2003 Mark Martin Atlanta Track Notes for November 2, 2003
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Checker Auto Parts 500 / Phoenix International Raceway
Roush Racing & Compiled Information
Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will travel west for the final time of 2003 this weekend as the team heads to Phoenix, where Martin's record on the track is second to none.
DRIVER: Mark Martin
CAR OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Ben Leslie
2002 EVENT WINNER: MATT KENSETH
MARK MARTIN - 2002 EVENT
RACE #35, NOVEMBER 10 - Phoenix International Raceway
Checker Auto Parts 500K - Started 7th, Finished 4thMartin and the No. 6 team posted their second straight top-five finish at Phoenix. Martin ran inside the field's top-five virtually the entire race after qualifying and starting seventh. The veteran driver moved into fourth place with 36 laps remaining and held position for the remainder of the race. Martin passed point leader Tony Stewart on lap 241 to move into fifth place. The veteran driver would run inside the top five for the remaining 78 laps of the race. Martin had moved to fourth place when the day's fourth caution was called on lap 257. The Viagra® Racing team came in for a wedge adjustment, four tires and fuel. The team took only two tires and Martin returned in fifth place when the field went green on lap 264. Nineteen laps later Martin made the move to fourth place, and moved on to the top-five finish. Roush teammate Matt Kenseth went on to win the race as Roush boasted three drivers in the field's top-10.
THE CAR
The Viagra Racing Team will take RRC-106 to Phoenix. RRC-106 made its first and only run in a 14th place finish two weeks ago at Martinsville.
GETTING IT DONE
Martin has finished inside the top two in six of the past 15 races at Phoenix. In addition, Martin has finished in the top eight in 10 of the last 11 races at Phoenix. He won there in '93 and has finished second on five other occasions.
DID YOU KNOW?
Martin has finished in the top 10 in 80 percent of the races at Phoenix and in the top two in an incredible 40 percent of his 15 races.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS - PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Mark Martin has finished in the top four in eight of the 15 Winston Cup races at Phoenix.
Martin has finished in the top two in six of the 15 races at Phoenix.
Martin has finished in the top eight in 10 of the last 11 races at PIR.
Martin has finished in the top 10 in 12 of 15 (80 %) races at Phoenix and inside the top five in eight of 15 (53%).
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND BEN LESLIE
Martin on racing at Phoenix:
"I like the track at Phoenix. We've had some really strong runs there, we've won there and we've finished second a lot. Hopefully we can go there and post a strong finish this weekend. The fans out west are really great and I've always appreciated all the support they give us. This team has worked really hard this year and they deserve a strong finish. Hopefully we can get that fore them this weekend in Phoenix."
Crew Chief Ben Leslie on racing at Phoenix:
"Phoenix is a great track for Mark and hopefully we can give him a good car that will help him to continue his strong tradition there. We are taking the same car that we took to Martinsville a couple of weeks ago. We had a strong run in Phoenix last season and hopefully we can build on that. The guys have continued to work really hard and we would love to see that work pay off this weekend in Phoenix."
Mark Martin Atlanta Race Recap
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Atlanta Motor Speedway/October 27, 2003
Roush RacingHAMPTON, GA. (Oct. 27, 2003) – Heavy rains postponed the running of the Bass Pro Shops/MBNA 500, but it was early mechanical failure that finally brought an end to the weekend for Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Martin lost an engine during the first lap of practice on Friday and was forced to start the race from the back of the field. The veteran driver had maneuvered his Ford Taurus from 43rd to 24th, before additional engine problems forced Martin and the team out of Monday’s race. Martin would end up taking home a 39th-place finish.
"I’m just really proud of this Viagra® team,” said Martin. “They just fought this thing all weekend. Our car was pretty good today. We just had to start in the back there because we had trouble on Friday with breaking an engine part. We haven't had any trouble with our engines since this race in the spring, so I really don't know what's up. The guys fought hard all day. We got caught a little short on a gas-mileage deal and I got a lap down, but we had a competitive car. It was pretty decent. I was proud of our race car and I'm real proud of our team."
The race actually started on Sunday, before heavy rains forced it to be postponed after only 39 laps. During those 39 laps, Martin was happy with his car, as he moved from the rear of the field to 26th place. Martin radioed that the car was ‘perfect’ just before the rain halted the race. Excellent work in the pits, including a 13.884-second stop helped Martin make his way up the field on Sunday.
After 33 laps caution was issued for rain and six laps later the field was red-flagged. When the rain refused to let up, NASCAR officials announced that the race would be postponed until the next morning. By late Monday morning the rain let up and was replaced by a cool breezy front that settled over the Atlanta area.
Martin was running in 25th place when the race resumed on lap 44. By lap 61, Martin had moved further up the field and in 18th position, before the car started to become loose. As the field began to pit under green conditions, Martin came into the pits for four tires and fuel on lap 100. The team posted another quick stop (14.86 seconds), but bad luck struck again moments later as caution was called on lap 102. All of the cars that had yet to pit were a lap ahead and Martin was caught a lap down. The No. 6 team stayed out on the track and Martin restarted the race at the tail end of the lead lap and in 30th position when the race went green on lap 113.
Running the low line, Martin quickly moved to 22nd place and was able to fight off the leaders for several laps, before finally going down a lap to the leader on lap 124. As the car become ‘loose’ again, Martin fell back to 25th place, where he was running when caution was issued on lap 151. The team came in for tour tires and to put wedge in to help tighten the car’s handling. Martin returned to the field in 24th place when the race went green on lap 157. Two laps later Martin radioed that he had lost the motor. The team retired to the garage and was forced to settle for a 39th-place finish.
Press Release Source: Pfizer Inc.
Rafael Palmeiro and NASCAR's No. 6 Viagra Car Visit Pfizer for Viagra Education Day
Tuesday October 28, 10:30 am ETNEW YORK, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Baseball star Rafael Palmeiro, NASCAR's No. 6 Viagra car, and a long-time Viagra (sildenafil citrate) patient Ray Milton were on hand at Pfizer Inc headquarters today to celebrate Viagra's 5th year on the market and its continued success as the world's number-one prescribed treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED).
Palmeiro, the All-Star first baseman with the Texas Rangers, appears in television and print ads for Viagra, the first tablet approved to treat ED. More accustomed to the baseball diamond than the race track, Palmeiro said, "Fans of both NASCAR and Major League Baseball can appreciate the value of regular visits to the doctor and why it is important to address health issues that can also affect sexual health."
