern 500
Michael Waltrip Racing
May 9, 2013

LARRY PHILLIPS & HALL OF FAME

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver and future Hall of Famer Mark Martin doesn’t want to influence the 54-member voting panel that will convene May 22 to vote for the next five members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

But the 54-year-old Martin whose 40 victories is 17th on the all-time list certainly has a sentimental favorite in short track legend and five-time champion on NASCAR’s Weekly Racing Series Larry Phillips.

Phillips joined Bruton Smith, Dale Jarrett, Rex White, and Maurice Petty with 20 others on the ballot for the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Five inductees will be voted on by the panel that includes the nominating committee, media members and industry veterans, as well as a fan vote from NASCAR.com. The top five highest vote-getters will be enshrined

Martin began his career working in Phillips’ Springfield, Mo. race shop and spent years battling with Phillips throughout the short pavement and dirt tracks in middle America.

“That is awesome that Larry was recognized and added to the list,” said Martin.

“What makes it more remarkable is he came outside the main stream. There are so many incredible people still waiting to get in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, that a guy like Larry who wasn’t on television every Sunday or racing in the high profile races would be honored.”

Make no mistake, Martin emphasizes Phillips’ 1,000 short track victories in a 40-year driving career is testimony that Phillips’ talent is equal to the sport’s greats.

“Anyone who raced against him will remember him,” recalled Martin. “He was unique. He was fast, won lots of races and beat a lot of people with slower race cars. That says a lot about him.”

Phillips hired Martin at Phillips’ Performance Parts in 1975 just after the Batesville, Ark. native’s high school graduation. Martin worked on Phillips’ race cars during the week then raced against him on Friday and Saturday nights.

Phillips who died of cancer in 2004 and was named one of the NASCAR Weekly Series All-Time Top 25 drivers in 2006. Phillips’ 24th-place finish in the 1976 Ontario Speedway race was his only Sprint Cup appearance.

“I don’t know whether he’ll get into the Hall of Fame, but I’m proud they honored Larry like they did. It’s a great honor for Larry and for all of us who grew up racing like Larry raced.”

Voting Day for the 2014 class will be May 22. Fans can attend the announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

MARK MARTIN ON DARLINGTON

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Mark Martin knows a thing or two about Darlington Raceway.

The future Hall of Famer started 46 races at the 1.366-mile South Carolina track including every race since 1988. He won there in 1993 and 2011 while racking up two of his 56 career poles in 1989 and 1998. Despite 31 years of Sprint Cup experience, Martin contends Darlington Raceway can bite him at any second.

DARLINGTON

“That’s probably the most challenging track we race on. It’s so easy to make a mistake there. It’s 500 miles, it’s hot and that track is so tough. No corner is the same; you are going so fast, it’s slippery. You have to be careful. These Gen-6 cars are so fast and the competition is so even it’s going to be tough to pass so you are going to fight all race long. A win at Darlington is always well deserved.”

NOTES

MARK MARTIN OPEN HOUSE

Martin hosted his ninth annual fan appreciation event at his Batesville, Ark. car dealership and museum on Saturday. Richard Petty joined Martin at the autograph session that drew about a thousand fans.

STATS

In 46 Sprint Cup starts at Darlington, Martin owns two victories (1993 & 2011) and 17 top-five finishes. He’s led 801 laps and won poles in 1989 & 1998. Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 862 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 31 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

SOCIAL STOP

Make Michael Waltrip Racing’s “Social Stop” your second screen on Sunday to follow all the racing and social media action when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Talladega Superspeedway in the Aaron’s 499. MWR’s “Social Stop” goes live race morning allowing fans to view information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube all on one page. Twitter feeds from MWR drivers, media members and NASCAR fans will populate the page. Visitors can also interact with fellow race fans and answer poll questions on the page. Visit Michael Waltrip Racing - Cornelius, NC - Automotive | Facebook or click Michael Waltrip Racing - Social Stop.

TRUCK DRIVERS

Freightliner held the second round of the Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge in Talladega. Now it’s time to vote the eliminated drivers back into the competition for the third round. MWR has three drivers needing votes: Al Nelson, John Murphy and Stump Lewis. You can vote for each driver once daily on Facebook at Freightliner - The Competition. Voting ends May 20.

Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Toyota Owners 400
Toyota Motorsports
April 27, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 38th

How was the race?

“We just got caught up in an accident. The effort by these guys was tremendous. We worked on this car all night, we were competitive and I think we were getting it better and better as the race went on. Would have liked to have been in the mix there at the end.”

Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - Toyota Owners 400
Toyota Motorsports
April 26, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Starting Position: 10th How was the qualifying lap? "That was a good, solid run for the Aaron's Dream Machine. We are feeling really optimistic about Saturday night. We've made a lot of progress in recent weeks and I think we'll be in contention. Anything can happen at Richmond. Should be a great race."

Martin views age as advantage in NASCAR
By Mike Barber
Richmond Times-Dispatch
April 27, 2013

Mark Martin may not pop in and out of his car as spritely as he did when he started driving in the Cup series in 1981. But Martin, 54, will be behind the wheel Saturday at Richmond for his 862nd career NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

“You have to play to, you have to use your strengths,” Martin said. “I have some strengths. It’s not youth and exuberance, although I might have a little bit of that in me somewhere. It is experience.”

Like Martin, Joe Nemechek, 49, and Ken Schrader, 57, are running part-time Cup schedules as elder statesmen on the circuit. Of the three, only Martin, often labeled one of the best drivers to never win a championship, has a top-five finish this season.

“Most of the guys that I considered were the young men in the sport are in their 40s now,” Martin said with a hearty laugh.

Martin’s career has seen improvements in technology and safety equipment along with an explosion of popularity and media interest in NASCAR.

For younger drivers, such as Joey Logano, the current incarnation of NASCAR is all they’ve known, complete with the celebrity and media scrutiny now attached to racing. And Martin said it’s easy to forget that sometimes.

“I think Joey, he came into the series with a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations,” Martin said.

Martin has an advantage beyond his experience level. Despite all his years in racing, he remains well-liked among the drivers.

“It doesn’t hurt to have the respect of your competitors,” Martin said. “They can make your life tough or they can make your life not so tough.”

Some drivers get their first chance to race against veterans in the Nationwide Series, making that experience even more valuable.

“There’s always been Cup guys in the (Nationwide) series,” Brian Vickers said. “Ten years ago, when I was racing in the series, that’s who I was battling every week for wins was Cup drivers. It was great experience for me.”

Some of NASCAR’s current stars, including Jeff Gordon, found success at a young age, proving experience isn’t always necessary.

“Talented race car drivers, when they get with the right team, are going to have success,” Gordon said. “I feel like I was pretty aggressive when I first came into the sport and made a lot of mistakes, but was able to take that and progress with it and gain experience and patience to be more consistent and to make myself a championship contender.”

That can happen for young drivers, although certain personality traits help, Gordon said.

“It depends on what kind of young personality they have,” Gordon said. “If they are superaggressive, there are a lot of times where, if you don’t manage the patience along with that, then you are going to find yourself going really fast, but hitting a lot of things and tearing up equipment and taking some time to learn what it’s like to run a 500-lap or 500-mile race.”

Veteran driver Jeff Burton (South Boston) never imagined being in the game as long as he has. In fact, the 45-year-old said he never really thought about being a NASCAR driver.

“My goal was to become a Nationwide driver,” Burton said. “I know people don’t believe this, but even when I started Cup racing, the only reason I started Cup racing was because that was my opportunity. I wanted to be Jack Ingram. I wanted to be Sonny Hutchins. That’s the people I wanted to be. I watched Cale Yarborough and he was the guy I pulled for, but I wanted to be a Nationwide driver. So, when I got a chance to run Nationwide, I was the man. So, I never thought about being here for this long. Never thought about it.”

ATLANTA, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc. is partnering with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama to host a can drive at one of the largest sporting events of the year.

More than 200,000 NASCAR fans attending Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, May 3-5, will have an opportunity to help the hungry in Alabama by bringing cans to the Aaron's Corporate Display at the speedway. Throughout the weekend, Aaron's associates and can drive volunteers will be collecting non-perishable food items such as canned meat, dry cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, paper towels, toilet paper and hygiene products.

"In the state of Alabama, poverty and hunger are a growing concern with more than 750,000 residents struggling to survive," said Andrea Freeman , Aaron's Vice President of Marketing. "Hosting an event of this magnitude gives us access to hundreds of thousands of NASCAR fans and the opportunity to make an immediate impact on the community. We are proud to partner on this project with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and continue Aaron's tradition of giving back."

