NASCAR's Mark Martin
2005 Season Articles - August

Mark Martin wants that elusive Loudon win
By Kevin Provencher
Staff Sports Writer
The Union Leader
August 31, 2005
LOUDON — With retirement on hold from NASCAR Nextel Cup racing, Mark Martin can tend to unfinished business.
Four times in his 22-year career, Martin has been the NASCAR Nextel Cup series runner-up. Now fifth in the Cup standings, this weekend in California he can clinch a berth in the Chase for the Nextel Cup and move ever closer to a career-capping championship.
"We feel pretty good about where we're at right now versus last year," said Martin. "Right now last year we were in 12th (he finished the season fourth). Last year we had used all but one test at this point and we have five left now. We're in a lot better shape this year."
For two days this week Martin is testing at New Hampshire International Speedway. He played it close to the vest yesterday when asked what he was zeroing in on.
"Testing is OK. Certainly just because you go test at a race doesn't mean you're going to win," he said. "Every team tests a number of times every year. And you just choose where you want to go based on what you feel. This is a race track in the Chase that we need to run better at....This is a race where we'd like to run better at."
Martin has not missed a race at NHIS since the series first stopped in Loudon in 1993 and he is still chasing an elusive victory here. He was the inaugural polesitter and has been a runner-up three times. In 21 races on this "Magic Mile" he has finished in the top 10 in half of them, although in the last seven races he has finished out of the top 10.
The Sylvania 300 at NHIS on Sept. 18 will open the 10-race Cup finale, the playoffs. It won't be critical for any of the Chase drivers to win here, but it will be critical for them not to be overrun. A poor finish at New Hampshire could end a driver's title chase.
"It's not that important (top five or a win)," Martin said. "It's no more important than anywhere else. What's important is to come here and give our best effort. And the result we can't really control. We can control the effort. So we can't really stress out about having us put a particular number on where we might finish.
"It's important to put our best effort into this. That's what we're here for. Whether that will help us run better or not I can't say but it's certainly better than sitting at home and wondering, you know."
So back to testing.
"It doesn't make a huge difference, but nothing makes a huge difference in this business," he said. "It's all small things. And you know, if you have opportunities to test or to not test, it's always got to be better to test. May not get you a better result, but it definitely increases the effort that you make. So we're making our best effort."
Martin and his car owner, Jack Roush, have a fearsome fivesome fighting for the Nextel Cup. Martin is fifth in the standings.
Greg Biffle is third, Kurt Busch is seventh, Carl Edwards is eighth and Matt Kenseth has leapt into 11th, just nine points out of joining the group of finalists in the Chase. All five are Roush teammates of Martin. Roush Racing has won the last two Cup titles, Kenseth in 2003 and Busch last year.
"We have a great organization with really fantastic drivers and crew chiefs at Roush Racing," said Martin.
Martin is all business now and for good reason. The competition has him surrounded.
"The first half of the year has been the most fun I've had in a long long time in racing," he said. "The second half unfortunately has gotten too busy to have fun with, but it's all going according to plan."

Martin will put NHIS to test
By David Exum / Boston Herald
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
LOUDON, N.H. -- Plenty of NASCAR drivers don't like testing. Not Mark Martin.
With only two races remaining before the Chase for the Nextel Cup begins Sept. 18 at New Hampshire International Speedway, Martin was the only playoff contender taking part in the first of a two-day test session here yesterday.
"If you have the opportunity to test or not test, it's always better to test," said Martin, currently fifth in the series standings going into Sunday's Sony HD 500 at California Speedway.
Although rain washed out the morning test session, Martin, Scott Riggs, J.J. Yeley and NASCAR trucker Ted Musgrave turned several laps in the afternoon.
All Martin needs to do is finish fifth or better at California this weekend and he'll secure a playoff berth. Four drivers -- Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and Rusty Wallace -- have all clinched berths.
Martin was extremely tight-lipped about what he was going to work on in preparation for the Sylvania 300 at NHIS, the first of the final 10 races of the season NASCAR uses to determine the championship.
"We feel pretty good about where we're at right now," Martin said.
At this point last season, Martin was 12th in the standings and desperately fighting to make the inaugural Chase field. By securing two top-five finishes before NHIS, Martin finished fourth in the final standings.
"We're in a lot better shape this year," said Martin, who had expected to retire after this season. Due to contractual obligations with his replacement, Jamie McMurray, Martin will drive again for Roush Racing's five-car stable in 2006.
With nearly 20 years in the business, Martin realizes that testing doesn't always guarantee success when race day arrives.
"Just because you test at a track doesn't necessarily mean you're going to win," Martin said. "Every team tests a number of times a year and you just choose (which track) on what you feel. This is a track in the Chase that we need to run better at."
NHIS has not been kind to Martin over the years. He won the pole and finished second in the inaugural Winston Cup race here in 1993 but has never won at the 1.058-mile track. His last top-five finish was in 2000.
"We certainly have no concerns about Charlotte, Atlanta or Homestead," said Martin, a four-time runner-up in the championship standings. "Those racetracks, we run really, really good. (NHIS) is someplace we need to run better at."

Sports Central: NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 24:
Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.
5. Mark Martin — Martin's 16th-place finish at Bristol maintained his position of fifth in the points, but a mishap in the pits spoiled what could have been a sure top ten finish.
"Yeah, the jack dropped early on our stop on lap 417," says Martin. "So we had to come back in a have the lug nuts tightened on the left-rear tire, and I had to jerk a knot in the jack man's right front head."
Martin will likely clinch his spot in the Chase in the California 500, with a collapse of epic proportions in the next two races the only possible way to keep him out. Earlier this year in Fontana, Martin finished seventh, one of four Roush cars in the top ten.