Also attending the gathering was Ray Milton, a 71-year-old school bus driver from New Jersey, who has taken Viagra for the past five years.
"Viagra improved my sex life, and I like telling my friends that," said Milton.
Viagra was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 1998, and since then more than 23 million men have been prescribed the product, with over one billion tablets dispensed.
Milton said he recently tried a new competing oral ED medication but came back to Viagra. "Viagra has always worked for me. I call it the working pill."
A lifelong baseball fan, Milton was thrilled to meet Palmeiro. "Raffy hit a milestone this year with 500 homers -- not too many players have done that," said Milton. But Milton was equally thrilled to sit behind the wheel of the souped-up Ford Taurus. "I would love to take the Number 6 car home with me but it would have to wait at the Lincoln tunnel just like any other car."
Viagra has sponsored Mark Martin's No. 6 car since 2001 and has been a sponsor of major league baseball for the past two years.
Viagra was shown to potentiate the hypotensive effects of nitrates, and its administration to patients who are using organic nitrates is contraindicated.
Before treating ED, physicians should consider the impact of resuming sexual activity and the mild and transient vasodilatory effects of Viagra on blood pressure. Physicians should carefully consider whether patients with underlying cardiovascular disease or other more unusual conditions could be adversely affected by vasodilatory effects, especially in combination with sexual activity.
The most common side effects of Viagra are headaches, flushing and dyspepsia. Adverse events, including visual effects, were generally transient and mild to moderate.
Discovered and developed by Pfizer, Viagra is a breakthrough oral treatment for erectile dysfunction that has been found to be effective and well tolerated in over 130 completed and ongoing clinical studies. Viagra has been approved by regulatory authorities in over 120 countries around the world and is among the most widely prescribed medications, with over 130 million prescriptions written for more than 23 million men worldwide.
Martin ready for speed in Atlanta
By Kevin Woods, Roush Racing
Wednesday, October 22, 2003CONCORD, N.C. -- A lot has changed since Mark Martin made his first start in the fall race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 17, 1982. What has not changed is Martin's tenacity and desire to be the best. The same drive that would lead Martin to 33 Winston Cup victories and four runner-up finishes over the proceeding 20 years, helped Martin to a top-10 finish in only his second start at the 1.54-mile track. The following spring Martin returned to the track and posted a seventh-place finish.
This weekend Martin will make his 36th Winston Cup start at Atlanta. Along the way he has compiled two wins (both in the November race), nine top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, as well as a special affection for the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
"It's one of my favorite tracks," said Martin. "I've always enjoyed racing there. It's really fast and you can race there. It's probably the fastest track that we go to that's not a restrictor plate race and that makes it really fun and exciting. We've had some really good runs there in the past and I always look forward to going back there."
Last season, Martin managed a pair of eighth-place finishes in Atlanta's two races. He had a fast car there earlier this season, but fell victim to mechanical problems that ended the No. 6 team's run early. This weekend the team will look to get back on track at a track where Martin has traditionally posted strong runs.
One of Martin's strong points at Atlanta has been his qualifying effort. Despite having won only one pole at AMS (3/92), Martin has started inside the field's top five in 16 of 35 races and inside the top 10 on an impressive 22 occasions (62 percent). In fact, Martin has started on the front row on six separate occasions in Atlanta, the last coming in the fall race in 2001.
This year qualifying will have a new wrinkle, as it will be on Friday night instead of the traditional Friday afternoon. Martin said that could serve to make the track even faster.
"The cooler weather should make for better grip and even more speed," said Martin. "Hopefully that will allow us to get a good starting spot for Sunday's race and get our weekend off to a good start."
As Martin knows, anything can happen in Atlanta. In his last four starts, Martin has posted two finishes inside the top 10 and two finishes outside the top 40. The No. 6 Viagra (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team would like nothing better than to get off to a good start, while ending the weekend with a strong run on Sunday.
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards. Sponsorship inquiries should contact John Miller, Roush Racing,(704) 370-1010.
Roush Racing quote of the week: October 23, 2003
By Jeffrey Cheatham, Roush Racing
Wednesday, October 22, 2003TOPIC
Since qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway has been moved to Friday night, Roush Racing drivers were asked to comment on whether or not it will change their approach to the session:
Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra Ford:
"I think that qualifying at night will be okay, becaue the cooler weather should make for better grip and even more speed. Hopefully that will allow us to get a good starting position for Sunday's race."
Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 Grainger Ford:
"It won't really change our approach that much. The track will probably be faster because the temperatures will be cool. It's pretty fast already and I can't imagine getting around there any quicker than we already do. I wouldn't be surprised if someone sets a new track record on Friday night."
Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 DEWALT Ford:
"It should make it more interesting for the fans. I don't know that we plan to do anything different with it at all. We'll just go out there and cut a decent lap no matter what time of day it is."
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 97 Rubbermaid Ford:
"Atlanta is the fastest track we race on, and with the temperature being cooler at night I think we'll see some significant increases in the speeds."
Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 99 CITGO Ford:
"The No. 99 CITGO team will do the same thing we do every week. We'll do everything we can to qualify the best we can and put us in position to win the race. It doesn't matter if it's during the day or at night."
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Michigan, based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards.
2003 Mark Martin Atlanta Track Notes for October 26, 2003
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500/Atlanta Motor Speedway
Roush Racing & Compiled Information
October 21, 2003DRIVER: Mark Martin
CAR OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Ben Leslie
2002 EVENT WINNER: KURT BUSCH
Kurt Busch captured the rain-shortened 2002 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, defeating Joe Nemechek as a consistent rain caused the race to be stopped for a second and final time after 248 of the scheduled 325-lap event. Pole sitter Tony Stewart finished fourth. Busch reclaimed the lead on lap 206 and led the rest of the way, as Ford won this race for the first time since 1994 when Mark Martin captured the checkered flag. Bobby Labonte is a five-time winner at this track with three of them coming in the season-finale (1996-97, 99). The next race in the NASCAR Winston Cup championship season will take place at Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday, November 2nd for the Checker Auto Parts 500.