Aaron's Dream Weekend at Talladega will feature Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race on May 4 and the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup Series race on May 5. This year marks Aaron's 14th year as a sponsor in NASCAR, as well as the return of the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine and drivers Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip.

For more information on Aaron's Dream Weekend Can Drive, visit Aaron's Can Drive.

About Aaron's, Inc.

Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, has more than 2,083 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur and Chairman Emeritus R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.

Aaron's, Inc. includes brands such as Aarons.com, GoRimco.com, and HomeStagingbyAarons.com.

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Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Toyota Owners 400
Michael Waltrip Racing
April 23, 2013

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No matter where Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr. or Clint Bowyer finish Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, Michael Waltrip Racing fans and fans of all NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will win with the Michael Waltrip Racing Insider Program.

Text “MWR” to 42828 on a smartphone to get the free Insider card.

The program requires no personal information and offers significant discounts on tickets to several upcoming races including:

MWR INSIDER PROGRAM BENEFITS

Talladega Speedway: Save $15 on tickets to the Aaron’s 499 race. Anniston grandstand tickets for $55.

Charlotte Motor Speedway: 30% off selected grandstand seats for the All-Star and Coca 600 weekends. Plus 20% off pit pass.

Pocono Raceway: Three-day ticket package for $56 and includes a Q&A session on race day morning with Martin Truex Jr. $5 from every package will go towards to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.

Quicken Loans: $500 cash back after closing

Kentucky Speedway: Up to 20% off Sprint Cup race tickets

Free headset with rental of a FanVision unit ($19.99 value)

COMING SOON

Fatheads: 25% off NASCAR Fatheads at Fathead.com

COMING SOON

Georgia Boots: 20% off any pair of boots

MARK MARTIN ON MWR INSIDER PROGRAM

“This is a pretty cool program. It seems like all of us spend time on our smartphones these days. So this is a quick and easy way to be part of the MWR race team and get some really cool discounts. Heck, this is a great program for all NASCAR fans. It’s free and it will save you a lot of money. Plus, it’s not like you have to go on there and give your social security number or anything like that. You just text and download the card and you are good to go. Quick and easy.”

MARK MARTIN TO MAKE 55TH RICHMOND START

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No.55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Driver Mark Martin will make his 55th Sprint Cup start at Richmond International Raceway Saturday night in the Toyota Owners 400. The 54-year-old future Hall of Famer won the pole for this race in 2012 and will likely be at the front of the field Saturday night. Martin’s No. 55 is 11th in owner points as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series holds its ninth points race of the 2013 season. Martin owns 18 top-five finishes in 54 Richmond starts.

RICHMOND

“This is my 55th race at Richmond and I am driving the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine plus Toyota is sponsoring the race so we have all that going for us. We were fortunate enough to win the pole here last year and MWR has done really well here of late. Clint won this race in the fall and we finished third. Martin Truex has been on fire the last two weeks. So, we are pretty optimistic Saturday night is going to be a lot of fun. Richmond is one of the best places we race and it seems like it’s always a great show for the fans.”

NOTES

RICHMOND

In 54 Sprint Cup starts at Richmond, Martin owns one victory (1990) and 18 top-five finishes. He’s led 449 laps.

MARK MARTIN FAN APPECIATION DAY

Martin will hold the ninth annual Mark Martin Fan Appreciation Day on May 4 at Mark Martin Ford and Museum in Batesville, Ark. Joining Martin this year is seven-time champion and NASCAR’s winningest driver Richard Petty. Martin will begin signing autographs at 9 a.m. with Petty joining at noon. Both will appear on stage for a question and answer session after the autographs. Fan Appreciation Day will also include a live Sirius broadcast, race cars and tours of the museum. For more information go to www.markmartinmuseum.com

CHASSIS

714- won pole at Phoenix in 2013 and finished 21st

WINS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 861 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 30 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

No. 55 DRIVERS: Martin will drive the No. 55 in 24 races, Brian Vickers in nine races and Michael Waltrip in three races.

WINS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 859 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 28 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - STP 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 21, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 9th

How was the race?

“Rodney (Childers, crew chief) just did a great job on the pit box adjusting the car. We missed it pretty good but our best run of the day was the last run of the day. That’s the way you do it. I’m really proud of the guys and how hard they fought. We’ve got a little work to do to get a little better.”

Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - STP 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 19, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Starting Position: 8th

How was your car?

“This is the best our race car has been all year. We’re not getting the full potential out of it yet. That was not perfect, but it had more speed and it’s got the feel that it had last year, so tomorrow is going to be a really good practice for us to try to get it maximized. But, the car is working better than the other race tracks. I knew we were in trouble last week because it didn’t have the potential. We didn’t have the speed and it wasn’t in the car. Now, the car feels like it’s there and we just have got to tap into it.”

Did you and Martin Truex Jr. find something today?

“I think Clint’s (Bowyer) on it too. He slipped in qualifying. His car got loose. Them boys — those guys are good. Clint’s tough and Martin Truex Jr. is tough and he showed that last week. I feel good about where we’re at. I think that we’ve got more work to do, but we’ve made progress.”

Racing also plans to carry a decal in honor of the victims. Team founder and co-owner Michael Waltrip is the only NASCAR driver or owner to have run the Boston Marathon. Waltrip completed the marathon in 4 hours, 33 minutes in 2000.

This weekend, he plans to run special door numbers on the organizations three entries this weekend.

The door numbers on the cars of Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin and Martin Truex Jr. will replicate the style of the 2013 Boston Marathon bib numbers that are pinned to the runners.

“The news coming out of Boston this week was very personal to me,” Waltrip said. “When I ran the Boston Marathon in 2000, I remember thinking about what a privilege it was to be able to participate and all the hard work it took to be there. When you see those international flags flying in Copley Square, you know you are about to complete your journey. I know the joy those runners were feeling at that moment when their worlds changed.”

Michael Waltrip to honor Boston on his NASCAR cars
By Randy Covitz
The Kansas City Star
April 18, 2013

As the only NASCAR Sprint Cup driver or car owner to have run the Boston Marathon, Michael Waltrip will honor the victims of the marathon tragedy by using special door numbers on his three NASCAR entries in Sunday’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.

The door numbers on Clint Bowyer’s No. 15, Mark Martin’s No. 55 and Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 56 MWR Toyota Camrys will replicate the 2013 Boston Marathon runner “bib” numbers, which are pinned on each of the nearly 30,000 runners. Waltrip posted a time of 4 hours, 33 minutes in the 2000 event.

“The news coming out of Boston this week was very personal to me,” said Waltrip. “When I ran the Boston Marathon in 2000, I remember thinking about what a privilege it was to be able to participate and all the hard work it took to be there. When you can see those international flags flying in Copley Square, you know you are about to complete your journey. I know the joy those runners were feeling at that moment when their worlds changed.

“It was a great moment of pride when they pinned the Boston Marathon bib on me, so I thought it would be great to pin bib numbers on our race cars this week in Kansas... We just want the victims of the attack, the brave men and women who helped after the explosions and the city of Boston to know that we are thinking of them and we will support them any way we can."

Mark Martin Photo (c) 2013, Michael L. Levitt

NASCAR’s Mark Martin brings passion for fitness to Michael Waltrip Racing
By Randy Covitz
KansasCity.com
April 17, 2013

Mark Martin has always been a fitness freak.

It's how he’s made 1,141 combined starts in NASCAR’s three national series since 1981. Only Richard "The King" Petty has made more, with 1,185.

It’s how Martin has won 40 Sprint Cup races and 96 total NASCAR events, which ranks sixth on the all-time list.

And it’s why, at age 54, he’s still going strong heading into the Sprint Cup STP 400 on Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

But when Martin joined Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012, he noticed a way for the still-fledgling company to be more competitive. Martin convinced Waltrip to build a state-of-the art training facility for crew members and fellow drivers.

"I’ve been into the training … lifting and all that since 1988," said Martin. "It’s my second passion. As I got going along with MWR last year, I saw the need for becoming even more competitive on pit road and the need to build the best program for our athletes in NASCAR.

"That’s what you do in every other facet of the sport. Whether it’s building the best engines, the best cars, it’s the same kind of battle over pit road. It’s become so critical and important with the level of competition on the race track now, that I saw a need for it, and asked if they would give me an opportunity to help them build the program."

Construction began on the two-level, 7,500-square foot facility last month and is expected to be completed by the end of June. It includes an inlaid car silhouette so crews can practice agility drills around a car; free weights, weight machines, Cross Fit elements, cardio equipment, a pool, hot tubs, as well as a locker rooms and offices.