Martin Finishes 16th at Bristol, Remains Fifth in the Nextel Cup Points Race
No. 6 Team overcomes late mishap in the pits, survives Bristol with 16th-place run
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Bristol Motor Speedway/August 27, 2005
BRISTOL, TENN.– Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team survived 500 laps at the world’s fastest half-mile speedway on Saturday and left Bristol, Tenn. still in fifth place in the Nextel Cup point standings. While the team did not get the finish they had hoped for, Martin was able to avoid all of the race’s 15 cautions and with two races left before the ‘cut-off point’ he was able to once again solidify his chances of securing a place in the ‘Chase’ for the Nextel Cup.
"We had a real good car and we did what we needed to do,” said Martin. “Even with the pit stop; we're all a team and we're all in this together. That's all we needed to do. Sure, it would have been nice to finish up in the top 10 where we belonged and really where we ran all night, but we just had one little slip-up and it didn't cost us that much. We got done what we needed to get done."
Martin had a fast car from the start, starting 24 th and driving all the way to 14 th by lap 59. Martin drove his No. 6 Viagra® Ford into the field’s top 10 for the first time on lap 142, by lap 189 he had moved all the way up to eighth. He reached his top position of the night on lap 309 when he moved into seventh place, but the car would eventually get ‘loose’ and he fell back to 12 th where he was running on lap 373 when the day’s 12 caution was issued. The team came into the pits for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment to correct the car’s handling, but Martin got blocked in the pits and lost two more positions to 14th.
He was still running in 14 th when caution 13 was called on lap 417. The team came down pit road one lap later for four more tires and fuel, but they committed a costly mistake when the jack dropped early and Martin had to return to the pits a lap later to have the lug nuts on this left-rear tire tightened. The mishap would drop Martin all the way back to 24 th, when the field resumed green-flag racing on lap 424 with only 76 laps remaining.
True to form the team would continue to fight with Martin picking up six spots on the final 28 laps of the race to bring home the 16 th-place run and turn in what would be a good night in the points for Martin and the team.
With only two races remaining Martin is currently 226 points ahead of 11 th place Matt Kenseth. He’s 165 points ahead of eight-place Carl Edwards. Martin joins Roush teammates Greg Biffle (3 rd), Kurt Busch (7 th), Carl Edwards (8 th) and Matt Kenseth (11 th) in the top-11 of the Nextel Cup standings. After 24 races, he trails first place by 396 points and he is 125 points behind third place Rusty Wallace.

Ford Racing: News: Ford Post Race Notes and Quotes - Nextel
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS (FINISHED 16TH)
"We had a real good car and we did what we needed to do. Even with the pit stop, we're all a team and we're all in this together. That's all we needed to do. Sure, it would have been nice to finish up in the top 10 where we belonged and really where we ran all night, but we just had one little slip-up and it didn't cost us that much. We got done what we needed to get done."

2005 Mark Martin Bristol Fast Facts - August 27, 2005
Sharpie 500 / Bristol Motor Speedway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
August 24, 2005

DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 EVENT WINNER: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
In a race where simply surviving is considered a key to success, Martin did just that at the Sharpie 500. Bristol Motor Speedway is known for a propensity to tear up a lot of good racecars and Martin was able to survive for 500 laps on Saturday, thus preserving his chances of breaking into the Nextel Cup Top 10 before the cut-off period in just two races. Martin left Bristol tied for12th place, 35 points outside of 10th and only 44 points behind seventh with two races remaining at California and Richmond. Martin had one of the fastest cars on the racetrack, starting seventh and powering his way up to as high as second place, before a costly miscue on pit road dropped Martin to as low as 28th and three laps down.
Martin was pitted on the backstretch and unnecessarily drove his No. 6 Ford all the way back around pit road after a stop under green. True to form, Martin and the team did the only thing they could do – battle back. By lap 254 Martin was running in 20th position – one lap down. The team took two tires (right sides) under caution on lap 360 to move up to 14th position. Martin would move up to 13th position after the day’s final caution on lap 387, where he would run for the remaining 100 laps of the race. The rebound kept Martin firmly entrenched in the race for the top 10.
MARTIN ROLLS INTO BRISTOL FIFTH IN POINTS
With only three races remaining before the cutoff period, Martin moves into Bristol fifth in the Nextel Cup points. The team hopes to rebound from their 17th-place finish last weekend at Michigan, as Martin will be looking for his third career victory at Bristol.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-174) - The team will run RK-274 this weekend at Bristol. This will be the car's fourth run this season; It finished third at Martinsville, 16th at Phoenix and 15th at Richmond.
AT BRISTOL
Starts: 37 (18)
Wins: 2 (2)
Top 5's: 15 (9)
Top 10's: 20 (10)
Poles: 7 (3)
Highest finish: 1st twice
First time: 3/14/82 (14th)
Last time: 4/3/05 (31st)
8/28/04 (13th)
WORTHY NOTE
Martin's seven poles tie for the most ever at Bristol. Martin has started in the top five in 16 of 37 races at Bristol.
MARTIN AT BRISTOL
Martin's trek at Bristol is a tale of streaks. In 37 races at Bristol, Martin has finished top 10 on 20 occasions and inside the top five 15 times. From 1995-2000 Martin has a total of 10 straight top-10 finishes at Bristol. He won four straight poles in 1995 and 1996. However, Martin has not finished inside the top 10 at Bristol in the past nine races, five of which he was involved in accidents that put an end to his chances.
Martin finished 31st at Bristol this spring after getting involved in a multi-car accident. He was 13th there last fall.
LOOKING TO BREAK THE DRY SPELL
Despite running up front on several occasions, Martin will be looking for first his top 10 at Bristol this weekend since a third place finish on August 26, 2000.
STEADY DOWN THE STRETCH
With the 'regular' season drawing to an end, Martin has been as steady as anyone down the stretch, boasting top -0 finishes in four of the last six races and top-15 runs in nine of his past 11.
REVERSING THE TREND
Martin and the team will run the 'reverse' white paint scheme this weekend in Bristol, as well as the next two races at California and Richmond.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON BRISTOL
Mark Martin:
"Bristol can be crazy. I've always said it is like flying a jet fighter around the inside of a basketball arena, and try that with 42 other jets doing it at the same time. It can get really intense and it takes a great deal of patience by everyone.
You just have to hope that you run well and that you can stay out of all the trouble, which isn't always easy to do. Over the years Bristol has been the source of some real highs and lows for me.
"I've had some of the most memorable races I can remember there and some pretty tough times there as well. We've had a lot of trouble staying out of the wrecks lately there, but hopefully our luck will change a little this time and we can manage to stay around to the end of the race and see what happens. We have only three more races before the cutoff, so it's going to be important to come out of there with a solid finish.
Pat Tryson:
"We had a good test at Bristol a couple of weeks ago and we are looking to get back there and hopefully have a competive race car. The Bristol night race is always exciting for the fans and hopefuly we can give Mark's fans something extra to cheer about this weekend."
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – BRISTOL

Martin has two victories at Bristol (8/98 and 9/93), both from the pole position and both in the fall race.