MARK MARTIN - 2002 EVENT
RACE #33, OCTOBER 27 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
NAPA Auto Parts 500 - Started 3rd, Finished 8thMartin and the team struggled with the car for most of the weekend, but started third -based on the point standings - after qualifying was rained out on Friday evening. The beginning of the race was no different, as Martin found himself back in ninth place by only the fifth lap. After only 17 laps the field was red-flagged for rain, with Martin in 14th place. The race resumed almost two hours later. The car started to come in by lap 109. The team used a quick pit stop to break into the top-10 on lap 144. After 241 laps caution was again called for rain and seven laps later the race was called, with Martin running in eighth place.
MARK MARTIN, VIAGRA® RACING TEAM LOOK FOR SPEED IN ATLANTA
Martin and the Viagra® Racing Team will visit one of the circuit's fastest race tracks this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This will mark Martin's 35th run at Atlanta, dating back to Nov. 7, 1982, when he finished 10th.
THE CAR
The Viagra® Racing Team will take RRC-15 to Atlanta this weekend. RRC-15 is the same car that Martin ran to an 11th-place finish two weeks ago at Charlotte. The car also finished 22nd at Dover in September.
GETTING STARTED
Martin has started the Atlanta race inside the top five in 16 of 35 races and inside the top 10 22 times. Despite having only one pole ('92) at the superspeedway, Martin has started on the front row on six occasions at the 1.54-mile track.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS - ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Martin posted a pair of eighth-place finishes at Atlanta in 2002, but finished 42nd there in the spring after early mechanical problems.
- Martin has scored 17 top 10 and nine top-five finishes in 35 starts at Atlanta.
- Martin has won twice at Atlanta, with both wins coming in the fall ('91 and '94).
- Martin's lone pole at Atlanta came in 1992, but he has started in the top four in three of the last five races there.
- Martin has started inside the top 10 in Atlanta in 22 of 35 races and inside the top five 16 times.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND BEN LESLIE
Mark Martin on Atlanta:
"Atlanta is the fastest racetrack that we go to, that doesn't require restrictor plates and that makes it a lot of fun. It's really fast and you just about have to hold your breath when you qualify. It's one of my favorites and I've been racing there a long time. If you can get the car set up to go fast in the corners, then you'll be in great shape on the straight-aways and you'll be in for a pretty good day."
Crew Chief Ben Leslie on Atlanta:
"Atlanta is a fast track and it will be our challenge to give Mark a fast enough car to run with the leaders. We had a pretty good car there in the spring, but we had mechanical issues and didn't get to finish the race. Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to go there and build on that for a good finish."
Mark Martin Martinsville Race Recap
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Martinsville Speedway/October 19, 2003
Roush RacingMARTINSVILLE, VA. (Oct. 19, 2003) – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team pitted during several cautions for four tires and fuel, while the majority of the field stayed out. The strategy was for Martin to stay out on a later caution while the leaders would eventually be forced to pit. Several late cautions stifled the team’s strategy, but Martin still managed to move to a 14th-place run in the season’s final short track race of 2003.
“This was an awesome job by the Viagra® Racing Team,” said Martin after the race. “The car was good, it just gave a little at the end and it became too loose. Still, the car was pretty good. It wasn’t the great long-haul car that we needed but it was pretty good. It was just a great job by the team the entire weekend.”
The defining moment of the day came on lap 355 when Martin, about to get passed by the race leader, tangled with the No. 02 car of Hermie Sadler, causing Martin’s No. 6 Viagra Taurus to spin completely around. Ever the consummate veteran, Martin came out of the spin and stood on the gas, just narrowly staying in front of teammate Greg Biffle. The move allowed Martin to stay the first car one lap down and made him the recipient of the ‘lucky dog’ award, thus keeping Martin on the lead lap when the race went green.
Martin started the race 23rd, but broke into the top 20 by lap 50. By lap 70 Martin was running in 15th place and he would run in that area for the majority of the day, as track position would prove to hurt the team’s effort in the end.
Martin had complained of the car getting ‘way too loose’ and was in serious danger of losing a lap to the leader, as he dropped to 22 by lap 355 when the day’s sixth caution was called when he tangled with the No.02. However, Martin was literally able to drive himself out of the dilemma and the team used the caution to come into the pits for track bar and air pressure adjustments to tighten up the car’s handling.
Martin was in 22nd place – the last car on the lead lap – when the race went green on lap 363. Martin used the opportunity to pit for fresh tires and several cautions were called over the next several laps and the leaders stayed out. By lap 440 the strategy had begun to pay off as Martin moved into 14th place. Martin spent the last 60 laps of the race battling for position with the No. 17 car of teammate Matt Kenseth and the No. 21 car of fellow veteran driver Ricky Rudd. Jeff Gordon went on to win the race.
The team returns to action next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway - arguably the circuits fastest race track.
Back to Martinsville for Martin, Viagra® Racing Team
No. 6 Team looks to tackle final short-track of the season
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 17, 2003) – Mark Martin shares part of his last name with ‘Martin’sville Speedway and while the veteran driver has posted two victories and 19 top-10 finishes at the .526-mile track, he readily admits that Martinsville is not exactly his favorite stop on the Winston Cup circuit.
“It’s a very challenging track,” said Martin. “The problem is that it’s just not a big enough track for 43 race cars. I think that we used to race 34 there and it was still to many. With 43 it’s really hard to pass people and there is a lot of traffic. To be honest it makes for a tough day.
“Now the track is historic and it has some enduring points,” added Martin. “But it’s really hard to get around there.”
Martin says that the addition of the “Lucky Dog” rule – the rule that was put in place after racing back to the caution became illegal and allows for one car per caution to be moved back on the lead lap – will make the track even more challenging.
“I’m guessing that at a track like Martinsville we’ll see anywhere from 12 to 16 cautions,” said Martin. “Now that is going to be that many more cars on the lead lap and it could get really crazy at the end with that much traffic racing on the lead lap. I think we are going to see that rule really come into play at the short tracks and we’ll see that for the first time this weekend.
Martin finished 17th at Martinsville in the spring, but posted top 10 finishes in both races there in 2002. In addition, the No. 6 team has finished inside the top 10 in four of the last six at Martinsville, including a victory in spring race of 2000.
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards. Sponsorship inquiries should contact John Miller, Roush Racing,(704) 370-1010.
