Martin Runs to Sixth-Place Finish at Talladega
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Talladega SuperSpeedway/April 25, 2004
Roush Racing
April 26, 2004TALLADEGA, ALA. – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team were exactly where they wanted to be as the final laps of the EA Sports 500 rolled around, right in the middle of things. In one of the wildest restrictor-plate races ever, Martin maneuvered his way in and out of the draft for much of Sunday’s race, and the veteran - making his 575th Cup start - found himself right in the thick of things, with the Viagra® Ford Taurus strongly in the hunt for the victory late in the race.
“We were there,” said Martin. “We did everything that we needed to do, we just didn’t have quite enough in the end. We put ourselves in the right position, but we also didn’t seem to have a lot of friends. The last couple of cautions really didn’t help us either, but we still had a great run today.
“I tell you what, I'm proud of my Viagra® team,” added Martin. “We put ourselves in position up in second place right at the end and we did everything we could, but we were just too slow to take on all five of those guys. There wasn't anywhere I could put it and not get swallowed up. That's all the effort we had.
“Still, I just want to thank Pat Tryson and my entire Viagra® team. We had awesome Ford power and a great car here with the Taurus."
Martin masterfully worked his way through the draft, moving into second place on lap 165 behind the lead car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. After the day’s eighth caution on lap 166, Martin became part of a four-car pack that started to pull away from the rest of the field. With only 11 laps to go it looked like Martin and the other three cars would race for the victory, but the ninth caution of the day was called on lap 177.
The race went green on lap 280 with only eight laps remaining and Martin was forced to battle a ‘train’ of drafting cars high. Martin was soon shuffled back to sixth, but had worked his way back into fifth, when the No. 25 car of Brian Vickers spun out behind him with only four laps to go. The race would never go green again. NASCAR determined that the No. 31 car just narrowly passed Martin before the yellow flag was waved, giving Martin a sixth-place finish.
“It was fantastic to be in that position at the end of the race,” said Martin. “But the bottom line is there were five Chevrolets there and they didn't even mess with us. They didn't even get in there and say, 'Oh, he's up there, I'll push him.' They just found another place and boogied on."
Martin posted the sixth quickest lap in Friday’s qualifying session, after struggling during the first practice session. The team backed up the qualifying effort on Saturday, posting the fastest practice session in happy hour.
Martin had moved up to second place by lap three when the day’s first caution was called. The team opted to stay out and not pit and Martin became the race leader, leading his first
Martin would spend the remainder of the race shuffling in and out of the draft, running as high as third and as low as 25th. With around 40 laps to go the veteran began to make his move. By lap 143 he had broken back inside the top 10, where he would run for the remainder of the race. Twelve laps later he broke into the top five, before working his way into second place on lap 165.
The race saw a great deal of very aggressive driving that helped lead to 10 cautions and several cars sustaining severe damage. Martin was able to narrowly avoid all of the day’s accidents, including a close call with the ‘big one’ on lap 83 that claimed 11 cars in its carnage. Jeff Gordon managed to squeak out the victory, as the race was finished under caution. Martin teammate Jeff Burton finished just behind Martin in seventh place.
"I'm glad I didn't wreck today,” said Martin, who had been caught up in accidents in three of the last four races at Talladega. “ I'm glad nobody got hurt today. To tell the truth, that wasn't much of a race to me. It’s crazy out there and I’m just not a big fan of restrictor plate racing where we ride around all day bunched up waiting for someone to make a mistake and hoping that we can avoid it.”
Martin and his team were delighted to leave Talladega with a solid finish and they both realize that the next few races all take part at race tracks that suit Martin’s style of driving and where he has experienced a great deal of success. That continued success is pivotal in the team’s fight to get back in the Nextel Cup top 10, but Martin said they are ready for the challenge.
“I’m really proud of my team,” Martin added. “I have an awesome team and I believe if we can get on a roll this summer, we'll get back in the top 10 and we’ll make a run for this thing.” The strong finish moved Martin up three places in the Nextel Cup point standings to 15th, 105 points outside of 10th place.
The team returns to action next week at California Speedway in Fontana.
Mark Martin Revs Up Batesville With New Dealership
KAIT - Jonesboro, AR
April 24, 2004BATESVILLE -- One of NASCAR's superstars pulls over for a pit stop in his home town of Batesville. Mark Martin; he's a big name in NASCAR...and about the biggest to ever come out of Batesville. Saturday, he came home to open up a new car dealership that bears his name ... and he brought some friends.