"I would like to have the best guys on pit road, the very best," said Martin, the 2005 Sprint Cup winner at Kansas Speedway. "I would like to have all the guys who don’t work for us, wishing they could work for us because of how we train and treat our athletes and help them succeed."

The importance of pit-crew performance was evident to Waltrip in the last two Sprint Cup races.

Last week, MWR’s Martin Truex Jr., was dominating the second half of the race at Texas before a final pit-stop and restart with 20 laps to go. Kyle Busch’s team recorded a rapid 11.8-second pit stop that enabled him to get the jump on Truex and beat him to the finish.

By the same token, two weeks ago at Martinsville, Clint Bowyer came in for the final pit stop running third, and an efficient performance by the crew helped him finish second.

"If there’s a slip there, and Clint comes in running third and goes out running eighth, we don’t finish second," Waltrip said. "It’s that close and that tight.

"We have a solid pit crew and want to give them an opportunity to get better. It’s all about that last pit stop on Sunday afternoon, and you better be able to put up a 12-second spot so you don’t lose your chance to win the race."

Martin and Waltrip also hired a head athletic trainer with a college football background in Pam Brown, who spent 2004-06 on the football staff at LSU and was head football trainer at Kent State during 2007-11. She supervises the workouts, treatments, rehabilitations and preventive maintenance for for the pit crew and drivers.

Several of the pit crew members are former college athletes, including football and hockey players, and much of the training they do for those sports translate well to those carrying and changing 75-pound tires and hauling 92-pound gas cans.

And they do it in 13 seconds or less.

"With our season, it goes from February to November," Brown said, "and what I try to do is a lot of preventive maintenance for these guys. Not only do they go from February to November, but they also don’t really get a day off because most of them all also do the trucks and Nationwide races.

"You don’t see your typical football injuries like ACLs or shoulder injuries. You’ll see a lot of wrist, and low back stuff. The tire changer isn’t going to do the same workout out as the gas man. Like in football, an offensive lineman is not going to do the same things as a wide receiver. "

Martin often joins the pit crew members for their workouts, and when the day ever comes that he finally retires as a driver, he can envision a second career as a trainer for pit crews and other drivers.

"You have to follow your passion," Martin said. "To be successful at anything, you have to have passion for it. I have the passion for this. That’s a possibility."

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - STP 400
Michael Waltrip Racing
April 17, 2013

If you are a fan of Mark Martin then now is your chance to meet the future Hall of Famer. In two of the next three weeks, the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver will spend several hours signing autographs.

Martin will join Michael Waltrip and Clint Bowyer at the grand opening of Clint Bowyer’s Autoplex in Emporia, Kan. 4-6 p.m. Thursday.

Martin then holds his ninth annual fan appreciation event on May 4 at his Batesville, Ark. car dealership and museum.

Seven-time Sprint Cup Champion Richard Petty joins Martin this year. Martin will begin signing autographs at 9 a.m. with Petty joining at noon. Both will appear on stage for a question and answer session after the autographs. Fan Appreciation Day will also include a live Sirius broadcast, race cars and tours of the museum. For more information go to Mark Martin Museum.

JOINING BOWYER IN KANSAS

“I’ve never been to Emporia, Kansas so I’m looking forward to going out there to see what all Clint has going on I know he’s really proud to have a Toyota dealership. He used to work there so it is one of those cool stories of starting out at the bottom and working your way to the top. We have a lot of fun together and add in Michael Waltrip and who knows what will happen.”

MARTIN ON FAN APPRECIATION DAY

“This is our ninth year doing it and I’m really excited because we have The King (Richard Petty) coming to join us this year. That’s about as big as it gets. Like everyone else, Richard has always been one of my heroes. I would never imagine Richard would someday come to my fan event and museum. I think that fans will be as excited as I am having him join all of us.

“We’ll do autographs, question and answers, and just have a fun time. It seems like this deal gets better and better every year. I like giving back to the fans and this is our biggest event of the year to give back. We have a lot of stuff at the museum that I think both new and longtime NASCAR fans or fans of any racing would enjoy.”

KANSAS

“Kansas is a great place. It's almost like a home track because I raced so much up in Springfield (Mo.) and I-70 Speedway and around there, so we should have a lot of charged-up fans. We were a step off in Texas, but we’ll get that back this weekend in Kansas.”

NOTES

KANSAS

In 14 Sprint Cup starts at Kansas, Martin owns one victory (2005) and five top-five finishes. He’s led 212 laps.

AARON’S DISPLAY AT KANSAS

Martin will appear at the Aaron’s display at 8:55 a.m. Sunday

CHASSIS

765 Backup 720

WINS: Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 860 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES: Martin owns five poles in 29 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

INSIDER PROGRAM

Michael Waltrip Racing launched its Insider Program in 2013 that offers all race fans sponsor discounts, specials on merchandise, exclusive pictures and video content plus fan giveaways throughout the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Fans can access the MWR Insider Program through the CardStar application available on most smartphones. MWR will work on behalf of the fans to expand the offerings beyond just its current sponsor line-up, aggregating industry-wide deals and discounts. Fans can text MWR to 42828 to get the card for free. Offers include free headset with rental of a FanVision unit ($19.99 value) and 25% off Toyota Racing merchandise at Toyota Racing.

WALTRIP ON TRACKSIDE

Michael Waltrip along with the MWR Girls will appear on Saturday’s edition of Trackside on SPEED-TV at 8 p.m. The show will air an MWR shop tour by Waltrip and a feature on crewmember Christmas Abbott.

No. 55 DRIVERS: Martin will drive the No. 55 in 24 races, Brian Vickers in nine races and Michael Waltrip in three races.

Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - NRA 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 14, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 14th

How was your race?

“We worked hard tonight. Nobody gave up and we got a decent finish. We were just a step off all weekend. We’ll get it back. I want to compliment Martin Truex Jr. tonight who had a heck of a run. When he gets his next win the flood gates are going to open up. He’s doing everything right and its going to pay off. The guy has endured a lot of bad luck, but he’s a heck of a driver and a great teammate here at MWR.”

Mark Martin Texas Preview - NRA 500
Michael Waltrip Racing
April 9, 2013

CORNELIUS, N.C. — The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series doesn’t race in Arkansas so Saturday night’s 500-mile race on the high speed Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is the closest No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver Mark Martin has to a home track. After 31 years of Sprint Cup racing, the 54-year-old Martin has legions of fans including many who make the trek to Texas to see the Michael Waltrip Racing driver. Martin finished third in this race last year and should be a contender again Saturday night.Martin substituted for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 last weekend at Martinsville. In 2013 he’s driving the No. 55 in 24 races sharing driving duties with Michael Waltrip and Brian Vickers. The No. 55 is 13th in car owner points.

TEXAS

“I’ve always loved Texas Motor Speedway for a lot of reasons. I’ve always run pretty well there. We won there in 1998 and had good runs most of the time. That’s been in both Sprint Cup and Nationwide racing. For some reason I just like racing there. It’s fast and will be again this weekend with the new cars. Should be a heck of a show. The track does it up right every race and this weekend will be no different. Bruton (Smith) and Eddie (Gossage) do a great job with that track. It seems every year we go back they have something new and better. They really think of the fans.”

BATESVILLE, ARK.

“The track is about 450 miles from Batesville so I’ve had a lot of support at Texas. When I walk by the fence going out to qualify or in driver introductions I hear from them. I know Saturday we have a few hospitality visits and things like that going on. It’s good. The fans are real enthusiastic down there.”

WORKING WITH MULTI-DRIVER TEAMS

“From my standpoint, it has worked well because I’ve worked with people that embraced it — Tony Gibson and all the guys on that team — Ryan Pemberton and all the guys on that team. Rodney (Childers, 55 crew chief) and all his guys at the 55 — Rodney gave his guys the opportunity to move to a different car when they found out that I was going to do a limited schedule or a split season. Everyone at the 55 made the choice — they wanted to be there. It’s worked really, really well. It’s fun, it’s comfortable — we’ve had great results. They were in contention to win with all three drivers last year. I certainly think that how you approach it and if you approached it with a negative attitude then I don’t think it would work at all. I think it’s important from that standpoint for everyone to be on board.”

NOTES

TEXAS

In 24 Sprint Cup starts at Texas, Martin owns one victory (1998) and eight top-five finishes. He’s led 208 laps.