Just what the doc ordered
By Mike Hembree, Motorsports Writer
GreenvilleOnline.com
October 15, 2003mhembree@greenvillenews.com
Te jokes washed through the Winston Cup garage like an endless wave when the Pfizer pharmaceutical company decided in 2000 to advertise a relatively new drug, Viagra, through sponsor tie-ins with NASCAR.
Most of the comments couldn't be printed in a family newspaper, and Jeff Fuller, then Viagra's driver, wasn't laughing, either. Fuller was ready for everyone who approached his car with a smile and a smirk and a one-liner about Pfizer's little-blue-pill answer to bedroom problems.
This is all about promoting men's health, Fuller said, and refused to be drawn into a Jay Leno-like dialogue about Viagra.
The next season, Pfizer took its NASCAR involvement to an, uh, more potent level by moving its Viagra sponsorship from Fuller and the now-defunct Eel River Racing team to high-profile Roush Racing and driver Mark Martin.
For three seasons, Martin has carried the Viagra colors across America and has done numerous commercials promoting men's health screenings while suggesting that, hey, you might want to ask your doctor if Viagra might be right for you, too.
It has been a pretty slick way to promote a drug available only by prescription, and other companies have noticed. Advair and Prilosec (now available over the counter) also have appeared on the quarter-panels of NASCAR race cars.
Pfizer, now facing competition from Levitra, a drug which promises similar results, has increased its level of awareness with a multilevel offensive in NASCAR. Martin, a workout nut and one of racing's most health-conscious participants, has been at the center of the campaign.
This year, Pfizer added the Viagra Racing Center to its trackside presence. The center offers free health screenings and has advised visiting fans with high blood pressure and other problems to seek appropriate medical attention.
The center also offers information on Martin's racing team. Pfizer officials expect more than 100,000 fans to visit the center at speedway locations this year.
"I'm here because I'm a Mark Martin fan," said William Meekins, a Lowe's Motor Speedway spectator who visited the Viagra center. "It doesn't hurt to get a health screening now and then, too, but I mostly wanted to see what they had on Mark."
Janice Lipsky, Pfizer's Viagra marketing director, said the company's NASCAR tie-ins are working. The only other Viagra sports advertising campaign is with Major League Baseball's Rafael Palmeiro.
"We have data that shows that the Mark Martin commercials are very successful in presenting Viagra in a favorable light," Lipsky said. "He is so highly respected, a top-10 driver and passionate about men's health. It has been good timing for us.
"The (NASCAR) program we have is pretty well designed and is doing its job. It's getting people comfortable with Viagra and getting people more information about health."
Lipsky said Pfizer picked NASCAR as an advertising vehicle because it was looking for a way to reach large numbers of men.
"We know that men don't like to go to the doctor as much as women, so they're undertreated for cardiovascular conditions and also sexual problems," she said. "How can we best reach men in a way where they're receptive? We were thinking about sports and thinking about how men feel comfortable watching sports.
"We looked at different sports, and NASCAR was really attractive. While there are many women spectators, it's predominantly male, and there were opportunities to do screenings trackside. It's the fastest growing sport, so it all came together."
2003 Mark Martin Track Notes For October 19, 2003
Subway 500 / Martinsville Speedway
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Roush Racing, and Compiled Information
October 15, 2003DRIVER: Mark Martin
CAR OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Ben Leslie
2002 WINNER: Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch became the 11th different winner in 11 races at Martinsville by taking the checkered flag at the Old Dominion 500. Busch won from the 36th starting position, the farthest back in the field to win in track history.
MARK MARTIN - 2002 EVENT:
RACE #32, OCTOBER 20 - Martinsville Speedway
Old Dominion 500 - Started 20th, Finished 10thMartin and the team struggled with the car for the first half of the 500-lap race, before settling in for the final 250 laps. Martin didn't break into the top 10 until lap 444, but the veteran hung on the rest of the way, holding off a feverish run by points leader Tony Stewart in the final laps to hold on to 10th place.
MARK MARTIN, VIAGRA® RACING TEAM LOOK TO MARTINSVILLE
Martin and the Viagra® Racing Team return to the action this week at Martinsville for the final short track race of the season.
THE CAR
The Viagra® Racing Team will take RRC-106 to Martinsville this weekend. RRC-106 is a new car that will make its first run at Martinsville.
DID YOU KNOW?
Martin earned his first top-five finish in the 1981 Old Dominion 500 on Sept. 27, 1981.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - MARTINSVILLE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Martin posted three straight poles at Martinsville beginning in the fall of 1990 and sweeping 1991.
- Martin has scored four top-10 finishes, including one victory, in his last seven races at Martinsville.
- Martin's first ever Winston Cup top-five finish came at Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1981 in the Old Dominion 500.
- Martin has won twice at Martinsville, during the spring of 1992 and the spring of 2000.
- Martin has finished in the top-10 in five of the last eight races at Martinsville and seven of the last 12.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND BEN LESLIE
Mark Martin on Martinsville:
"There is a lot of history at Martinsville and it does have some enduring qualities, but to be honest with you it's just not big enough for 43 cars to race. There isn't enough room to pass and it can make for a really tough day. I believe that we used to run only 34 cars there and that was too many. It's probably not my favorite place to race, but it is a challenge each and every time. You need to get off to a good start and qualify well so you can try to start and stay up front.
"If you go there and get a lap down, it can be a long day. With the new 'lucky dog' rule, you are going to see a lot more cars on the lead lap when the race is over, because there could be anywhere from 14 to 18 cautions each time a car will go back to the lead lap. It should make for an interesting race this weekend."
Crew Chief Ben Leslie on Martinsville:
"We are really looking forward to going back to Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend. Night races are always exciting and we always like racing at Charlotte. It's one of Mark's favorite tracks and the team is excited about Saturday night's race. We are taking the same car that we used at Dover a couple of weeks ago, and it was pretty fast there so we just need to work to find the right set up. Hopefully we will and Mark will take care of the rest."
Mark Martin Lowe`s Race Recap
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Lowe's Motor Speedway/October 11, 2003
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 11, 2003) – Solid was the word that Mark Martin used to describe Saturday night’s 11th –place finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team was excellent in the pits, posting several quick stops and the car handled well as Martin moved up the field throughout the course of the race.
“It was a really solid effort,” said Martin. “It was a good run for us. We weren’t even close to the leaders, but it was a good run. We had really solid pit stops by the guys. It was a real solid race for Ben on the pit box and a real solid race for me.”