"This is my hometown, this is where I'm from, and I've got some really long range goals here that I want to do. I want to bring some excitement to Arkansas," said Martin as he signed autographs at his new Ford-Mercury Dealership.
Fans were lined up ignoring cloudy skies threatening rain. Martin met, signed autographs and posed for pictures.
"This is where I got started. There are a lot of people here that were behind me that I haven't had a chance to see in a long time. This is just the first step in getting back and being part of the community and giving back to the people who supported me through the years," said Martin.
And there was plenty of support...defending cup champion Matt Kenseth and team owner Jack Roush were also on hand for the grand opening.
"When this dealership came available Mark wanted to be involved and said, hey bring some cars and you guys come up and sign some autographs and we'll get this thing going," said Roush as he signed a little girl's tee-shirt.
Things were defiantly going Saturday afternoon. More than a thousand fans lined up to pose for pictures and get autographs. But for those who missed it, the dealership plans to pay tribute to the Number 6 driver.
"It's long range, but it's going to take three years to get them here. I have a lot of old race cars, like the car I won the million dollars with in Charlotte, my first NASCAR win, Iroc championship car and many others, along with all the trophies and the memorabilia. Some day the dealership will incorporate all that stuff," said Martin.
But he's not just lending his name...Mark Martin plans to be, where else, but the driver's seat with his new dealership.
"I'm obviously busy, but I am planning on being here a lot," laughed Martin.
It was easy to see the support for Mark Martin, Jack Roush and Matt Kenseth. Many folks had been waiting in line for the trio since early Saturday morning.
"I've been here since about 6:15. That's pretty early!" Calvin Meek, who was first in line with his children.
Donald Gray had been waiting since 7:30. He said being a fan has it's advantages.
"I've been a race fan since the early 90's. We've just followed Mark through all his career," said Gray.
"Being from the Batesville area, I've always been behind him. It's nice to see a local boy succeed," said Dean Hastings.
"His original start in NASCAR was in 1981 and then got a second chance in 1988, and we've been with him ever since," said Ashley Brown.
But it was youngster Colby Carter who summed up Mark Martin and his career the best.
"He's a nice guy and he never takes credit for all the stuff. He always gives it to his team," said Carter.
And being a team player is what makes him a hero to his fans.
Martin to Start 575 NEXTEL Cup Race on Sunday
NASCAR veteran set to make 600th career Cup start later this year in Phoenix
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (April 23, 2004) – Roush Racing’s Mark Martin will make his 575th career Nextel Cup start this Sunday when the green flag drops at Talladega Superspeedway. Martin, who started his first Cup race on April 5, 1981, has currently started 517 consecutive Nextel Cup races. Along the way Martin has earned 33 victories, 206 top five and 327 top-10 finishes.
Martin’s 574 starts are the eighth most among active full-time drivers. His current streak is the third longest in the garage. Martin has currently run 167,317 laps in cup races. Of those he has led 10,288, the third most of any active full-time driver.
Martin’s 33 wins also rank in the top-three of any active full-time driver. Martin’s 206 top-fives are the most of any active driver, despite the fact he has started 68 less races than second place Rusty Wallace. In addition, Martin’ 41 poles are the second most of any current full-time driver. Over the years the veteran has accumulated over 207,000 miles in the Nextel Cup car.
Martin will start his 600th career Cup race later this year in Phoenix, making him one of only 17 people to achieve that milestone.
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, two in the Busch Series with Martin, Burton, Kenseth and Biffle and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards.
2004 Mark Martin Talladega Track Notes - April 25, 2004
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Aaron's 499/Talladega SuperSpeedway
Roush Racing
April 20, 2004DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson2003 WINNER: Michael Waltrip
MARK MARTIN 2003 EVENT: Started: 9th Finished: 26th:
The Viagra® Racing Team was dealt another dose of bad luck during the Aaron's 499 at Talladega, but the team was able to battle back from the adversity to post a 26th-place finish in the race. Martin, who started 10th, was running in ninth place when Ryan Newman cut a tire on lap three. Newman forced Martin into the wall and the incident started a multi-car pile-up that would see a total of 27 cars damaged in the wreck. Seventeen cars, including Martin's, were forced to go back to the garage for repairs. The No. 6 Ford sustained severe damage to the right side. The team worked feverishly to repair the damage. With so many other cars behind the wall, returning to the track as soon as possible was critical. Martin returned to the track on lap 37; 34 laps down and in 30th position. Despite the fact that Martin's car had sustained severe damage, he was still able to run times as fast as the leaders for much of the race. Martin would exercise patience and speed to gain four critical positions during the remainder of the race.