MARK MARTIN FAN APPECIATION DAY

Martin will hold the ninth annual Mark Martin Fan Appreciation Day on May 4 at Mark Martin Ford and Museum in Batesville, Ark. Joining Martin this year is seven-time champion and NASCAR’s winningest driver Richard Petty. Martin will begin signing autographs at 9 a.m. with Petty joining at noon. Both will appear on stage for a question and answer session after the autographs. Fan Appreciation Day will also include a live Sirius broadcast, race cars and tours of the museum. For more information go to www.markmartinmuseum.com

WINS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 859 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 28 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

INSIDER PROGRAM

Michael Waltrip Racing launched its Insider Program in 2013 that offers all race fans sponsor discounts, specials on merchandise, exclusive pictures and video content plus fan giveaways throughout the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Fans can access the MWR Insider Program through the CardStar application available on most smartphones. MWR will work on behalf of the fans to expand the offerings beyond just its current sponsor line-up, aggregating industry-wide deals and discounts. Fans can text MWR to 42828 to get the card for free. Offers include free headset with rental of a FanVision unit ($19.99 value) and 25% off Toyota Racing merchandise at ToyotaRacing.com.

No. 55 DRIVERS

Martin will drive the No. 55 in 24 races, Brian Vickers in nine races and Michael Waltrip in three races.

Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - STP Gas Booster 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 7, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

How was the race?

“It wasn’t that great of a result — we were capable of a little bit better, but we just kept stumping our toe on Friday and then we had a setback when we were about to get into position. I just want to thank Joe Gibbs (team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing). I did not fill Denny Hamlin’s shoes, I can tell you that much. He (Hamlin) is the master. I enjoyed this opportunity — it was fun.”

Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - STP Gas Booster 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 5, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Starting Position 35th

How did the race car handle in practice? "So far I haven't really gotten comfortable yet. It's pretty different, and the way Denny (Hamlin) runs here is quite different than my style. We'll have a lot more time tomorrow. We're working on getting it to feel like I need it to feel."

What was the difference in the feel of the race car? "I don't know. We just drug the race track so bad. The start of practice the front drug the race track so bad it was unbelievable. We've got to get that better. Tomorrow Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and the guys will get a chance to try to get it to feel like that in race trim."

Mark Martin Q & A - Martinsville - STP Gas Booster 500
Toyota Motorsports
April 5, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What is it like to be in the No. 11 Camry?

“I’ve seen that car on the race track, followed it on the race track with Denny (Hamlin) behind the wheel and tried to figure out and mimic how he was doing what he was doing, especially at Richmond (International Raceway) — here as well — and Denny is a master at being able to make the rear tires last and get good speed at the same time, so it’s a challenge for me. It’s exciting for me to work with all new people, spotter and all. It has me up on my toes paying attention and trying to get in sync with a whole group of people and new faces, but that’s a good thing. That challenge is something that motivates me to make sure I’m engaged 100 percent.”

Is NASCAR becoming a young man’s game?

“I don’t know. I have a lot of thoughts about that. One of those things is Denny Hamlin is a young man, but most of the guys that I considered were the young men in the sport are in their 40s now — I was discussing that with Arlene (wife) the other day. I’m not sure I have a total perspective on that other than to say that you have to play to your strengths to answer your question real honestly. You have to play — you have to use your strengths. I have some strengths. It’s not youth and exuberance, although I might have a little bit of that in me somewhere. It is experience and the things that I have had and the things that I’ve done and also the opportunity to work with so many different people throughout my career, not only in Cup but in the Nationwide Series as well especially. I worked with a lot of different people. I will give it my best and I will be engaged 100 percent for this weekend and try to do a good job for FedEx and Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota.”

Why do you want to start by using Denny Hamlin’s setup this weekend?

“Well, it’s a good place to start. You have to realize that the tire has changed and the Gen-6 rules in the rear of the car are quite different than they were a year ago, so we will — everyone will probably have to adjust to some of those changes. It’s an excellent place to start for all of us and we will collaborate on what the car feels like and what I think it needs. I have had a long conversation with Denny about what he feels and what he thinks the way he does, runs this race track and I’ve told him the things, my experiences and what I think and they line up closely. They are some things that I’m going to be looking for that I haven’t as hard in the past that he suggested and we will work together to try to get the best result that we can. That’s what we’ll do. We’re going to put our best foot forward and work hard and I’m definitely listening and Denny tweeted he looked forward to learning something from me and it’s like it may be the other way around here. He’s one of the masters at this race track. We’ll work together and try to get the best result we can.”

Are drivers more aggressive because of the comfort created by recent safety innovations?

“No. I think that young, less-experienced drivers when they get to this level race as hard as they can and make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. That’s in general. That’s not speaking about any particular situation. I think that would be in general not just to driving race cars though. I think that would be the case in many sports. You learn from your experiences and a lot of time you learn that you pick your battles — those early ones might not be as important as some later and the early one cost you a chance to have a finish, you’ll remember that, especially after it happens over and over again. That’s just the nature. His point being with the SAFER barriers and this car, you don’t get hurt as bad when you hit stuff and that is a valid point. For me, it might someone else, but for me, it doesn’t — it would not change how I would drive a car because I don’t really wreck whether it hurts or not. You usually don’t get a checkered flag when you wreck, so I would rather not wreck because I’d rather have a chance to finish, but I think his point was that you can get lulled into a sense of security that you can’t get hurt in these cars because they’re safer and I think that’s what his point was.”

Do you remember when a young Denny Hamlin had an incident with you at Martinsville?

“You have to learn from your experiences and Denny didn’t even realize that what happened here there had been something previous at Las Vegas that got under my skin. I didn’t say anything about it. We had our incident here. He was mad. I went to, you know — then I explained to him and I heard him give the same explanation about two years later to another young driver coming from a veteran, which is a very young veteran, but another younger driver he gave the same kind of talk to. It comes in experience. As far as — if a driver wants to ask questions, it’s wide open you can ask those questions. But, learning as you do things and going through it, that’s how you really, really learn. I mean, you don’t forget — you might forget something that somebody told you, but you won’t forget especially if you have something unfavorable happen to you a number of times. You tend to remember that. That’s just experience. That’s what that is. As far as it being a self-policing sport, I think it always has been to some degree. Guys work their differences out off the race track. Fortunately, back in the day we got to work those things out much more quietly than we do today. There’s a lot of coverage today and there’s more fans and it makes for really good TV to have the controversy. It’s good for the sport to have rivals and controversy. That’s something that’s good for the sport. I don’t particularly want to be in one, but I certainly don’t mind watching one.”

How have your conversations been with Denny Hamlin?

“He was very forthcoming with how he approaches practice and how he approaches the race as far as lines he drives and whatnot. That information is there and it’s a two-way street and I will do anything that I can to help this team and represent Denny well as well. I’ll do everything that I can. I’ll do my very best.”

Do you believe Joey Logano has had a spotlight on him since entering the Cup Series?

“First of all, I want to make sure that everyone knows that I have not answered a question yet about Joey Logano — I hope everybody understands that. I’ve answered questions, but nobody told me that those questions were directed to Joey Logano. Are we clear on that? Now, your question does have to do with Joey Logano. I think Joey — he came into the series with a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations with tremendous history. As a young driver he had been very, very successful. I don’t think he’s been out there looking for trouble at all. He doesn’t appear to be that kind of a guy, but he’s racing hard and that’s what’s expected of him from the people the support him. He finds himself in a position where the spotlight seems to be shining on him. Ask Darrell Waltrip — I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. It’s just where it is today. Over a period of time I believe that you earn the respect and you earn the reputation that you have. Short term — sometimes that can get a little off, but over the long haul that will find its water level. Right now, there may be a little bit — it’s hard to say. I’m not the judge of it. You guys are the ones that are watching that and judging what’s going on. I’m just sitting here. I do know that he’s been caught in a lot of dust-ups lately and one of the reasons is because he’s racing hard like the rest of us out there.”

What is it like working with a team that is familiar with various drivers during the season?

“From my standpoint, it has worked well because I’ve worked with people that embraced it — Tony Gibson and all the guys on that team — Ryan Pemberton and all the guys on that team. Rodney (Childers, 55 crew chief) and all his guys at the 55 — Rodney gave his guys the opportunity to move to a different car when they found out that I was going to do a limited schedule or a split season. Everyone at the 55 made the choice — they wanted to be there. It’s worked really, really well. Its fun, it’s comfortable — we’ve had great results. They were in contention to win with all three drivers last year. I certainly think that how you approach it and if you approached it with a negative attitude then I don’t think it would work at all. I think it’s important from that standpoint for everyone to be on board. Unfortunately, the FedEx team — they don’t have a choice in this. They will stand behind it and this is Denny’s (Hamlin) team and they’re going to do everything they can to continue to build that team so that when he steps back in they are ready to go race to win. I think that’s how they’re all going to approach it.”