“The changes we made on the car - the calls he made and the calls I made - we had a successful race tonight, we just have to get faster."
Martin started the race 27th, but was running inside the top 20 by the 35th lap of the race. Martin had worked his way all the way to 13th place when the day’s first caution was issued on lap 86. Martin came into the pits to take on four tires, fuel and make a minor adjustment. A quick stop of 14.30 seconds put Martin in 11th place when the race went green on lap 94.
The car got really tight on the new set of tires and Martin dropped back to 14th place. The team came in on lap 154 for a green-flag stop to make a wedge adjustment in hopes of ‘loosening’ the car’s handling, while taking on four tires and fuel.
By lap 182 Martin was running in 13th place when the car began to ‘push’ in the corners. The team used the night’s fourth caution to pull a spring rubber in hopes of again loosening the car’s handling. The adjustment was not enough and the car was still handling ‘tight’ when caution was called on lap 231 with Martin running in 12th position. The team came in and made another wedge adjustment, taking two rounds of bite out of the car, while taking four tires and fuel.
Martin was running in 11th position when the field went green with just under 100 laps remaining. Martin broke into the top 10 on lap 268, but again the car’s handling became tight. The team came into the pits on lap 296 and took two more rounds of bite out of the left rear. Martin returned the field in 12th place when all the green-flag stops had cycled through.
The car’s handling became neutral and Martin was able to move into 11th place on lap 300. The veteran driver was able to maintain position and move on to the 11th place finish.
“The car was perfect it just wouldn't run as fast as those guys so we've got to work on that,” added Martin. “At least we ran a lot better than we have been. We were real solid in every way and if we can start doing that more often, then we'll be getting on the right track."
Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Team return to action next week at Martinsville.
Martin, Viagra Racing Team look to Charlotte
By Kevin Woods, Roush Racing
WhoWon.com
October 9, 2003CONCORD, N.C. -- Mark Martin will not admit that he even has a favorite track, but he will hint - with a slight smile - that if he did it would probably be Lowe's Motor Speedway. And why not, Martin has 13 top 10 runs - including 11 top fives and three wins - in his last 17 races there. All in all, Martin has won four times at Lowe's, including three times in the fall race. His other win there came in the 2002 Coca-Cola 600 and was admittedly one of the biggest of Martin's 33 Winston Cup victories.
The win not only helped spring board Martin back into the forefront of NASCAR, propelling the veteran driver to a run at the 2002 Winston Cup Championship, but it landed Martin and a fan an additional million dollars via its status as a NO BULL 5 event.
“I do like racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway," said Martin. "And it is clearly one of my favorites on the circuit, if not my favorite. A lot of the other tracks have tried to duplicate it, but no other track is like racing at Charlotte.
"We've had some good runs there over the years," added Martin. "And everyone knows that the win last year in the Coca-Cola 600 was special to me. It was the first win, or Winston Cup win, for a lot of guys on the team and my family was there to celebrate it with me.
"That was a strange deal, because the guys on the team just kind of circled the date on the calendar and said we are going after this one. Normally you don't pick a race that you are going to win, it kind of picks you, but this time they pretty much went after it and earned it."
In a year of which if it not for bad luck, the No. 6 team would have no luck at all, a victory this weekend would also mean a lot for Martin and the Viagra Team, who have been riddled with every type of problem imaginable on a race track.
"The worst part about it is that the guys have worked so hard," said Martin. "This is virtually the same group of guys that we ran second with last season, but last season we had a lot better luck. I can't even remember how many times this year we have gotten caught up in other people's accidents or had some type of problem.
"We've had some really fast cars this year, maybe not as many as you need, but we've been pretty good at times," added Martin. "I just wish that something good would happen to this race team, because the guys on this team who have worked so hard really deserve that. Hopefully it might happen this weekend at Lowe's where we won last year."
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards. Sponsorship inquiries should contact John Miller, Roush Racing,(704) 370-1010.
2003 Mark Martin Track Notes For October 11, 2003
UAW-GM Quality 500 / Lowe's Motor Speedway
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Roush Racing, WhoWon.com and Compiled Information
October 8, 2003DRIVER: Mark Martin
CAR OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Ben Leslie
2002 WINNER: Jamie McMurray
MARK MARTIN - 2002 EVENT
RACE #31, OCTOBER 13 - Lowe's Motor Speedway
UAW-GM Quality 500 - Started 2nd, Finished 16thRain forced the postponement and eventual cancellation of Thursday night's qualifying efforts and Martin started second based on points. The Viagra® Ford Taurus looked poised for another strong run at Charlotte before experiencing mechanical problems on lap 274. Still, Martin was able to lead three laps late in the race and earn five bonus points in the championship race. Martin ran the majority of the race inside the top-10 before losing a cylinder on lap 274. He still went on to fight for the 16th-place finish.
MARTIN, VIAGRA TEAM READY FOR FINAL NIGHT RACE OF SEASON
Martin and the Viagra Racing Team return to the scene of their 2002 Coca-Cola 600 victory this weekend for the UAW-GM Quality 500. The race will have more of a 600 flavor this year, as it will be run on Saturday night, rather than Sunday afternoon.
THE CAR
The Viagra Racing Team will take RRC-15 to Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend. RRC-15 is the car that Martin ran at Dover a few weeks ago. A cut tire forced the team to lose two laps early, but it was one of the fastest cars on the track, despite finishing 22nd.
DID YOU KNOW?
Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 12 of the last 15 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including his 2002 win at the Coca-Cola 600.
FAST FACTS
- Martin has won four times at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including three wins in the fall race.
- Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 12 of the 15 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including 11 top-fives in the last 16 races.
- Martin has 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 36 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
- Martin has finished inside the top five in nine of 17 fall races at Lowe's and inside the top 10 in 11 of 17 races.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND BEN LESLIE
Mark Martin On Charlotte:
"Charlotte is one of my favorite tracks and I always look forward to going there. We are in need of a good run and I can't think of a better place to have it than Charlotte. It will be a little different this year, because they are running the race at night. So it should be an exciting race and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do. The track is a driver's kind of track. Handling is key and that really suits the way I drive."