Martin's seven poles at Bristol tie for the most ever.

Martin won four consecutive poles at Bristol in 1995-96.

Martin has posted 20 top-10 and 15 top-five finishes in 37 races at Bristol.

From 1995-2000 Martin scored 10 straight top-10 finishes at Bristol. He has not finished top 10 there since.

Crew chief Pat Tryson scored his first Cup career win at Bristol in 2001. His pit strategy was vital in the victory by the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.

Martin expects unexpected at Bristol
fordracing.com
August 23, 2005
THIS WEEK IN FORD RACING
Bristol, Tenn. — Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra Taurus, has two career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victories at Bristol Motor Speedway, which is the site of Saturday night’s scheduled Sharpie 500. Martin, who goes into the event fifth in the point standings, spoke about the difficulty of this race as well as his team’s recent test session at the half-mile bullring.
MARK MARTIN
WHETHER CHASE SPOTS ARE UP FOR GRABS OR NOT, IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT BRISTOL IS ALWAYS A WILDCARD RACE?
“It is because so many things happen there and it is a race track where you can even surprise yourself. You may not be running that well or think you’re not running that well, but get in a good position and wind up with a good finish that maybe you didn’t expect. The opposite of that can definitely happen as well – you can run well there real easy and not wind up with a good result. That race is full of surprises. It’s exciting. It’s action-packed and that’s what makes it so popular, but all those things make it less predictable, so it’s more interesting.”
WHETHER YOU HAVE A CUSHION IN THE POINTS OR ARE BATTLING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF SPOTS, DO YOU STILL RACE LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO THERE?
“That possibility is there every week where things can go wrong for you, but it’s the highest at Bristol. The next highest is Talladega, but it is the highest at Bristol. So what we have done is we chose to use one of our tests. Even though it really doesn’t matter that much, to try and have a reasonable qualifying position and we will hope that the cautions fall such that people aren’t able to get on too much of an off-sequence so that we can hover closer to the front of the pack. People get off-sequence there so much that it doesn’t matter how good you are, that will shove you back in the pack when you get off-sequence. After you make your stop and they’ve already made theirs 50 laps ago and they’re all lined up in front you, that’s just the way it is there. We’re gonna make our best effort. We used one of our tests that we’ve been saving for the chase for that.”
IS YOUR LAST WIN AT BRISTOL ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU GO BACK THERE?
“It’s not the first thing that comes to mind, but it is definitely still prominent in my memory bank. When I think about things that are real special, that was a real special win because it came right after my dad’s accident. I was in a terrible state of grief and somehow or another that soothed the pain for a few hours. All wins are special. Believe me. They’re all special, but some of them are special in different ways and that one is special in that way.”
YOU REALLY FEEL THE CROWD AT BRISTOL, WHETHER IT’S DRIVER INTROS OR AFTER THE RACE IS OVER DON’T YOU?
“You can definitely feel and hear what their feelings are and it can get to be pretty overwhelming sometimes. My win there in ’98 was met with great enthusiasm from the fans because of the tragedy that my family had gone through. Lucky for me I haven’t really been on the receiving end of great disapproval as some people have there.”

Sports Central | Sports Articles and Columns | Other | NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 23
Note: the quotes in this article are fictional.
6. Mark Martin — In a car with top-five quality, and after leading 10 laps, Martin was bitten by a late decision to stay out on old tires. That, compounded with coming up on the short end of the fuel mileage game, left the No. 6 Viagra car with a 17th, the only Roush car out of the top 10.
"Man, if you only knew how old that makes me feel," says Martin. "Finishing last among all the Roush cars, that really hurts. The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing I'll be done racing at the end of this year. Wait a minute. No, I won't. Jack wants me to come back. Noooo!"
That's right, Mark. All you have to do is just say no. But I bet you've never told Jack Roush "no," have you?
Anyway, Martin hopes to reverse his fortunes as of late at Bristol. In April, Martin finished 31st in Bristol after starting 34th. It will take his best effort to grab his first top 10 in there since 2000.

Ford Racing: News: Ford Post Race Notes & Quotes - MIS
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS (FINISHED 17TH)
"That's really frustrating. We just really need to watch what we do here, because we're in the chase a no-brainer unless we beat ourselves. It was a good car, but things just didn't work out."

Martin Finishes 17th at Michigan, Remains Fifth in Nextel Cup Points
Late pit strategy backfires, costing Martin, No. 6 Team shot at top five
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Michigan International Speedway/August 21, 2005
BROOKLYN, MICH.– Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team looked to have one of the cars to beat for much of Sunday’s GFS Marketplace 400, running inside the top five for much of the day and leading 10 laps. However, pit strategy would turn against the No. 6 team late, as Martin fell to as low as 31 st and was forced to fight his way back to a 17 th place finish.
“We just let one get away today,” said Martin after the race. “We had a good car and ran up front for much of the day, but we stayed out on old tires and lost position and then a lot of cars were able to make it on fuel mileage and we lost even more places.
“It’s disappointing because we had a much better car than that, but we’ll regroup and move on to Bristol and California where we expect to be competitive.”
Martin started the race 14 th based on Friday’s qualifying session. He broke into the field’s top 10 on lap 10 and used the next 10 laps to move inside the top five where he would run the majority of the next 122 laps. The turning point came after the day’s seventh caution on lap 142 when the No. 6 team, running in fifth place opted to stay out for track position. Martin found himself in third place when green flag racing resumed, but he was unable to get his car to ‘go’ on old tires and he soon fell back to as low as 16 th place by lap 158.
Martin steadily worked his way back to 10 th place where he was running when the team began to come in for an unscheduled pit stop on lap 182. Martin had already slowed and was seconds away from pit road when crew chief Pat Tryson, anticipating a caution flag, ordered him to stay out one more lap. The caution flag never waved and Martin lost valuable time and position before coming in on the next lap to take four tires fuel and make a wedge adjustment. Once the smoke cleared Martin returned in 31 st position with only 27 laps remaining in the race.
He would be able to recover and make up 14 positions, but it was a disappointing finish on a day the team felt it was good enough to contend for the win.
Early on Martin looked like he would run for his fourth win at MIS. A 13.71-second stop by the Viagra® Team under caution on lap 28 put Martin back out in third place. Martin entered the pits second on lap 74 after the day’s second caution and another fast stop of 13.20 seconds sent him out the race leader when the field went green on lap 76.
Martin eventually gave up the lead on lap 88, but ran inside the top five for the next 30 laps before the car’s handling began to tighten up and he dropped to seventh on lap 118 where he was running on lap 128 when the day’s sixth caution was issued. Another fast stop by the No. 6 team, a 13.57-second stop, put Martin back out in fifth place when green-flag racing resumed on lap 132. Ten laps later the seventh caution was called on lap 142; Martin stayed out and began to drop back and was never able to fully recover.
The finish was good enough to keep Martin in fifth place in the Nextel Cup points race. With only three races remaining before the 26-race cut-off period, Martin is currently 197 points ahead of 10 th place and 80 behind fourth. He trails first by 369 and leads sixth by 30 points.
The team will return to action this Saturday night at Bristol where Martin has two wins and 20 top-10 finishes.