What would your advice be to Joey Logano?

“Joey (Logano) hasn’t asked me and I don’t seek him out like I did when he was a kid. He’s a young man now and he hasn’t asked me. I don’t have any advice for him. If he asks me, I will have. Things happen and I’ve got my own deals to deal with. What he’s going through is not at the top of my priority list to be worried about to be honest with you.”

Is it beneficial to have the respect of your competitors at Martinsville?

“First of all, it doesn’t hurt to have the respect of your competitors — they can make your life tough or they can make your life not so tough — your competitors can. You don’t control everything yourself. The competitors do have some control over how your day goes. I didn’t race here last year, but there was two years that I didn’t race here — ’07 and ’08 and came here in ’09 in the 5 car and we ran good. I had never felt like I ran very good here even though our stats look good until I got in the 5 car. The 5 car seemed to make this place fun. I actually enjoyed racing here in the 5 car so I certainly look forward to this weekend. The fact that I wasn’t here last year makes me appreciate much more being here — the drive to the race track and everything else. Not being immersed completely in the sport has certainly changed my perspective and I think you guys know that. I appreciate everything that I have and every opportunity that I have more than I ever did before.”

Are you surprised to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading the point standings?

“It’s not a surprise to me — those guys did an awesome job last year. Really were strong and the fact that he had to sit out a couple races or whatever it was — that only makes you come back even more hungry and more prepared. They’re off to a great start and it’s good to see and it’s good for our sport to have the most recognized driver up front and leading the points and battling for wins.”

2013 Martinsville: Toyota NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Tidbits
Toyota Motorsports
April 4, 2013

TOYOTA TIDBITS

SEAT SUBS

NASCAR veteran Mark Martin will drive the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 11 FedEx Freight Camry at Martinsville Speedway while Denny Hamlin recovers from an L1 compression fracture suffered during an accident at California's Auto Club Speedway on March 24.

Martin, who also shares the seat of the Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) No. 55 Camry, has 858 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) starts and has compiled 40 wins, 271 top-five finishes, 449 top-10 finishes and 56 pole awards, including the pole at Phoenix last month.

Martin has made 48 career NSCS starts at Martinsville and has two wins (1992 and 2000) and three poles.

Following Martin's one-race stint in the No. 11 Camry, fellow Toyota driver and JGR NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) competitor Brian Vickers will be behind the wheel beginning with the April 13 race at Texas Motor Speedway.

MWR Announces Mark Martin To Return To Aaron’s Dream Machine At Texas
March 30, 2013

Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Mark Martin will fill in for injured Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota Camry next weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

Martin will return to the No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry at Texas Motor Speedway on April 13 and resume his previously scheduled run of events with MWR for the remainder of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint cup season.

"I think it is great that a driver of Mark’s caliber is available to support our fellow Toyota team during this difficult time for them. We wish Denny a speedy recovery" said MWR founder and co-owner Michael Waltrip. "Mark is a big part of our organization and is committed to our sponsors, especially Aaron’s and Toyota. We have a lot of goals yet to reach this year and we are very focused on accomplishing them."

As previously announced, Brian Vickers will race MWR’s No. 55 Jet Edge Toyota Camry for MWR at Martinsville.

Sponsor flap cuts Mark Martin's role as fill-in for Denny Hamlin
By Lee Spencer
NASCAR News : FOX Sports on MSN
March 30, 2013

Rumors of Mark Martin’s substitute role have been greatly exaggerated. It will now last only one race, after a series of conflicting announcements.

Joe Gibbs Racing originally reported on Thursday that Martin would be competing for Denny Hamlin while Hamlin recuperates from a lower-back compression fracture, suffered during a last-lap crash at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday.

The sub-headline that read, “Veteran NASCAR Driver Mark Martin to Drive No. 11 FedEx Toyota Until Hamlin Returns” indicated that the affable 54-year-old veteran would sub throughout Hamlin’s recovery.

But apparently the deal was not cleared by Aaron’s, which is sponsoring Martin in the No. 55 this season and has enjoyed a relationship with Michael Waltrip since 2000.

JGR subsequently said that its Nationwide Series driver, Brian Vickers, will run the balance of the races as Hamlin's fill-in — after Martin drives for JGR on April 7 at Martinsville. Hamlin is expected to be out six weeks.

“Obviously having to find someone to fill in for Denny is not an ideal situation to have to be in, and when you start a process like this you obviously begin to look at the drivers that are not only available but also able to drive for your race team and manufacturer,'' said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing said in a release around 8 p.m. EST.

"We were a bit premature in determining Mark’s status past Martinsville, however. We're real happy to have the opportunity to get Brian in our Cup cars, and with him driving Nationwide for us, we think we have some continuity there that is beneficial.''

Approximately two hours earlier on Friday, MWR released a statement saying Martin “will fill in” for Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota Camry only at Martinsville.

Martin will then return to the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry at Texas Motor Speedway “and resume his previously scheduled run of events with MWR for the remainder of the 2013 Sprint Cup season,” MWR said.

"I think it is great that a driver of Mark’s caliber is available to support our fellow Toyota team during this difficult time for them,'' said MWR founder and co-owner Waltrip in the statement.

"We wish Denny a speedy recovery. Mark is a big part of our organization and is committed to our sponsors, especially Aaron’s and Toyota. We have a lot of goals yet to reach this year and we are very focused on accomplishing them."

The No. 11 Toyota is 11th in owner points. The No. 55 Toyota is currently 14th in the Sprint Cup owner points, with three drivers — Martin, Vickers and Waltrip — sharing driving duties. Waltrip is running the restrictor-plate tracks. Vickers is driving the No. 55 Toyota at Martinsville this weekend and will drive seven additional races this season. He also drove the car at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17.

Neither race was sponsored by Aaron’s. Aaron’s also has supported track entitlement for the Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway since 2002.

Mark Martin To Drive No 11 JGR Toyota While Denny Hamlin Heals
By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
March 29, 2013

Joe Gibbs Racing has chosen veteran Mark Martin to sub for Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota Camry while Hamlin recovers from a compression fracture of the first lumbar vertebra, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Hamlin's injury, sustained Sunday in a last-lap crash at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., is expected to take approximately six weeks to heal. If that prognosis proves true, Hamlin would miss the next five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

Martin, 54, has 40 victories in the Cup series and has finished second in the final standings five times.

"I'm happy to have this opportunity to help out JGR, FedEx (Hamlin's primary sponsor) and Denny," Martin said in a team release. "Hopefully I can keep those guys up front and compete for wins while Denny heals up."

Martin is scheduled to compete in 24 Sprint Cup points events for Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 55 Toyota. His first race for JGR is Apr. 7 at Martinsville, where Brian Vickers has been tabbed to drive the 55.

Owner Michael Waltrip will drive the 55 at Talladega on May 5. Accordingly, MWR likely will have to find a substitute for Martin at Texas (Apr. 13), Kansas (Apr. 21) and Richmond (Apr. 28), opening up the possibility that Vickers could add to the nine races he's already scheduled to run for MWR.

If the six-week timetable proves accurate, Hamlin could return to action May 11 at Darlington.

In 48 starts at Martinsville, Martin has two wins, two poles and a career-average finish of 13.3. When Martin takes the green-flag at Martinsville, Hamlin's streak of 264 consecutive starts from the beginning of his career will end.

"We've been real fortunate to have never been in this situation with the need to find someone to fill in for an injured driver," said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. "A lot goes into a decision like this, but we are really pleased to have someone of the character and caliber of Mark Martin to fill in while Denny is out.

"Obviously, we're not exactly sure how long that is going to take, but Mark's career speaks for itself, and our team knows it will have the opportunity to compete for a win every week."

The No. 11 Camry is 11th in the Cup owners' standings through five races and could still win the owners' championship even if Hamlin fails to make the Chase. The No. 55 MWR Toyota is 14th in owner points.

Martin to occupy seat in Hamlin’s absence
By Jim Utter
NewsObserver.com
March 28, 2013

How fast things change in NASCAR.

Joe Gibbs Racing held a teleconference Thursday morning, when team president J.D. Gibbs said the organization had to settle on a replacement driver for injured Denny Hamlin.

Less than eight hours later, JGR released a statement announcing Mark Martin would drive the No. 11 Toyota for the races Hamlin misses.