Crew Chief Ben Leslie On Charlotte:
"We are really looking forward to going back to Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend. Night races are always exciting and we always like racing at Charlotte. It's one of Mark's favorite tracks and the team is excited about Saturday night's race. We are taking the same car that we used at Dover a couple of weeks ago, and it was pretty fast there so we just need to work to find the right set up. Hopefully we will and Mark will take care of the rest."
AUTO RACING: TV special re-enacts Roush's crash
His ordeal, rescue inspire producer to tell the story
By Mike Brudenell
Detroit Free Press Columnist
October 7, 2003Jack Roush's brush with death in a light-plane crash last year will be the subject of a Discovery Channel series premiering Friday night.
The hour-long show, "Vital Scan," uses professional actors to re-create scenes and events in which it explores remarkable stories of traumatic injury and miraculous recovery.
Roush, a NASCAR Winston Cup team owner from Northville, was critically injured when his twin-engine Air Cam photo plane clipped some power lines and crashed into a pond in Troy, Ala., about 50 miles from Montgomery, on April 19, 2002. Roush, the sole occupant, was rescued from certain drowning by Larry Hicks, a retired Marine sergeant major, who witnessed the accident with his wife, Donna, from their home.
Hicks pulled Roush from the wreckage unconscious and resuscitated him as he clung to the plane with one arm in deep murky water. Roush, whose 60th birthday was that day, was transported to the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham suffering from a closed head injury, collapsed lung and fractures to both legs.
Roush not only survived the ordeal, he returned to his team six weeks later for a race at Dover, Del., where he met BrainBox Productions' Travis Gray, a senior producer of "Vital Scan."
Gray vividly remembers the meeting Roush, who was walking around the pits with the aid of a cane.
"He was amazingly positive and tough," Gray said. "This is a man who should have been dead. Instead, he was talking to drivers, crews and fans."
Gray immediately knew he wanted to produce a piece on Roush. At the same time, he understood Roush needed to concentrate on business.
"I think he wanted to move on," Gray said. "But he thought he owed it to Hicks to get involved in such a cool story."
Gray used a pond on his parents' farm in Maryland to re-create the crash site. Before filming started, he went flying with Roush in a P-51 fighter plane. The pair took off from the Roush Racing shop at Concord Regional Airport in North Carolina.
"It was unbelievable," said Gray, who had flown in an Air Cam plane as part of his job. "We did some barrel rolls before Jack banked it to the right over the control tower. I loved it."
Later in the day, Gray and Roush went to lunch.
"He took us to his favorite spot -- a small cafeteria, where we ordered some food to go," Gray recalled. "I had expected him to have a celebrity attitude, but he was just the opposite. He came across as just an average guy. He was very down-to-earth."
During Friday's episode, Roush driver Mark Martin, along with Larry and Donna Hicks, will provide commentary on the crash and the events that followed.
Mark Martin Kansas Race Recap
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Kansas Speedway/October 5, 2003
Roush RacingKANSAS CITY, KAN. (Oct. 5, 2003) – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) team ran to a 20th-place finish in Sunday’s Banquet 400 at the Kansas Speedway. Martin battled for most of the weekend, searching for the correct blend of handling and speed. In the end, Martin’s main obstacles ended up being lapped traffic and track position, as the No. 6 team would be forced to fight for position throughout the race.
Martin started the race 38th after taking a provisional after Friday’s qualifying session. With the car handling “loose in” the corners, Martin struggled from the start of the race and fell a lap down to the leader on lap 46. Martin came into the pits for a green-flag stop on lap 59 to take on four tires, fuel and make a wedge adjustment. After a 14.71-second stop, Martin returned to the field in 29th place, still a lap down.
Martin had moved up to 26th on lap 68 when the day’s first caution was issued. The No. 6 team stayed out, while the leaders pitted, returning Martin to the tail end of the lead lap when the race went green on lap 76. After a quick start, he was able to put some distance between himself and the leader, and when caution was again issued on lap 81, Martin was back on the front end of the lead lap. After a 14.50 second stop to take on tires and fuel, Martin was in 22nd place. The veteran driver had fought his way back onto the lead lap.
Martin continued to battle for position, and was running in 25th place on lap 105 when the day’s third caution was issued. The team opted for two tires and fuel and Martin moved up to 13th position when the race went green on lap 109. The move gained Martin track position, but the two tires ultimately made the car tight and Martin dropped to 20th by lap 114. By lap 158, Martin had moved back to 16th position and was running times as fast as the leaders when the day’s fourth caution was issued. The No. 6 Ford Taurus came into the pits for four tires and fuel and after a quick stop of 14.5 seconds, Martin moved up two positions to 14th when the race went green on lap 165.
The Viagra® Taurus was running in 18th place on lap 181 when caution number six was issued. The No. 6 team opted not to pit and Martin restarted the race in 12th place when the race went green on lap 189. Two laps later, he moved into 12th position where he was running on lap 200 when caution number seven was called. The team came in for four tires and fuel and Martin restarted the race in 19th place, as several cars stayed out or took only two tires.
Despite having to battle lapped traffic, Martin moved back up the field and was running in 13th place by lap 219. Martin spun out trying to get around the lapped No. 01 car, causing the day’s eighth caution. Fortunately, he was able to save the car, and after coming into the pits for four tires and fuel, Martin returned to the race in 23rd position with 28 laps to go. He would go on to gain three more positions before the checkered flag.
The guys did a great job with the car.,” said Martin. “We were a 35th-place car here all weekend and we raced about 15th, so I'm sorry we finished about 20th."
"I just spun it out running 14th and finished 20th,” added Martin. “We ran better than I thought we were going to, but that was about all we were going do. I wish we would have run 14th instead of 20th, but we just had a tangle."
The team returns to action next Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for the season’s final night race of 2003.
Leslie Looking Forward to ‘Homecoming’, Third Race at Kansas
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 2, 2003) – No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team crew chief Ben Leslie is looking forward to this week’s race at Kansas Speedway. Leslie knows the 1.5 mile-track caters to his driver’s (Mark Martin) racing style and talent. Leslie also knows that the track will only get better with each passing year. In his first year as a Winston Cup chief Leslie led Kurt Busch to a top-five finish at Kansas and Martin was running inside the top 10 a year ago when mechanical problems ended the team’s chances of a strong run.
However, Leslie looks forward to Kansas for other reasons as well. It’s kind of a homecoming for Leslie, who hails from Purdin, Missouri, which is located just over 120 miles from the track.