Mark Martin could mess up plan
Veteran driver in Nextel Cup title hunt
By Mike Finney
The News Journal
August 18, 2005
An exhausted Mark Martin exited his race car at Richmond International Raceway last September after just making NASCAR's first Chase for the Nextel Cup and called it "the hardest thing I've ever done in my career."
The veteran had to rally from 15th in the points standings -- 123 points out of the top 10 -- over the final five "regular season" races following Indianapolis just to get a chance to compete for the championship. He eventually wound up fourth in the standings.
Martin is happy he will not have to go through all the gut wrenching and points calculating this season.
He is fifth in the standings, 192 points ahead of 11th-place Elliott Sadler, with four races left until the top 10 drivers in the points standings are locked in for a 10-race sprint to the crown following the Sept. 10 race at Richmond.
It is a far cry from last season for Martin.
"We got ourselves so far behind, because of all the crazy things that happened, that we found ourselves in a do-or-die situation that allowed little to no room for anything to go wrong," Martin said, of his team's rally last year. "To say we were behind the eight ball would be an understatement.
"We just couldn't get ahead. Every time we tried, something else happened. It says a lot about [crew chief] Pat Tryson and this racing team that we were able to run well enough and do what we needed to do to break into the Chase."
Martin just put his mettle to the pedal and reeled off top-five finishes in four of the final five races before last season's cutoff point.
He finished third in the 25th race last season at California to crack into the top 10 in points for the first time all year, then secured his spot in the Chase with a fifth at Richmond -- despite being spun around 360 degrees in an accident.
Martin said he hopes to avoid that kind of drama with a more level effort this season.
Though he seems to be a solid bet to be among the championship contenders, the ever-pessimistic Martin is not convinced yet.
"We have to make sure that we make the Chase before we go worrying about the final 10 races," Martin said. "It does look like we are in better shape, but anything can happen, and a couple of cases of bad luck or something and we could be back to where we were.
"But Pat [Tryson] and the team have done an outstanding job this season and I really do believe that we could have something for them once this final 10 starts and I think we can be legitimate contenders down the road."
Tryson is right on board with Martin. Their Roush Racing team has 12 top-10 finishes over the first 22 races of the season, though they have yet to reach victory lane.
"We have a great team and one of the best drivers to ever get behind the wheel of a race car, so how can you not be excited about that?" Tryson said. "We know Mark is capable, so we just have to help provide him with the things that he needs to win races."
Martin is often called the most talented driver who has never won a NASCAR Cup championship.
He has won 34 races in his career and did finish in second in the points standings in 1990, '94, '98 and 2002. He finished among the top 10 in points for 12 consecutive seasons (1989-2000).
Martin still has not given up hope on capturing that elusive title in his last year competing in Nextel Cup. At least, that was before Martin's car owner, Jack Roush, signed Jamie McMurray to drive his No. 6 Ford beginning in 2007.
Now, Martin says he might compete in one more Nextel Cup season to make the transition easier for McMurray.
It would mess up Martin's mischievous plans that he has had in place since February.
"I think that we stand a chance of really messing this whole deal up, and that would be if we could win the championship," said Martin, back in February. "That would be pretty strange to not have the champion come back and do the [Nextel Cup] tour. It's my hope right now that I can screw it [retirement plans] up royally."
Martin can do that by just cruising into the Chase and getting ready for an all-out assault on the competition over the final 10 races.
"Last year, we had put so much emphasis on getting into the top 10 that we didn't have near as much left once we got there," said Martin. "This time, we hope to save up some of our tests and really concentrate on winning that championship."
Then he can decide on what the future will hold for him -- retirement or a Champion's Tour.

Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin to be honored by MIS
Michigan International Speedway
August 17, 2005
RUSTY WALLACE, MARK MARTIN TO BE HONORED DURING PRE-RACE CEREMONIES PRIOR TO GFS MARKETPLACE 400 AT MIS
BROOKLYN, Mich. - When the green flag drops for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, two drivers who have accomplished so much on the 2-mile oval, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, will be saying their final good-byes and racing in their final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at MIS.
Wallace and Martin are no strangers to success at MIS with a combined 15 victories between the two of them. Wallace has seven wins (5 Cup, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) and Martin eight (4 Cup, 2 Busch, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) at MIS, making them two of the most successful drivers in track history. Both drivers will be looking for one last victory at MIS in Wallace's 'Rusty's Last Call' and Martin's 'Salute To You' campaigns.
Fans will want to be in their seats prior to driver introductions at approximately 2 p.m. as MIS will honor Wallace and Martin during pre-race ceremonies prior to the GFS Marketplace 400. Both drivers will be presented a framed photo collage of memorable wins at MIS by track President Brett Shelton and have a chance to address the MIS crowd and thank them for all of their support during their two annual stops in the Irish Hills. Both drivers will then ride separate trucks to give an opportunity for one last salute to the great MIS fans.
"I've always enjoyed racing at MIS and would like to win here again," said Wallace. "This track has always treated me real well and the fans here have always been some of the best on the circuit. It's been a great run and I've enjoyed my last season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series."
In addition, fans will also get a chance to see Wallace appear in MIS' all-inclusive Victory Lane Club prior to the GFS Marketplace 400 on August 21. Wallace will perform question and answer sessions for fans who have purchased the Fan Hospitality package.
Victory Lane Club packages feature a turn four reserved grandstand seat, pre-race pit pass, souvenir program, race-related gift, hospitality tent access, catered breakfast and lunch, entertainment and a question and answer session with Wallace. Hospitality-only packages can also be purchased for fans that already have their seats.