ON TO TALLADEGA FOR MARTIN, VIAGRA® RACING TEAM
Last week NASCAR took to the circuit's shortest track. In the ultimate contrast, NASCAR visits the circuit's largest track this week at Talladega. Martin and the Viagra Racing Team suffered a heartbreaking 34th-place finish last week at Martinsville when a faulty-fuel line ended what had been their strongest run of 2004.
RESTRICTOR PLATE RACING
This will be the second of four restrictor-plate races in 2004. Despite not being a fan of restrictor-plate racing, Martin has posted 31 top-10 finishes in races using the restrictor place, the second most ever.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-125) - The team will run RK 125 at Talladega. RK-125 is the same car that Martin ran in the Daytona 500. The car proved to be very quick during speedweeks and finished fourth in the Gatorade 125. RK-235 will serve as the backup. RK-235 is the car Martin ran to a fourth-place finish in the Bud Shootout.
MARK MARTIN AT TALLADEGA
Martin has earned two victories (4/30/95 and 4/10/97) at Talladega, where he has also posted 10 top five and 20 top-10 finishes. In addition Martin has earned two poles at the track, both coming in 1989. in 2002, Martin was inducted into the Talladega Walk of Fame for his on-track accomplishments at the 'worlds fastest superspeedway.'
TOUGH TRACK
Much of the result at Talladega is based on what happens around your car and Martin has fallen victim to bad luck in his last four races there. Martin has not finished inside the top 20 at Talladega since 2001, but not because he didn't have good cars. Martin has been involved in accidents in three of the last four races at Talladega. In the other race he was running fourth with one lap to go, but was hung out to dry in a late deal that dropped him back to 23rd place. Prior to 2002 Martin had finished ninth or better in five straight races at Talladega.
575 AND COUNTING
Martin will start his 575th Cup race this weekend at Talladega. Martin, who started his first Cup race on April 5, 1981, will start his 600th career Cup race later this year at Phoenix.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - TALLADEGA
- Martin will start his 575th career Cup race this weekend at Talladega.
- Martin's pace in the 1997 Winston 500 at Talladega set an all-time NASCAR cup record for the fastest race ever run, as Martin won the caution-free event with an average speed of 188.354 mph. He covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 38 minutes and 18 seconds.
- Martin's two victories at Talladega tie him with several other drivers as the second most by an active driver.
- Despite the recent string of bad luck, Martin has scored top-10 finishes in four of his last eight races at Talladega.
- Martin's 31 top-10 finishes in restrictor-plate races are the second most ever.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN
Mark Martin On Talladega:
"Well I'm not really a huge fan of racing at Talladega since they went to the restrictor plate, because it really takes everything out of the hands of the drivers. It's a lot like driving down the interstate in a pack of cars that are three-wide and 10 deep and everyone has the cruise control set at the same speed. There is concrete barriers on both sides of you and you are just waiting for someone to mess up and you hope you are lucky enough to get by. We've had terrible luck there for the last couple of years and there really isn't much you can do about any of that. Still, we are going to go there and give it a 100-percent effort. We need a good finish and we'll do everything in our power to get it.
“Martinsville was a heartbreaker. We did everything that you need to do to run up front and win a race and then we had a parts failure. We were really disappointed, but that doesn't take anything away from Pat (Tryson) and Wally (Brown) and the guys on the Viagra Team that did such an outstanding job. We'll just have to go out and do it again next time."
Faulty Fuel Line Spoils Day for Martin, Viagra® Racing Team
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Martinsville Speedway/April 18, 2004
Roush Racing
April 19, 2004MARTINSVILLE, VA. – Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts 500 was a tale of different stories for Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team. For the first 380 laps of the race, Martin had one of the cars to beat. After starting 19th, Martin quickly moved his way up the field with one of the race’s fastest cars. By lap 79 the veteran Martin had moved his way inside the field’s top 10, where he would run for the next 300 laps before a failed fuel line would halt the team’s inevitable march to the front.
“This is a tough one,” said Martin after the race. “We did everything here that you are supposed to do. We had a fast car and we were able to pass a lot of cars on the track. The team also did a great job in the pits and the effort was solid in every aspect. We had moved up the field and were really in good position.
“This was the best car that I’ve ever had at Martinsville,” added Martin. “Pat Tryson and Wally Brown and the rest of the Viagra® Team just did an excellent job this weekend. It’s a shame that a routine part failure had to cost us a shot at what should have been a really solid run.