“It’s about a two-hour drive,” said Leslie. “But that’s pretty close when you are talking about an area made up predominately of farm land.”
While Leslie did not cut his teeth in racing in the area, he still has a lot of friends and family in the area. And while there is not a lot of spare time for a crew chief during the weekend of a Winston Cup event, Leslie will try and make time to visit with a few old friends and some family.
“One of my best friends from high school and his wife will be there,” said Leslie. “And my sister and her husband are coming as well, so it will be good to get to see them. We don’t have a lot of time with our schedule, so it’s always good to be able to catch up with family and friends. There won’t be a lot of time, but looking forward to seeing those guys.”
Leslie also likes what Kansas brings to the schedule.
“We haven’t been going there long, but the fan base is really great in that area,” said Leslie. “It’s really been a good addition to the schedule. The people are great and the track gets better every year. I think that we’ll see a really exciting race there this weekend.”
Leslie and the team are hoping for a strong run this weekend and hopefully better luck. The team has had strong cars in both of the last two races at Dover and Talladega. A cut tire early at Dover and a last lap shuffle at Talladega, stripped the team of finishes that would have been reflective of the effort. Hopefully this weekend, things will shift in the No. 6 team’s favor.
“It’s tough sometimes, but those are the things that you just have to fight through,” said Leslie. “We can’t worry about some of that stuff, because we can’t control it as a team. What we can do is keep working as hard as we can to keep bringing fast cars to the track. If we keep doing that, we’ll see the results.”
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates eight motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Winston Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle; and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards. Sponsorship inquiries should contact John Miller, Roush Racing,(704) 720-4600.
Seasoned Veteran Martin Seeks Sweetness
fordracing.com
October 3, 2003BY TEAM FORD RACING CORRESPONDENT
Kansas City, Kan. — Following last week’s Talladega Superspeedway event Mark Martin didn’t have a lot to say. It was understandable, however, as the seasoned veteran took the white flag in the fifth position and ended the race 23rd. Then, if that wasn’t enough, someone plowed into his car door after taking the checkers, wrecking his race car.
Here it is five days later and Martin’s mood hasn’t improved much, anyway. Martin’s feeling the funk that a season’s worth of bad luck brings. And while Martin’s never been the poster child for good luck, 2003 has treated him particularly brutally.
“You know I’ve had a bad run of luck before, but I’ve never had one last this long,” Martin said here at Kansas City, as he shook his head. “Every single problem I’ve had this year can’t be attributed to bad luck, but way more than average can be. It’s ridiculous, just ridiculous.”
Bring up last week’s Talladega event and Martin takes on a decidedly disgusted edge. “That wasn’t bad luck that I went from fifth to 23rd in the last lap and a half,” barked Martin. “That wasn’t bad luck.” Indeed it wasn’t bad luck. Martin, sandwiched between the No.s 12 and 2 cars, had made a pact with the two drivers that had the troi staying together to the end — no matter what.
That plan seemed to be working well for all three drivers until Rusty Wallace dove under Martin at the exit of Turn 2, leaving him stuck in the middle lane. With no drafting help Martin was done, and he floated back to the end of the pack for the checkers.
Martin, shaking his head, added, “But the wreck after the race was over was certainly the icing on the cake.”
Describing the incident Martin said, “I was slowed down to about 90 mph. All I was doing was driving back around, then all of a sudden here comes somebody, off the wall, and drilled me in the side.
“I was totally slowed down, completely in a position to avoid anything that might happen. Then all of a sudden, I was on the bottom of the race track, then somebody comes flying down the race track into the side of me.
“I don’t know. What am I gonna say?” Martin continued “Let’s hurry up and get the next one behind us so maybe I can forget about Talladega.”
TFR asked Martin if things had gotten to the point where he’d looked skyward asking the question ‘Why me’. Martin answered: “A little bit, but not initially. But after so long, you know, it’s frustrating.
“I’m numb, it’s like I’ve had a shot of Novocain or something,” Martin says of the horrible ‘03 season he’s been experiencing. “I’m totally numb. I have been beat into total submission on this thing. Nothing can surprise me right now. Not at this point.”
Then, as a prizefighter might, Martin got a second wind and continued. “I’ve got a good car for this weekend and believe it or not even if we don’t run good I think there is a chance that we will win because it was so bad last weekend.
“Sometime in a lot of situations you have to hit rock bottom before it gets better,” Martin rationalized. “I would have to think, hopefully, that Talladega was rock bottom and rather than a gradual recovery we’d have an instantaneous flip of the coin and say that something absolutely phenomenal could happen for us this weekend.”
LOOSER KEEPERS?
According to Roush engine men the problem that struck three of the six Roush-powered cars at Talladega was defective valve keepers. The keepers, or retainers, hold the valves within the spring.
The titanium parts wore prematurely in three of the motors and the cars failed when the valve dropped in the cylinder area. This is the problem that took the No.s 21, 99 and championship contending 17 cars out of the race early.
And, again according to Roush engine men, the motors in the remaining cars – Martin’s, Kurt Busch’s and Greg Biffle’s were right on the verge of failing after the keepers in their cars were worn dangerously close to the point of failing.
WHAM!
Matt Kenseth’s weekend started with a bang when his car slammed the outside Turn 2 wall here at Kansas Speedway. The incident, which happened right at the start of practice, wiped-out Kenseth’s primary DeWalt Ford. Kenseth reported that the car was loose.
Kenseth’s team worked hard to move many of the parts from the primary car to the backup car. The move resulted in Kenseth taking a total of two laps in the only practice session prior to qualifying.
The lack of practice resulted in a poor qualifying effort as the team continued to fight the loose condition on the new backup car.
Kenseth will start 37th in Sunday’s race.
Martin eyes one title he never expected
By Rupen Fofaria
Special to ESPN.com
October 2, 2003“ He was the one who wanted Matt (Kenseth). He had a feeling and, well, look at him -- he was right. ” - Jack Roush on Mark Martin tabbing Matt Kenseth
In 1990, Mark Martin had 16 top-five finishes and two victories to finish second in the Winston Cup championship race. In 2002, Martin had 12 top-five finishes and one victory and again finished second in the points.
This year, Martin has five top-five finishes and no victories. And yet he's on the verge of winning his first title.
How's that?