2005 Mark Martin Michigan Fast Facts - August 21, 2005
GFS Marketplace 400 / Michigan International Speedway
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
August 16, 2005
DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
MARTIN HOPES TO CONQUER MICHIGAN
Martin moves into Michigan coming off his third straight top-10 finish, after running seventh at Watkins Glen. Martin boasts top-10 runs in four of the last five, as he heads into MIS where he has posted top-10 runs in five of the last seven, including back-to-back top fives and a third place run this season in the spring.
2004 EVENT WINNER: Greg Biffle
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
Started 13th, Finished 2nd
Martin clearly had the fastest car at the GFS Marketplace 400, leading 46 laps and battling back from a penalty in the pits to score a solid second-place finish. Martin’s No. 6 Ford sported a Pfizer/Batman paint scheme for Sunday’s race and Martin exhibited super power driving skills in route to his second straight top-three finish. The finish was the team’s third top-five finish in the past four races. Martin took the lead for the fifth time, passing teammate Greg Biffle on lap 112, and it looked like he may never relinquish it. The team came down pit road under caution on lap 131 still in the lead. After a quick stop it looked as if the No. 6 team had held the lead, but in a controversial call the NASCAR official deemed that the team had failed to place on all of the lug nuts on the left-rear tire and Martin was ordered to come back down pit road. Despite the adamant protest of crew chief Pat Tryson and his crew, Martin returned to the field in 28th place when the field went green on lap 134 with 66 laps remaining. Martin went to work, picking up seven positions on the next three laps. By lap 144 Martin had moved all the way up to 14th place. By lap 155 he was running inside the top 10 in ninth position. The veteran used the next 10 laps to move up to sixth place, before breaking back into the top 10 on lap 169. Martin was closing in on the field, but the leader – Biffle – had a solid eight-second lead on the No. 6. Needing to pit one more time, the team opted to cut into Biffle’s lead with a two-tire stop under green on lap 175. The move worked as Martin came out in second place just behind Biffle. However, the challenge to overcome Biffle’s No. 16 Ford, who had taken four fresh tires, proved to be too much. Martin was able to move away from the remainder of the field and drive to the strong-second place finish.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-314) - The team will run RK-314 this weekend at Michigan. RK-314 finished seventh at Indy two weeks ago in its first and only run.
AT MICHIGAN
Starts: 39 (19)
Wins: 4 (3)
Top 5's: 15 (9)
Top 10's: 26 (13)
Poles: 1 (-)
Highest finish: 1st (4 times)
First time: 6/20/82 (33rd)
Last time: 6/19/05 (3rd)
8/22/04 (2nd)
WORTHY NOTE
Martin's 26 top-10 finishes at at Michigan are the most of any active driver.
MARTIN AT MICHIGAN
This will be Martin's 40th run at MIS, where he boasts four wins, 15 top fives, 26 top 10's and a pole. Martin has finished inside the top 10 in six of his last eight at Michigan, including two straight top fives with a third place this spring and a second last fall.
WINNING AT MICHIGAN
Martin boasts four wins at Michigan International Speedway, where he first won on August 19, 1990. Martin has won three more times at MIS, with the last trip to victory lane coming on June 14, 1998.
STEADY DOWN THE STRETCH
With the 'regular' season drawing to an end, Martin has been as steady as anyone down the stretch, boasting top 10 finishes in four of the last five and top-15 runs in nine of his past 10.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – MICHIGAN

Martin's 25 top-10 finishes at Michigan are the most of any active driver.

Martin has four wins at Michigan in the Cup car, the third most of any active driver.

Martin has led 22 races at Michgan for a total of 851 laps, including 46 laps led there last fall.

Martin has finished in the top 10 in six of his last eight at Michigan, including a second place finish last fall and a third place finish this spring.

Martin boasts two Busch wins at Michigan.

Martin has finished top three in his last two Cup starts at MIS.

Martin has finished inside the top 10 in four of the last five and inside the top 15 in nine of the last 10.

Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON MICHIGAN
Mark Martin:
"Michigan is a great race track. It's easy to pass and if you have your car set up right you can really have a great time there. We've run really well there the last few times we've been there. he finished third there in the spring and second last year, so hopefully we can improve on that just a little and maybe make our way into victory lane.
"Pat (Tryson) and the team have just done an incredible job so far this season. Pat has been calling great races and the work in the pits has been outstanding. We just have a few more races to concentrate on making this chase and our chances look better each week. After that we'll be ready to shift our focus and turn it up a notch as we go after this championship."
Pat Tryson:
"Michigan has been one of our strongest tracks of late. We've had some really strong runs the last couple of times. Last fall we had the car to beat and finished second. We went back in the spring and ran third. We are taking a different car this race, the Indy car, and we are pretty excited to see what it can do on a track like Michigan."

Ex-driver to lead benefit focusing on brain injuries
By Mike Pryson
Citizen Patriot
August 16, 2005
Several NASCAR stars will be kicking off the race week at Michigan International Speedway with a very slow but significant lap around the 2-mile oval in Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Former driver Ernie Irvan, who was critically injured in a practice crash at MIS in 1994 and suffered a second head injury at MIS that forced his retirement in 1988, will be leading a contingent of drivers and supporters on the inaugural Leadership and Awareness to Promote Safety (LAPS) Walk from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Other NASCAR personalities expected to take part in the walk, which is aimed at promoting awareness and treatment of brain injuries, include Mark Martin, Greg Biffle, Bobby Labonte, Jerry Nadeau, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison and Donny Allison.
The walk is a joint venture of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan and Race2Safety, a non-profit organization formed by Irvan.
"Having this inaugural event at MIS is a testimony to those living with brain injuries," Irvin said in a release. "I am truly appreciative of the support everyone has shown, especially those who have registered to walk and the sponsors who have joined me in this mission."
Hundreds of walkers have registered online and are expected to participate. Walkers can participate in the event for a donation of $100. Final registration for the event will be conducted at MIS on Wednesday between 7:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
Prospective walkers are asked to enter the MIS grounds through the speedway's entrance off U.S. 12 near the administration building.