“We’ve been real fortunate to have never been in this situation with the need to find someone to fill in for an injured driver,” said Gibbs. “A lot goes into a decision like this, but we are really pleased to have someone of the character and caliber of Mark Martin to fill in while Denny is out."

Hamlin suffered a compression fracture of his L1 vertebra in a violent last-lap wreck during Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race in Fontana, Calif. After contact with Joey Logano’s car while racing for the lead, his car hit a wall not covered by energy-absorbing SAFER barriers.

On Tuesday, the team announced Hamlin would miss at least six weeks – at least five races – while the fracture heals.

Martin will make his first start for JGR on April 7 at Martinsville, Va.

“I’m happy to have this opportunity,” said Martin, who was running a partial schedule with Michael Waltrip Racing. “Hopefully I can keep those guys up front and compete for wins while Denny heals up.”

MWR didn’t announce who will drive the No. 55 Toyota in Martin’s absence, but it most likely will be Brian Vickers, who already is to run several races in the car this season.

Rodney Childers, crew chief on the No. 55, posted a note on his Twitter account Thursday night about the news:

“When you’re the one team in the garage that has a stacked house of drivers, I knew from the beginning that it may affect my team in some way.”

Photo/Steven Looney Mark Martin makes this young man happy by signing his big truck. Martin spent hours on March 19 signing autographs and posing with fans for photos at the grand opening of Mark Martin GMC, Buick, Chevrolet in Ash Flat.

Mark Martin draws crowd to dealership grand opening
Tammy Curtis, Managing Editor - Area Wide News
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Race fans and loyal customers from as far away as Michigan made their way to Mark Martin Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Ash Flat on Tuesday, March 19 help celebrate the grand opening of the new state of the art dealership and visit with Martin.

While the dealership opened in August, General Manager Vic Davidson said about 500 people showed up for the grand opening and Fan Day. He said the first person to arrive for the event came all the way from White Hall, Mich.

Davidson said dedicated fan Curtis Bolt has attended Mark Martin Fan Days held in Batesville for the last six years, and decided he could not miss the grand opening event at Ash Flat. Bolt arrived in the area on Saturday to be sure he was first in line. Besides being a great fan, he has also bought three vehicles from Martin dealerships. This year, Bolt traded in his Kia Sorento and took a 2012 Chevrolet Captiva back to Michigan, along with numerous souvenirs. Dealership Administrative Assistant Felice Taylor said Bolt told her he was Martin's, "Number one crazy fan." That was obvious by his decision to spend hours outside the dealership waiting to be first in line to see Martin.

Besides making kids smile, signing racing memorabilia and clothing, Martin also signed many of the vehicles sold at the dealership since it's opening. Fans were able to pose in front of his race cars as well.

Another loyal fan of Martin's Fan Days traveled from Bossier City, La. Local fans and customers made their way through the long line that threaded from the dealership's side door all the way around the building. Martin spent a lot of time with his fans. Taylor said he was very friendly and down to earth.

John 3:16 Ministries cooked and served hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and sodas to customers. First National Banking Company was also at the grand opening event handing out water to the crowd.

A Hardy man won a 32 inch flat screen television at the event. After Martin gave his hand a break from signing autographs, he came back for a second round. The Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed Martin's dealership to the area with a ribbon cutting ceremony, making its membership in the organization and presence in the community official.

Martin began his NASCAR career in 1981 and began driving full time on the NASCAR circuit in 1988. He has won 40 races in his career, with 18 pole positions and has finished in the top ten in well over half of his starts, including 115 top five finishes. This year, Martin drives the number 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing on a part time basis.

He has the second most wins in the Nationwide Series with 49. He has finished second in the Sprint Cup Series standings five times, and has been described by ESPN as "The best driver to never win a championship."

His line of dealerships are located in Batesville, Melbourne, and most recently, Ash Flat.

Mark Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC is located at 41 Highway 62 West in Ash Flat.

Order the photo above:

Mark Martin - Auto Club 400

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Finishing Position: 37th

Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - Auto Club 400
Toyota Racing
March 23, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Starting Position: 9th

How was your Camry during qualifying?

"My Aaron's Camry was excellent. I have been watching the wind and all and I over compensated a little for the wind in turns one and two. I saw a lot of people struggling down there, so I wanted to make sure that I hit it a little conservative. Very proud because the car was excellent, after it was all over with, I was like, 'Dang, I didn't even scare myself.' That's not what my signature series lap is right there."

How do you handle the wind like you did today?

"Well it was blowing that way (towards turn one). A lot of guys were going in down there to the top of the track. Well that really messed there lap time up."

Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Auto Club 400
Mark Martin Oversees New MWR Training Facility
Michael Waltrip Racing
March 19, 2013

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, driver Mark Martin has more on his mind than just winning Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

The future Hall of Famer and fitness advocate is overseeing the construction of Michael Waltrip Racing’s new 7,500-square-foot training facility. The multi-level gym at the team’s Cornelius, N.C. shop will further the skills of pit crew members. The facility includes an inlaid car silhouette so crews can practice agility drills around a car, free weights, weight machines, Cross Fit elements, cardio equipment as well as locker rooms and offices. Construction should begin this week with completion expected within 90 days.

New MWR fitness facility

“I’m really enthused and excited about what we’re working on getting at MWR. This has been a 10-month crusade to get the green light. It’s fun. It’s my second passion. I’ve been consulting with the strength staff and the coaching staff picking out equipment and designing the layout. We hope to have the nicest facility in the sport. You spend a lot of money on equipment in the sport and I think you are starting to see the teams invest even more in human performance.”

Does physical fitness provide an advantage in this sport?

“That’s a real tough question. I used to answer that question by saying, ‘I’m not sure,’ because there’s not a gauge on people’s forehead that says they’re doing 100 now and they were doing 50 before. I don’t know. I just believe that physical conditioning makes you better at any single thing you do, whether it’s going to the grocery store or what. Physical conditioning can make you better. It can make you better physically. It can make you better mentally. It can. Does it? I don’t know. It can though. I don’t know the science behind it and all that, but I just believe that it can make a difference. Certainly it makes a difference in other facets of your life, so why wouldn’t it make a difference if you were driving a race car?”

How did you become a fitness fanatic?

“I always wanted to do it before I got started. I got started January 1988, but before January 1988 I had to work in the race shop on building my own cars and working with my guys. All through my career I had to work day and night and I didn’t have time to carve out to go to the gym. When I signed with Jack Roush, I didn’t have to spend as much time in the shop. I had time to carve that out, so I was able to pursue it. I had always wanted to do it anyway.”

What is your normal workout routine?

“Right now, it’s five days a week — five or four depending on what the schedule is, but usually five days a week. I only lift weights an hour and try not to let my weight lifting last beyond an hour because it’s incredibly intense and somewhat counterproductive to go beyond 60 minutes.”

On California

“I’m very proud of how we’ve raced so far this season. We’re fourth in owner points so that shows that we have been doing a lot of things right. Brian (Vickers) and the guys struggled at Bristol but turned it into an eighth-place finish. That’s what good teams do. All of us believe we can run even better. Fontana is a great track. I love the room you have to race.”

NOTES

AUTOGRAPHS

Martin will sign autographs at Autograph Alley in the Sprint Cup garage 9:10—9:30 a.m. Sunday.

CALIFORNIA

In 21 Sprint Cup starts at Auto Club Speedway, Martin owns one victory (1998) and six top-five finishes. He’s led 324 laps.

MARK MARTIN FAN APPECIATION DAY

Martin will hold the ninth annual Mark Martin Fan Appreciation Day on May 4 at Mark Martin Ford and Museum in Batesville, Ark. Joining Martin this year is seven-time champion and NASCAR’s winningest driver Richard Petty. Martin will begin signing autographs at 9 a.m. with Petty joining at noon. Both will appear on stage for a question and answer session after the autographs. Fan Appreciation Day will also include a live Sirius broadcast, race cars and tours of the museum. For more information go to www.markmartinmuseum.com

WINS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 857 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

POLES

Martin owns five poles in 27 races with MWR. He is seventh on the all-time pole list with 56 poles including one in 2013 at Phoenix.

INSIDER PROGRAM

Michael Waltrip Racing launched its Insider Program in 2013 that offers all race fans sponsor discounts, specials on merchandise, exclusive pictures and video content plus fan giveaways throughout the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Fans can access the MWR Insider Program through the CardStar application available on most smartphones. MWR will work on behalf of the fans to expand the offerings beyond just its current sponsor line-up, aggregating industry-wide deals and discounts. Fans can text MWR to 42828 to get the card for free. Offers include free headset with rental of a FanVision unit ($19.99 value) and 25% off Toyota Racing merchandise at ToyotaRacing.com.