“As I said the car was great. There were a couple of cars out there that might have been a little faster, but not many, and we could run with anyone. Our car was set up for the long run and we were hoping for a run of about 100 lap to end the race, but we had the problem with the fuel line and we were never able to make a shot at that run.”
Running the fastest times on the racetrack, Martin had worked his way up to seventh place when the day’s third caution was called on lap 119. The team came into the pits for four tires and fuel and a quick stop of 14.58 seconds moved Martin’s Viagra® Ford Taurus inside the top-five for the first time of the day. For the remainder of the day, Martin would run among the leaders.
Martin was running in sixth place when caution was called for the seventh time of the day on lap 283. In one of the most bizarre events in recent NASCAR history, Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 car ran over a weak spot in the track, breaking up the asphalt and taking on damage to the right fender. The break in the racing surface forced the field to be red flagged and the race was stopped for over one hour while NASCAR worked to repair the damaged racing surface.
When the race when green again on lap 301, Martin was running in fifth place. Caution was called again for the eighth time of the day on lap 371 and Martin came in for four tires and fuel. A couple of cars in the lead only took two tires and Martin returned to the field in seventh place after a stop of 14.79-seconds. However, one lap after going green Martin’s car halted down the backstretch, falling off the pace. He reported to crew chief Pat Tryson that the car had ‘no fuel pressure’.
The team was forced to bring the car down pit road, where they replaced the fuel line. When Martin returned to the track, he was 32 laps down in 34th place - where they would eventually finish the race. Martin’s teammate, Greg Biffle, had experienced a similar problem with the fuel line earlier in the race.
“It’s a heartbreaker – that’s for sure,” said crew chief Pat Tryson. “Mark really got up on the wheel today and he did an excellent job all day long. The team was solid in the pits and it really looked like we were going to make a run at it. The No. 2 went on to win the race and we ran with him for almost all of the day, so who knows what could have been.”
The finish dropped Martin to 18th in the Nextel Cup points race, 153 points out of 10th place.
“We’ll just have to come back next week and do it again,” said Martin. “We have to go to the next race and have another strong car and another solid run. If we keep having cars like we did today, we’ll be just fine. This was one of the best car’s I’ve had in a while and if the guys can keep doing that, we’ll fight our way back up front.”
Martin. No.6 Viagra Team Look Forward to Upcoming Challenges
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (April 8, 2004) - With seven races in the books in 2004 Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team are only 45 points outside the Nextel Cup top 10. The team sits at 16th in the point's race, but in quick striking distance from the top 10. The next three races will present a unique challenge for the No. 6 crew, as things start to shape up in the race for the championship.
"The next three races present a challenge because they are all so different. We go to Martinsville, which is a flat short track, and then we go to Talladega which is a large, high-banked superspeeday and then to Fontana for another intermediate track. They are all uniquely different and the first two are two of the toughest tracks on the circuit," said crew chief Pat Tryson.
"Martinsville is definitely not my favorite track to race," said Martin, who has two victories on the .526.-mile short track, the last coming in 2000. "To be honest, 43 cars are just too many to race there and there just isn't enough room. I tell you what, after 500 laps there you know that you've worked that day.
"The next week you have Talladega and I don't really like racing there since they put the restrictor plates in," added Martin. "It's like driving down the interstate with your cruise control set on 70 mph, surrounded by 40 other cars, running inches apart with their cruise control set on the same speed. You just kind of wait for the big wreck and really hope that you can get through it. There really isn't anything in your control there and you can really get hurt in the points if you get in a wreck early."
That's not to say that Martin has not had success at Martinsville and Talladega. In addition to the win in 2000, Martin has won once more at Martinsville (4/1992) and he has 19 top-10 finishes in 36 starts there. Martin has also had his share of success at Talladega, where he has won twice and garnered 20 top 10 finishes in 36 races as well. Martin, like every other driver at Talladega will be at the mercy of fate, at a track where an accident has claimed his chances in three of the last four races.
However, Martin knows that if his team can make it through those two races in tact they will be in good shape heading into the month of May, a month in which the circuit embarks on a string of tracks that Martin is particularly strong on, including Lowe's Motor Speedway where he earned his 33rd victory in the 2002 Coca-Cola 600.
"I'm looking forward to that stretch," said Martin. "We go to Richmond and I really enjoy racing there and we've been pretty good at that track in recent years. Then we go to Lowe's, which is probably my favorite track on the circuit, and then to Dover, which is also one of my favorite places to race."