Ford Racing: News: Ford Post Race Notes and Quotes - Nextel - Watkins Glen
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
"It was a great run. We were a little too loose, and we never adjusted for it. I kept thinking it would come to us, and it never did. So on that last long run I used my back tires up, but it was a strong run. What an awesome team I have here. Pat Tryson is doing great on the strategy, and it's looking better and better to make that Chase. Once we get in there, we got some awesome motors made up we haven't used, we got horsepower we hadn't used yet, and we got great race cars that we're not using in a pile of tests. So, it's looking better every week."
YOU RAN TOWARD THE FRONT ALL DAY.
"This team is awesome. We were off a little bit but we didn't come and test here. We're saving our tests, and Pat was confident that we would run good enough. The main thing is to make the Chase and save those tests. We're going to have four or five left for the 10-race run there."

Martin Uses Seventh-Plave Finish at Watkins Glen to Break into Top Five
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Watkins Glen International/August 14, 2005
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team turned in yet another solid performance in Sunday’s Sirius at the Glen 250 at Watkins Glen International. Martin’s third top-10 finish in the last four races was good enough to move Martin into fifth in the Nextel Cup point standings, his highest mark in the standings since June. Martin has now posted top 15’s in nine of the last 12 races.
"It was a great run,” said Martin. “What an awesome team I have here. Pat Tryson is doing great on the strategy, and it's looking better and better to make that Chase. Once we get in there, we have some awesome motors made up that we haven't used, we have horsepower we haven’t used yet, and we have great race cars and a pile of tests. So, it's looking better every week."
Martin started the race sixth and ran inside the top 10 for the entire race, with the exception of pit cycles. He broke into the top five for the first time of the day just past the race’s half-way point on lap 46. The team pitted for the second and final time under green on lap 53, taking four tires and fuel in 15.96 seconds. The stop would give Martin enough fuel to go the distance, as he would return to the field in 21st position. Martin was back in fifth once the field hay cycled through its stops. After two more cautions, he found himself in seventh place as the laps wound down. He would have to fight for position under a green-white-checkered finish, but he was able to hold on to the spot and earn his 16th top-10 finish in 18 career races at The Glen.
“We were a little too loose, and we never adjusted for it. I kept thinking it would come to us, and it never did. So on that last long run I used my back tires up, but it was a strong run,” added Martin. “This team is awesome. We were off a little bit but we didn't come and test here. We're saving our tests, and Pat was confident that we would run good enough. The main thing is to make the Chase and save those tests. We're going to have four or five left for the 10-race run there."
Martin is currently 90 points ahead of Roush teammate Kurt Busch in sixth. He’s 134 points ahead of eighth and 189 in front of 10th. With four races remaining to the 26-race cutoff point, Martin is 73 points behind fellow veteran Rusty Wallace in fourth and 331 points out of first.
The team returns to action next week at Michigan International Speedway, where Martin finished third in the spring and has posted top 10 finishes in five of the last seven, including back-to-back top fives. Martin boasts four career wins and 25 top-10 finishes at the 1.5 mile oval.

Just a note: The web site given in the fictional quote below exists, but has nothing to do with Mark.
Sports Central | Sports Articles and Columns | Other | NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 22:
The quotes in this article are fictional.
5. Mark Martin — Martin collected his second straight seventh-place finish, and third straight top-10, with the highest finish by a Roush driver at Watkins Glen. Martin moves up a notch to number five in the points, his highest points position since June. But has he made up his mind about retuning to race next year?
"No, I haven't," says Martin, "but it's out of my hands. I figured if the fans can choose a driver to race in the All-Star Challenge, then they can decide whether or not I return. So fans, log on to ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo.com and vote. Psstt! Vote for me to retire. I don't know if I want to be around the tension between Kurt Busch and Jack Roush next year."
Martin finished third the last time out at Michigan, and finished second in the GFS Marketplace 400 last year. With his Chase aspirations secure, Martin is looking for a points-race win.

Sports Central | Sports Articles and Columns | Other | NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 21:
The quotes in this article are fictional.
6. Mark Martin — Martin's second consecutive top-10, and 11th of the year, moved him up one spot to sixth in the standings, 287 points behind Stewart. Martin and the No. 6 Viagra Ford were consistently good all weekend, qualifying 10th on Saturday and racing in the top 10 most of the day Sunday.
“That's all very well and good,” says Martin. “But let's talk about a little thing called 'loyalty.' My teammate, Kurt Busch, who's under contract to Roush through 2006, signs to drive for Roger Penske in 2007, and now Kurt wants out of his Roush contract. Can't a driver stay with a team, especially one whose team led him to the Cup championship? And where does Roger Penske get off raiding the Roush stable for drivers before their contracts have expired?”
Good points, Mark. But didn't Jack Roush do the same thing with Jamie McMurray?
“Oh yeah, I guess you're right. Now, I bet there's no way Jack will let me retire. Thanks Kurt and Jamie, for showing no honor and asking out of a contract early.”
Despite all the shake-ups at Roush, Martin remains the steadying force behind the team. Always consistent, and always willing to honor a contract, and then some. Martin finished third in this race last year, and is always steady on road courses. Expect no less than a top-10 finish for the No. 6.