TWITTER

All three MWR Sprint Cup teams will carry the team’s Twitter handle @mwrteam on the roof decal. Follow the @mwrgirls who will report from the track each race day as well as give out prizes during the week.

No. 55 DRIVERS: Martin will drive the No. 55 in 24 races, Brian Vickers in nine races and Michael Waltrip in three races.

FOLLOW NO. 55 ON TWITTER

@55markmartin

@brianlvickers

@mw55

@rchilders55

@mwrteam

@mwrgirls

@aaronssports

@toyotaracing

2013 Las Vegas: Toyota NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Quotes
Kolbalt Tools 400
March 11, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 14th

How was your day?

"It was fun. We had a pretty solid Aaron's Dream Machine Camry. I didn't get a good restart on the last one, but the one before I did. Unfortunately, it wasn't the last one -- the last one didn't come out as well for me. Other than that, it was a good solid day by this team and car."

Mark Martin Aaron's Dream Machine Las Vegas Preview - Kolbalt Tools 400
Michael Waltrip Racing
March 5, 2013

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Mark Martin admits he isn’t big on reading NASCAR’s record book.

But he’s certainly rewriting it.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver won his 56th career pole Friday in Phoenix moving past Bill Elliott and into sole possession of seventh place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series all-time poles.

Martin remains the second oldest driver to win a pole. He was 54 years, 1 month and 4 days old last Friday at Phoenix. Gant won a pole at Bristol in 1994 when he was 54 years 7 months and 15 days old. Gant is still the oldest Sprint Cup winner visiting victory lane at Michigan in 1992 when he was 52.

Martin will look to take over that record this weekend when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he won the inaugural race in 1998 and posted six top-5 finishes in 15 starts at the 1.5-mile track.

MARTIN ON HARRY GANT

“Whether I was to break that record or not, I look at Harry Gant and don’t feel I measure. That’s just me. Records don’t mean much. I have the respect (for Gant) — I was there with him and had the pleasure of racing with him and beat by him on a regular occasion. I’ll always look at him as someone who accomplished more than I did. He was the guy I couldn’t beat at the time. He’s an incredible guy.”

WINNING 5 POLES IN 26 MWR RACES

“Rodney Childers (crew chief) and all the guys that work on the Aaron’s Dream Machine do such a nice job. The cars are just really nice and our power from Toyota has been great. Qualifying is tough these days and we are very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

LAS VEGAS

“We’ve had some success in Las Vegas winning the very first race in 1998. Sure, we can do that again. We led 75 laps Sunday so we know we’re capable of running well. We’ll just need to put the whole race together. But we can do that. These guys give me good cars each weekend. We’ll see what we can learn Thursday during the test and hopefully have something for them on Sunday. With this new Gen-6 car, the window of opportunity is open for all these teams to find something and have a big advantage over the rest of the field for several weeks.”

NOTES

PRIMARY/BACKUP CHASSIS: 715/720

STAYING IN VEGAS

Nearly all of MWR’s road crews flew from Phoenix to Las Vegas on Monday afternoon in preparation for Thursday’s test and race weekend.

LAS VEGAS

In 15 Sprint Cup starts at Las Vegas, Martin owns one victory (1998) and six top-five finishes. He’s led 259 laps.

SIRIUS

Michael Waltrip will co-host a special live edition Thursday of “Dialed In with Claire B. Lang” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel 90 from 5-6 p.m. from the Pub in Las Vegas’s Monte Carlo Hotel.

WINS

Martin owns 40 Sprint Cup, 49 Nationwide and seven Camping World Truck Series victories. He’s led 12,856 laps in Sprint Cup competition. Martin has started 856 Sprint Cup races, 236 Nationwide races and 25 truck events. He also owns 13 IROC wins in 47 starts.

INSIDER PROGRAM

Michael Waltrip Racing launched its Insider Program in 2013 that offers all race fans sponsor discounts, specials on merchandise, exclusive pictures and video content plus fan giveaways throughout the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Fans can access the MWR Insider Program through the CardStar application available on most smartphones. MWR will work on behalf of the fans to expand the offerings beyond just its current sponsor line-up, aggregating industry-wide deals and discounts. Fans can text MWR to 42828 to get the card for free. Offers include free headset with rental of a FanVision unit ($19.99 value) and 25% off Toyota Racing merchandise at ToyotaRacing.com.

TWITTER

All three MWR Sprint Cup teams will carry the team’s Twitter handle @mwrteam on the roof decal.

No. 55 DRIVERS: Martin will drive the No. 55 in 24 races, Brian Vickers in nine races and Michael Waltrip in three races.

FOLLOW NO. 55 ON TWITTER

@55markmartin

@brianlvickers

@mw55

@rchilders55

@mwrteam

@aaronssports

@toyotaracing

Mark Martin - 2013 Phoenix Post Race Notes and Quotes
Subway Fresh Fit 500
Toyota Motorsports

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing Finishing Position: 21st

How was your race today?

"We learned a few things and we'll try to apply them next time. Obviously, it's a disappointing result for a great effort on the weekend. The car was pretty fast, but we had multiple problems today."

Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Daytona 500
February 24, 2013

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing - Finishing Position: 3rd

How was today’s race?

“First of all, I want to thank all the fans for all their support. It was a great run for our Aaron’s Toyota. The guys gave me a good race car. We tore a bunch up early in the week and they had me a good piece for the (Daytona) 500. I appreciate it. I was so close there. I just couldn’t get the run. Brad (Keselowski) was giving me some shots, but I wanted it off of (turn) four and not into (turn) one. I was afraid to go too soon and lose my chance. It was a good run for us — I’m real happy.”

How much of a factor was the driver today, and how much was the race car?

“If I said it was all me, I would be lying. There’s a lot of luck involved in all that and I have to be thankful for Michael Waltrip Racing — and this 2013 Camry was fantastic — and thank Aaron’s and Rodney Childers (crew chief). I was definitely not going to push the effort too much early — I really wanted to be in it at the end. We managed to get there. We were in the mix — just not quite there. But, if Brad (Keselowski) could have got me a run. He gave me a shove into (turn) one twice, but I didn’t want to go into (turn) one — I wanted to come off of (turn) four or at least go into (turn) three. We were yo-yoing — he would get up on me and we would get a run and then he’d fall back and it was coming and going. We were close, just didn’t get the run off of (turn) four.”

What were you able to learn in the race?

“You have to watch the race and you have to watch what everybody else does. I didn’t experiment a lot, but I learned everything I needed to know without having to pay the price for it. We ran a really smart race. Rodney Childers (crew chief) called a great race. Our strategy was try to be there on the last two laps and be in the thick of it, and there we were.”

What was the racing like today?

“It was okay. The car is actually less stable in a big pack than what we’ve had. We had to keep ourselves separated a little bit more for good measure until it came down to the end and then nobody cared. Wrecking was okay. You had to give each other a little more room — that’s due to the little spoiler. When we get in these things next week, they are going to be stuck like glue and we’re going to be breaking track records. Kudos to the Gen-6.”

Mark Martin shows grace in Daytona near-miss
By Kenny Bruce - NASCAR.com
February 25, 2013

Mark Martin, ever gracious on the heels of defeat, isn't saying if this year's Daytona 500 was his last.

It will be remembered as one of his best. Maybe not on par with the stirring 2007 battle with Kevin Harvick, both cars thundering toward the checkered flag while cars crashed in their wake, but it was memorable no less.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver, 54 and still driving as if he's just another 20-something, finished third in this year's season-opener. It was his 29th start in NASCAR's Big Event for the Sprint Cup Series. Only fellow driver Terry Labonte, also running a limited schedule these days, was in the field in 1982 and again on Sunday. A baker's dozen of those who rolled off pit road hadn't even been born back then.

"First of all, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity," Martin, seated alongside runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr., said afterward. "There are a number of drivers that didn't get to have a shot at the Daytona 500, and I was at least close enough to have an outside shot. So I feel extremely lucky for that opportunity.

"I've told you guys over and over again. I'm not bitter about the things I haven't accomplished. I'm pretty damn proud of the things I have. That's how I feel about it."

Martin, like so many others, had a chance. With restrictor-plate racing, that's the norm. Hook up with the right partner and every opening is an opportunity.

Such was the case Sunday, when he latched onto the back of Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 for the final six-lap shootout. Off the track, sponsors National Guard and Aaron's have never been so close. On it, they seemed inseparable.

If Earnhardt Jr., regarded as one of the best plate racers, was going to the front, then Martin was going along for the ride.