Martin is the official owner of teammate Matt Kenseth's No. 17 Ford. Though it will be little consolation for Martin to replace two narrow runner-up finishes in the driver's championship for one owner's championship, it is only fitting that Martin be welcome -- as winning team owner -- at the head table in New York this December when Roush Racing receives its first Winston Cup title.
Martin is the reason Jack Roush has been able to expand to his current five-car stable; and Martin is the reason Kenseth is a part of the Roush empire.
"He was the one who wanted Matt," Roush said. "He had a feeling and, well, look at him -- he was right."
With the cast that Roush has put around Martin, it's surprising that one of these drivers hasn't brought a Cup home already. Jeff Burton spent three years banging at the door. Kurt Busch has been torrid after getting his feet wet his rookie season. Kenseth showed his potential last season in winning a series-high five races.
But all along, among Roush fans, Martin was the favorite. He's the one, everyone thought, that should win the first title. He was patient through the tough times. He helped Roush take advantage of the prosperous ones. Since 1988, Martin has been the workhorse of the Roush stable. In his 14 seasons with Roush, he has finished among the top 10 a remarkable 12 times.
Roush, himself, finds words escape him when contemplating what Mark Martin means to his team.
"Without Mark Martin, Roush Racing would not be where it is today," Roush said. "There's just no way. He was there from the beginning and he helped me build all of this.
"And I tell (the other drivers) that all the time. I tell them never to forget that."
That's what made last year's 38-point loss to Tony Stewart a crushing one for Roush. Thirty-eight points is a lot in basketball. It's a lot in football. But when drivers are working with a possible 185 points for each of 36 races a year, 38 points is a dent in the hood at Talladega.
And as it wasn't the first time Martin had lost by the dent of a hood, Roush was hurting for his driver. Meanwhile, his driver was stoic.
"I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me," he said. "I don't feel sorry for myself. I want to win a championship. But I'm proud of what I've accomplished in this sport. I'm lucky for what I've been able to do. I have nothing to be ashamed of."
There's no doubt that Martin would love to add "Winston Cup champion" to his driving resume; but you can bet, nonetheless, that his career will be all the sweeter in retrospect for his having won an owner's championship.
Martin and Kenseth raced each other once back in Kenseth's home state of Wisconsin. When Martin saw Kenseth again during each driver's limited races in the Busch Series -- Martin moonlighting from Winston Cup and Kenseth trying to break into NASCAR -- he continued to become impressed with the young talent.
"It's funny because I was an Earnhardt fan and my dad was the Mark Martin fan," Kenseth said, "but (Martin) really did a lot for me. And he still does. He's such a big part of everything at Roush."
Upon Martin's recommendation, Roush decided Kenseth would be a fine addition to the Roush stable. And though he failed to win a Busch title -- losing to friend and rival Dale Earnhardt Jr. twice -- Kenseth has been a success in NASCAR's elite division. This year, he has a 354-point lead with seven races to go.
So what was it that Martin saw that made him tab Kenseth for the No. 17 car?
"I think Matt's showing everybody that," Martin said. "He has tremendous talent and really uses his head. He's very smart and understands his car. That's something you don't find a lot in some of the younger drivers."
Roush found it in Kenseth, courtesy of Martin. And come December, Roush should be seated at the head table with Kenseth, his champion driver, and Martin, his champion, period.
Rupen Fofaria is a freelance writer living in Chicago and a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at rfofaria@espnspecial.edu.
2003 Mark Martin Kansas Track Notes for October 5, 2003
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Banquet 400/Kansas Speedway
Roush Racing & Compiled InformationAfter a strong run, but tough finish at Talladega, Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team return to Kansas for the third Winston Cup race in the track's history. Martin finished sixth two years ago at the inaugural cup race at Kansas and 25th last season after suffering mechanical problems late in the race. The team will be looking to break a string of tough finishes, with a strong run this weekend.
DRIVER: Mark Martin
CAR OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Ben Leslie
2002 WINNER: Jeff Gordon
MARK MARTIN - 2002 EVENT
RACE #29, SEPTEMBER 29 - Kansas Speedway
Protection One 400 - Started 9th, Finished 25thMark Martin and the Viagra® Racing Team battled all weekend and for the first 157 laps of the Protection One 400, before finding the right mix for speed. After struggling in practice and for much of the race, Martin had moved up to ninth place with only 31 laps remaining. The veteran was poised to keep his points lead in tact, when the car began experiencing mechanical problems just a few moments later.
THE CAR
The Viagra® Racing Team will take RRC-26 to Kansas. RRC-26 is a car that the team acquired from the No. 17 team. This is the first time that Martin has used the car.
AT KANSAS p> Martin has posted finishes of sixth and 25th in two races at Kansas. Martin posted a strong run last season and was running inside the top-10 when mechanical problems relegated him to a 25th place finish.
DID YOU KNOW?
Crew chief Ben Leslie is from Purdin, Missouri, which is located just over 124 miles from Kansas City.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - KANSAS SPEEDWAY
- Martin qualified ninth for last year's race at Kansas.
- Martin finished sixth in the inaugural Winston Cup race in Kansas.
- Martin's average finish at Kansas is 15.5. His average start is 16.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND BEN LESLIE
Mark Martin on Kansas:
"I like racing at Kansas. We've run pretty well there in both of the races that we've had out there and I'm hoping for another strong run this weekend. I've been racing in that area for years and for a lot longer than NASCAR's been going there. My racing goes way back in the Kansas area and they have a great fan base and I think it's a great addition to our schedule."
Crew Chief Ben Leslie on Kansas:
"I'm looking forward to going to Kansas this weekend. We've had some pretty fast cars lately despite the fact that we've had some tough breaks. I'm from that area and I love for us to have a breakout race there this weekend. We have a team that is dedicated to getting this thing back on track and a group of guys and a driver who are the best and won't rest until the job is done. Everyone on this team is giving 100 percent and hopefully that will show this weekend at Kansas."
2003 Mark Martin Articles - January
2003 Mark Martin Articles - February
2003 Mark Martin Articles - March
2003 Mark Martin Articles - April
2003 Mark Martin Articles - May
2003 Mark Martin Articles - June & July
2003 Mark Martin Articles - August
2003 Mark Martin Articles - September
2003 Mark Martin Articles - November
Mark Martin 2002 Season Articles - Page 3.