MARK MARTIN INTERVIEW - No. 6 Viagra Taurus
Ford Racing PR
August 12, 2005
Opening statement from Mark Martin: "As long as people do as they said they would do, then anyone who makes a choice to do something different, as long as they fulfill obligations, then it's a free world and they should do that. No one should necessarily feel like they need to stay with one team for 18 years like I have. If they feel like their career would be better served do something else, then they should - as long as they fulfill what they signed. And, in Jamie McMurray's case, I don't think he even asked for a release. I think he hoped for one, but I don't think that Jamie even asked for one. In Kurt's case, he asked for one, but, at this point, hadn't demanded it, so, I think, maybe, possibly, slighter bigger deal made of all that than needs to be because these guys decided that they would like to do something different from what they're doing, and actually haven't said anything about not fulfilling their obligations."
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DRIVE FOR JACK ROUSH? THERE ARE A LOT OF TOP-NOTCH DRIVERS RACING THERE. IT IS SURPRISING WHEN A CHAMPION LEAVES FOR A SMALLER TEAM.
"You're going to have to ask Kurt about his motivations for wanting to do something different. Obviously, I don't think has anything to do with the performance. He's got top-notch car and team, and I'm sure that Kurt will tell you that he feels comfortable with that. It's a great place to work if you're very involved. From a driver's standpoint, if you're involved with the race car, it's a great place to work. If you show up at the race track with a helmet-and-bag-kind-of-guy, it's probably not better than most, because the opportunities here are that you can make a difference in the outcome of your career by having a say and being able to have impact on what happens with your team, with your hardware, with your equipment, and everything. That's the strong point, that's what makes this place great for Matt Kenseth. It made it great for Jeff Burton. It made it, obviously, great for me, although in the earlier years I had less influence on things than I have had in the later years, but that was all part of the growth process. That was before we had multi-car teams or when we had one additional car and Roush Racing was trying to get their legs under 'em."
ARE THERE TOO MANY BIG DRIVERS THERE? IS THERE A POINT OF NO RETURN WHEN THERE CAN BE TOO MANY BIG NAMES?
"I think you're over-analyzing here. I think that Kurt Busch has looked at this thing and decided that he might like to do something different with his career. I don't think there's anything wrong with that?"
WHAT ABOUT JIMMY FENNIG, THE CREW CHIEF OF THE NO. 97? YOU WORKED WITH HIM BEFORE. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO KEEP CHEMISTRY WITH THE TEAM IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS?
"That would be the only challenge, I think, right now, is to keep the team charged up behind Kurt. Beyond that, it'll be a non-issue for the team's performance. Everyone seems to not understand that it doesn't matter what you climb in, you want to win the same. No matter what you're going to do tomorrow, and no matter what you did yesterday. From a driver's standpoint, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. That does not matter. It doesn't have any impact on what kind of effort that the guy gives. They all have huge egos. They all want to win every time they climb into anything, and, if anything else, they'd rather win in a situation that looked less promising. So, I would imagine that Kurt Busch would want to win every race the rest of the year and say, 'See, I can get this done even though...'"
WHY HAVE YOU BEEN SO LOYAL TO JACK OVER THE YEARS?
"There's a lot of small reasons, but I think if you go all the way to root, I think that it is the way I was raised. There was one thing that my dad told me when I was a little-bitty guy, and I said, 'Why are you doing this?' And what it was, it was hurting my dad, it was not the right thing for my dad, and he said, 'Because I gave my word.' And, to be real honest with you, I've never been anywhere near the end of a contract. I've never been closer than two and a half years from the end of a contract. That's good strategy by Roush Racing and Geoff Smith. That's only a symptom, but the real root is that you do what you agree to do, and that's it. And, for me, I've never wanted to do something else bad enough to not re-do my deal for a longer term for a better deal - which they always do. See, most contracts, whatever term they are, go full term. Mine has never gone more than two-thirds of a term, and then I've gotten a new contract for a better deal."
BUT IT'S NOT THE CONTRACT THAT'S KEPT YOU WITH JACK. "No." YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JACK THAT'S BIGGER THAN THE CONRACT.
"Yeah. Yeah, because I don't have a contract for '06 and don't care if I ever have one. That's correct. But in '92 that might've been a different story, four years in with Jack Roush. You see what I mean? Before, four years into the thing, that might have made a difference. As far as I'm concerned, we don't need any more contracts, and I'm hoping that Jack would feel the same way. I'm not saying we won't have, because our company is run by an attorney, so I'm sure we will have, but it wouldn't matter if we did or not. Because that takes time to build."
DID YOU KNOW THAT KURT WAS UNHAPPY? DID YOU SENSE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?
"I know Kurt has been a little bit frustrated, because what has happened with Kurt Busch is his career has progressed faster than the business side can keep up with. He's operating under a sponsorship that was laid out before he was champion, not after he was champion. So, it takes time. There's a lag, especially when you come up the ladder as fast as Kurt did, there's a certain lag. These are long-term contracts with sponsors, and there's a lag. You don't get the payoff for performance until later. That's a fact. I've experienced that. But mine wasn't as fast as his, and so I understand that. That is something that will drive you crazy."
DID IT SHOCK YOU WHEN YOU HEARD THE NEWS?
"Well, I didn't see it coming. I thought because Kurt was really the model teammate, better than you could dream of having, that I guess I mistook that for also being a life-timer company guy, because he's been so good about things, and such a good teammate on and off the race track. I'm a big Kurt Busch fan. There's nothing that Kurt Busch could ever do that could change my feelings toward him. I'm his number one fan and always will be. So, I may not even be objective in answering these questions, because I'm a Kurt Busch fan. He may make a mistake here or there, but he doesn't do a lot of wrong in my eyes, because I'm a big fan of his."
HAVE YOU TALKED TO JACK AT ALL?
"I talked to him Tuesday afternoon and he was putting on a strong front. And that's the only time I talked to him. I called him, concerned about how he was doing, and he seemed to be putting on a strong front about it. This is a big, strong organization, and it can survive a lot of different blows. You know, he went down in a lake and temporarily drowned not too long ago, and we survived that - just to put it in perspective."

What a Difference a Year Makes
Martin looks to put emphasis on final 10 races
Roush Racing
CONCORD, N.C. (August 12, 2005) - Last season Mark Martin left Indianapolis Motor Speedway clearly on the outside looking in. After cutting a tire on the final lap of the Brickyard 400, Martin fell to 15th in the points, 123 points outside of the top 10, with only five races remaining before the cutoff for the inaugural ‘Chase’ for the Nextel Cup. And while Martin’s triumphant bid to become a part of the first ever playoff chase for the Cup is the stuff legends are made of, Martin and the team hope to take a different approach to making the Chase this season.
“I said it then and it still holds true. Making that chase was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my career. We got ourselves so for behind, because of all the crazy things that happened, that we found ourselves in a do-or-die situation that allowed little to know room for any thing to go wrong,” said Martin. “To say we were behind the eight ball would be an understatement. "
“We just couldn’t get ahead,” added Martin. “Every time we tried, something else happened. Indy could have easily been the last straw, but it says a lot about Pat Tryson and this racing team that we were able to run well enough and do what we needed to do to break into the chase.”
Martin reeled off top five runs in four of the next five races, including top-threes in three of those final ‘regular season’ events. Martin would break into the top-10 for the first time of the year after a third place run in the season’s 25th race at California Speedway. A week later, despite being spun completely around in a 360 degree circle, he avoided damage in a multi-car accident to finish fifth at Richmond and secure his spot in the inaugural chase for the Nextel Cup.
This season Martin and the team hope to avoid such drama and quietly secure a position in the top 10, instead saving their emphasis on excelling once the green flag drops on the final 10 races that will decide the 2005 Nextel Cup Champion.
“We had to put so much emphasis on getting into the top 10 that we didn’t have near as much left once we got there,” said Martin. “This time we hope to save up some of our test and really concentrate on winning that championship.”
This year Martin appears in much better shape heading down the stretch. This time around on the strength of a seventh-place run he left Indy in sixth position, 149 points inside the top 10, as opposed to 123 points out of it – a 272 point difference moving into the season’s final road course race at Watkins Glen.
“Still, we have to make sure we make the chase before we go worrying about the final 10 races,” added Martin. “It does look like we are in better shape, but anything can happen and a couple of cases of bad luck or something and we could be back to where we were. But Pat and the team have done an outstanding job this season and I really do believe that we could have something for them once this final 10 starts and I think that we can be legitimate contenders down the road.”
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates ten motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.