Competitors are no longer allowed to converse with one another via team radios, but that doesn't mean spotters, who intently watch the action from afar, can't relay information. A plan was already in place before the green flag appeared for the final time.

"Well, we did ? what we thought would be right," Martin said. "The spotters did have a discussion before the restart. Obviously I knew Junior had a fast car and is one of the masters here; certainly (I) would trust his judgment.

"I was in a position where I needed to pass a bunch of cars in order to get in contention to win. So we did that. If things would have got crazy enough, maybe we could have got the big trophy.

"That's how it went."

Things didn't get crazy, but they got fast. And Jimmie Johnson raced away to become a two-time Daytona 500 champion.

It was a day that began under somber tones, gray skies fitting after the bedlam that ensued a day earlier at DIS when a Nationwide car slammed into the catch fence and at least 28 fans were treated for injuries. Yet just as fitting, given the excitement, size and scope of the 500, it somehow wrapped up under sunny skies.

Martin said he awoke mindful of the previous day's incident, one "which is something that we cannot have happen."

"I was happy to see the drivers OK," he said. "It was sad to see some of our fans get injured. I was happy today that we were able to race and not have a huge accident."

There were accidents. A nine-car crash knocked out several of the favorites early in the race. But nothing came close to the severity of the storm that hit the speedway the previous day.

Martin has seen it happen before. It's part of the risk, part of the allure, some might suggest.

"That's how it plays out," he said. "Sometimes you have 'em and sometimes you don't. There was plenty of recipe to have a big one there at the end, we just didn't.

"Probably next time, they probably will ? in July. And I'll be on the couch. That will be good."

His last Daytona 500? Perhaps even Martin doesn't yet know the answer to that one. He knows that he was close this time, and could take solace in that.

A huge fan of rap, Martin chatted briefly with the artist 50 Cent prior to the race, telling him "if we won the race, he would have to change his game to 55 Cent for one day."

The No. 55 adorns the sides and roof of Martin's MWR Toyota.

"I was trying really hard," a grinning Martin said, "to get that name change for one day."

Martin nearly gets 50 Cent to change name for day
By Mark Long
AP Sports Writer
February 24, 2013

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Mark Martin made big bucks with 50 Cent by his side.

Martin has never been a fan of restrictor-plate racing, which often results in a large number of cars running side-by-side and in tight packs.

But this one ended considerably better than most of Martin's others. Maybe it had something to do with rapper 50 Cent being in the No. 55 team's pit before and during the Daytona 500.

"We told 50 Cent if we won the race, he would have to change his name to 55 Cent for one day," Martin said. "I was trying really hard to get that name change for one day."

Martin would have preferred his own name switch — to Daytona 500 winner. Instead, he settled for third place behind Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"First of all, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity," said the 54-year-old Martin, who could be in his final season. "There are a number of drivers that didn't get to have a shot at the Daytona 500, and I was at least close enough to have an outside shot. So I feel extremely lucky for that opportunity."

50 Cent has more No. 1 hits than Martin does Daytona 500 victories: The driver is now 0 for 29 in "The Great American Race" and refused to commit beyond this season.

"I'm definitely not going to talk about 2014 yet," said Martin, who has a part-time deal with Michael Waltrip Racing.

Who knows how much 50 Cent will divulge about what went down Sunday. The entertainer and budding boxing promoter was caught trying to kiss Fox Sports' Erin Andrews on the lips on live television.

He ended up landing one on her left check and then followed her down the starting grid. Andrews appeared caught off guard.

"Hey I wanted to kiss her, so I did," 50 Cent later posted on his Twitter page.

Shortly after the failed attempt, which provided fodder for Internet sites everywhere, 50 Cent headed to Martin's pit box.

Martin then won $817,013 for his finish. Even 50 Cent would have to admit that's some pretty nice pocket change. Martin is a noted rap fan. His Twitter bio says, "Gucci Mane my favorite rapper." He tweeted a pre-race picture with rapper T.I.

It was his best showing in a Sprint Cup points race at Daytona since finishing a close second to Kevin Harvick in 2007.

"I've told you guys over and over again: I'm not bitter about the things I haven't accomplished," Martin said. "I'm pretty damn proud of the things I have. That's how I feel about it."

Mark Martin Q & A
February 14, 2013
Toyota Motorsports

MARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Does physical fitness provide an advantage in this sport?

"That's a real tough question. I use to answer that question by saying, 'I'm not sure,' because there's not a gauge on people's forehead that says they're doing 100 now and they were doing 50 before. I don't know. I just believe that physical conditioning makes you better at any single thing you do, whether it's going to the grocery store or what. Physical conditioning can make you better. It can make you better physically. It can make you better mentally. It can. Does it? I don't know. It can though. You need to talk to somebody -- I don't know the science behind it and all that, but I just believe that it can make a difference. Certainly it makes a different in other facets of your life, so why wouldn't it make a difference if you were driving a race car?"

Do you have any routines or superstitions on race day?

"My routine is just do hospitality, go to the driver's meeting, eat and go to intros and go get in the car. That's my routine. It's not superstitious meals, but yeah -- it's usually pretty much the same thing. It used to be turkey on wheat and pretzels and that was back in the day and now I have the luxury of having somebody cook for me on race day and it's usually fish and sweet potato and vegetables."

How will you look back at COT and its safety innovations?

"I don't think much about it. When it was retired, it was a pretty good race car. It had a long way to go when we started on it. It (safety) was huge. That's what will be remembered. We've been lucky too, but the car was a great leap forward in safety. The Gen-6 is an evolution of that car."

How would you feel about having a doctor evaluate drivers after hard hits?

"Well, let's say I tripped on a banana peel and broke my thumb. If I want to drive a race car with a broken thumb, I want to drive a race car. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to. I'd rather be the one making the -- it would scare me to death if somebody told me you can't do that. We've raced cars with -- you loo k at what (Brad) Keselowski raced with -- his foot. I've been injured all through the years. I'm not comfortable with somebody saying -- you know, that's all. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Where do you draw the line on things? We're talking about a head injury -- that's different than another physical things like you know. That's all I'm saying. I can't help that. I'm old school. It's just what it is. I don't know that I've ever had a concussion. I've never been knocked out."

Is there a place for fighting in NASCAR and where is the line for starting one?

"You need those. You've got to have it and we've had a nice little dose of that the last few years. Gosh, it just seems like good times to me. I never have (been in a fight). I never have. I don't know -- I've been in it a long time and I'm still a little confused. Based on certain things that happen on the race track, on and off, I'm not sure. If you feel like fighting, it don't matter what NASCAR's going to do to you -- you're still going to do it."

What would it take for you to cross that line?

"I would much rather handle things in the garage than on the race track. That's probably the best answer I can give you. I do not like handling stuff on the track and I think it needs to be handled man-to-man, eye-to-eye and I think NASCAR should be more lenient on that than handling things on the race track, but I'm not sure they are based on some of things I've seen. But like I said, if it comes down to physical then the consequence is not -- you're going to deal with the consequence later. Usually, if you get to that point where it's going to go down physical, than it doesn't really matter what the repercussions are going to be."

Would it be worse for drivers to handle matters on restrictor plate tracks?

"This would be one of the worst places of all to do it, but I don't particularly agree -- I think it shouldn't be handled on the race track anywhere. I can't say that I haven't been a part of that before in the past, but I'm just saying I'm much more of a fan of handling things man-to-man than doing that on the race track. It's not really -- it's not the right thing for multiple reasons. I just don't even think that -- it's disrespectful to tear these cars up. The fact that we don't have to fix them doesn't make it okay. We didn't do that back when we had to fix them ourselves and so I feel that we should continue to respect the equipment as we did when we built them ourselves."

How did you become a fitness fanatic?

"I always wanted to do it before I got started. I got started January 1988, but before January 1988 I had to work in the race shop on building my own cars and working with my guys all though my career and I had to work day and night and I didn't have time to carve out to go to the gym. When I signed with Jack Roush, now I didn't have to do that in the shop anymore and I had time to carve that out, so I was able to pursue it. I had always wanted to do it anyway."

What is your normal workout routine?

"Right now, it's five days a week -- five or four depending on what the schedule is, but usually five days a week. I only lift weights an hour and try not to let my weight lifting last beyond an hour because it's incredibly intense and some counterproductive to go beyond 60 minutes."

Would you be interested in racing a similar schedule of 26 races in 2014?

"I'm not going to even talk about that. It's a good number for me now -- that's why I signed up for it. I like it, but I'm not going to talk about 2014."

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