"I'm still excited about this race team," added Mark. "Pat's done a great job and we'll keep getting better and better each week. These guys are excited about racing and they are anxious to get back up front.
"We've been missing a little something at times this year, but we are going to find that and when we do we'll be a really strong force to be reckoned with. We just need to find a little more speed and we'll be in really good shape, but don't worry we'll keep chipping away at it and we'll get in that top-10 by the second Richmond and the race will be on from there."
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle, two in the Busch Series with Martin, Burton, Kenseth and Biffle, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Jon Wood and Carl Edwards.
2004 Mark Martin Martinsville Track Notes - April 18, 2004
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Advance Auto Parts 500/Martinsville Speedway
Roush Racing
DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat TrysonMARTIN READY FOR CHALLENGE OF MARTINSVILLE
After a week off for Easter, the Viagra Team returns to action at the circuit's shortest track, Martinsville Speedway, where Martin has won twice in 36 starts.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin earned his first career top-five Cup finish 23 years ago with a third place finish in the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1981
THE CAR - CHASSIS NUMBER RK-191
The team will run RK-191 at Martinsville. RK-191 is a new car. RK-235 will serve as the backup.
FIRST TIME'S A CHARM
Martin earned his first ever career top-five Cup finish at Martinsville in 1981, with a third-place finish in the Old Dominion 500 on Sept. 27, 1981. Since then, Martin has accumulated 205 additional top-five finishes.
WINNING AT MARTINSVILLE
Martin has two victories at Martinsville, with both coming in the spring race (1992 and 2000). In addition the veteran driver has three poles, 10 top-five finishes and 19 top 10's.
LOOKING AHEAD
Next week the team takes to Talladega, which everyone knows can be a wild-card event where you hope to avoid the 'big-one.' After Talladega the schedule embarks on a string of tracks that are some of Martin's best, including Richmond, Lowe's, Dover, Pocono, Michigan and Sonoma. Martin has combined for 13 wins, 78 top-five and 118 top-10 finishes at those six tracks.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON
Mark Martin On Martinsville:
"Martinsville is a tough place to race, because there isn't a lot of room there for 43 cars to go around that track and that makes for quite a challenge. It's funny, because it really isn't my favorite track in the world, but I've won there twice. I love to race at Pocono and I've never won there, so who knows. You never know when things might come together and you might just win the thing. That's the attitude we are going to take this weekend and hopefully we can come home with a strong finish and a good run.
"The next couple of weeks are wildcard races in the sense that you never know what might happen, especially at Talladega, but after that we hit a string of tracks that I really love to race on, in Charlotte, Dover and Pocono, so we are really looking forward to the coming weeks with the race team and what I'm confident we can accomplish."
Pat Tryson On Martinsville:
"Martinsville will be a challenge for us, just like the other 42 cars that will be in the race. It's one of the smallest tracks we go to and there is a lot of traffic and it's hard to pass there, so you have to give the driver the best handling car possible. You also want to have a sound pit strategy and some solid stops, because if you can gain positions in the pits, it can really make your day a lot better there."
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - MARTINSVILLE
- Martin has won twice at Martinsville during the spring of 1992 and 2000.
- Martin posted three straight poles at Martinsville from the fall of 1990 through both races in 1991.
- Martin's first ever Cup top-five finish came at Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1981 in the Old Dominion 500.
- Martin has scored four top-10 finishes, including one victory, in his last eight races at Martinsville.
- Martin has scored 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 36 races at Martinsville.
2003 WINNER - Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon used the nose of his car to nudge Bobby Labonte out of the way on the first turn of the 487th lap and held on to win the Virginia 500 in Martinsville. Gordon has won three of the last four races at the track after taking the Subway 500 on Oct. 19.
MARK MARTIN - LAST YEAR AT MARTINSVILLE
April 13, 2003
Martinsville Speedway
Started 24th, Finished 17thMartin brought home the No.6 Viagra Ford Taurus in 17th position at Martinsville in a tough duel to the finish at the series' smallest racetrack. The team flourished on pit road with several pit stops under 15 seconds, which protected the decent finish. Martin started the race from the 24th position, but quickly moved up as the race evolved into an unusually long green flag run. By the first caution flag on lap 79, Martin had jumped to 16th place. Under caution and on pit road, the team took two rounds of wedge out to assist the handling and sent Martin back onto the track in 15th place. Martin stayed there solidly as the laps ticked off until the second caution flag period on lap 121.Martin continued his forward march all the way up to 12th place by lap 195 of the 500 lap event. By then, another long green flag run was taking its toll, and the No. 6 eventually went a lap down to the leader. Martin hung around 15th place for the remainder of the race until a minor altercation occurred less than ten laps from the finish. With Martin and teammates Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch running nose to tail on worn tires, they all ran out of room and collided coming off of turn four. All were able to keep going, with Martin coming home 17th in the final finishing order.
Viagra® Racing Team Runs to 17th Place Finish at Texas
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Texas Motor Speedway/April 4, 2004
Roush RacingFT. WORTH, TEXAS – Mark Martin and the Viagra®(sildenafil citrate) Racing Team had the fastest car on the racetrack as the laps were winding down on the Samsung Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, but their hands were tied. The team had overcome a slow start, working their way up the field, only to be setback by an untimely caution mid-way through the race. The caution caused three-fourths of the field to go a lap down, and saw Martin’s shot at a fourth straight top-10 finish at Texas come to halt.
“We had the car there at the end,” said Martin after the race. “The car started off slow, but by the end we were as fast as anyone on the track. Unfortunately, we needed a break there when we were running as the first car one lap down and we never got that break.
“Then we pitted and the caution came out and cost us another lap,” added Martin. “If we had gotten that caution just a couple of laps earlier we would have been racing inside the top 10 there at the end, instead we got trapped two laps down and had to just go out and get what we could.”
The team qualified 28th on Friday, but posted some of the fastest times on the track during Saturday’s practice session. However, Martin’s car was loose during the early part of Sunday’s race and the No. 6 Viagra® Ford was running in 29th place when the day’s first caution was issued on lap 17. In need of better track position, crew chief Pat Tryson opted for right side tires only for the team’s first pit stop of the day. The gamble paid off and Martin returned to the track in 18th position when the field resumed green-flag racing.
The field would embark in a lengthy green flag run that would see the handling of Martin’s car change to tight. Martin had dropped back to 23rd position when the field began green-flag pitting. The No. 6 team came in on lap 79 for four tires and fuel. After a 16-second stop the team was running in 20th place once the field had cycled through its stops on lap 87.
Martin’s car started off loose on the run, but started to tighten as the run progressed. Eventually Martin would go down a lap, after being passed by the field’s leader on lap 104, while running in 21st place. The team used the day’s second caution on lap 118 to come into the pits for four tires, fuel and make a massive wedge adjustment to help offset the car’s handling.
Martin would return to the field in 23rd place, the fifth car one lap down to the leader. After a caution on lap 196 the team came into the pits and again took two tires and fuel. Once again the gamble paid off and Martin returned to the field in 18th place, the third car one lap down when the field went green on lap 204.
With the car running some of its best lap times of the day, Martin moved up the field and to the front of his lap on 232, running in 15th place, an impressive half a lap in front of 16th. The No. 6 Viagra® Ford had adjusted into one of the fastest cars in the race, and for the next 30 laps Martin would run at the front of his lap, just one caution away from the ‘free pass’ that would put the team back on the lead lap, in good position and ready to make a run at the top 10.
However, that break would never come, and instead the team was hit with a dose of horrible luck. Running in 14th place the team came into the pits for a green-flag stop on lap 261. Only about half of the field had pitted when the No. 0 car of Ward Burton smacked the wall on lap 261, causing the day’s fourth caution and killing the team’s chances of a top-place finish. As a result of the caution, Martin was caught two-laps down, as only 10 cars remained on the lead lap. He would have to spend the rest of the day fighting lapped traffic for all he could get.
True to form the team refused to give up. Martin was running in 23rd place when the day’s sixth caution was called on lap 282. The team stayed out and Martin moved up to 21st place, where he was running when the field went green for the final time on lap 300. Martin would use the remaining 34 laps to gain every position possible. By lap 326 he had moved into 18th, before out-dueling the No. 88 car for 17th place on the race’s final lap. Elliot Sadler went on to win the race.
“We never gave up,” said Martin. “We fought our way back to the front of our lap early on and just needed a break to get back on the lead lap. We didn’t get that break, but we kept on fighting for all we could get. This is a great team. There are some areas that we have to improve on, but I’m confident that we’ll get there. We just have to keep plugging away at it.”
Martin is currently 17th in the Winston Cup points race, but moved to within 45 points of 10th place. NASCAR takes a week off next Sunday for Easter, before returning to action in two weeks at Martinsville.