Martin's record at The Glen nothing short of phenomenal
Roush Racing
CONCORD, N.C. (August 10, 2005)- Mark Martin stats at Watkins Glen International Raceway are to say the least impressive.
Martin has three wins at the New York road course, getting them in back-to-back-to-back fashion in the mid 1990s. Not only did the wins come three-years-in-a-row, but they also all came from Bud pole starting positions.
Martin got his three poles at The Glen in the same three races he went on to win in. Martin ties Dale Earnhardt with the most poles at the Glen, and the two are the only drivers with three poles there. In addition to his three poles, he has eight top-five starts, eleven top-10 starts, and an average starting spot of seventh.
That means three wins and three poles for three years in a row. In all three of those wins, Martin lead a total of 183 laps: Forty-seven in the '93 race, 75 in the '94 race, and 61 in the '95 race.
The seasoned veteran has 17 starts at the 2.45-mile track, and in those 17 starts there, he has finished in the top-five a remarkable 12 times. Chalk up his top-10's at the Glen to 15, and you've got a top-ten finishing Martin 88 percent of the time. That means there are only two races in which Martin has not finished in the top-10.
Perhaps a more incredible feat than the three wins from the pole and the fifteen top-10 finishes is the fact that Martin has no DNF's at the Watkins Glen International Raceway. He has completed 1,487 of 1,491 laps there, giving him a 99.7 percent lap-completion average at the 11-turn track. His average finish at the Glen is sixth.
Even Jeff Gordon, who has the most wins there with four, doesn't beat Martin's record number of laps led at the Glen: A noteworthy 204.
Martin also holds the track's race record speed, one of 103.030 mph, which has stuck since he set it in August of 1995.
As one could imagine, Martin likes going road course racing.
"It's a lot different than what we normally do and it can be challenging for both the teams and the drivers," Martin says. "We've had a lot of success on the road courses over the years, especially Watkins Glen and we always look forward to going back there each year."

2005 Mark Martin Fast Facts - August 14, 2005
Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen - Watkins Glen International
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
August 10, 2005
DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
MARTIN READY TO TAKE ON THE GLEN
Martin heads into the second and final road course race of the season fresh off a seventh-place run at Indy. Martin moves into the race having scored top 10 finishes in seven of the last nine and three of the last four races. Martin will be looking for his fourth win at the 2.45-mile road course where he finished third last year.
2004 EVENT WINNER: Tony Stewart
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
AUGUST 15, 2004 – Watkins Glen International SIRIUS AT THE GLEN – Started 15th, Finished 3rd
Martin showed off his mastery of road course racing, passing four cars in the final eight laps to grab a third place finish at Watkins Glen International. Martin was running in 10th when the race went green for the final time with 16 laps to go. By lap 78 he had powered his way to eighth, before breaking into the top five with six to go. Martin drove his Ford past the No. 8 and No. 41 cars in the race’s final two laps to move up to third. Fog and rain forced both practice and qualifying on Friday to be cancelled and Martin started 15th based on his ranking in the points. The team worked to get the car where they wanted during both of Saturday’s practice sessions and Martin was one of the strongest cars heading into Sunday’s race.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-204) - The team will run RK-204 at Watkins Glen. RK-204 is the same car the team used to finish third there a year ago. The car also qualified third and finished 15th earlier this year at Sonoma.
MARK MARTIN - WATKINS GLEN
Starts: 17
Wins: 3
Top 5's: 12
Top 10's: 15
Poles: 3
Highest finish: 1st (3 times)
First time: 8/14/88 (28th)
Last time: 8/15/04 (3rd)
WORTHY NOTE
Martin has finished insde the top 10 in nine of his last 10 at The Glen.
ROAD COURSE MASTER MARTIN
Martin is one of the most accomplished road course racers on the Nextel circuit. Martin's four wins at road courses are the ninth most all time and his four poles are the eighth most. Martin's 30 top-10 finishes on NASCAR road courses are the most of any active driver.
DOMINATING AT THE GLEN
Martin is one of the most successful drivers in Watkins Glen history, having won three times from 1993-95. All three of Martin's wins at Watkins Glen came from the pole. Overall, Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 15 of his 17 races at Watkins Glen and inside the top five on 12 occasions, including a third-place run last year.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – THE GLEN

Martin has finished in the top 10 in 15 of his 17 races at The Glen, the most of any driver.
Martin has finished in the top-five or better in 12 of 17 races at The Glen, the most of any driver.
Martin's three poles are the most of any driver, he is one of only three drivers with multiple poles there.
Martin won from the pole in three straight races at the Glen from '93 to '95.
Martin's 204 laps led at Watkins Glen are the most of any driver.
Martin set a track record in '95 at the Glen, running 220.5 miles on the 2.4-mile track in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 54 seconds (100.303 mph).
Martin has a 6.18 average finish in 17 career races at The Glen, the best of all drivers with three or more races there.
Martin's 31 modern era top-10 finishes in road course races leads all active drivers and ties for the most ever.
Martin's four wins at road courses tie for the ninth most in NASCAR history and his four poles tie for the eighth most.

QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON THE GLEN
Mark Martin:
"I've always liked road course racing. It's a little different than what we do on a normal weekend, but it presents a challenge and it's something that we've done pretty well at over the years. We've had a lot of success at Watkins Glen in the past and we ran really well there last year. We were a bit off at Sonoma earlier this year, so we'll have our work cut out for us this weekend to make sure we get back to our road racing form and hopefully have a shot at the victory.
"We have a little bit of breathing room over 10th, but you can't ever let up in this business. Pat Tryson and the team have done an outstanding job this year and if we can keep moving in the right direction, then I think we can contend for that championship down the line.”
Pat Tryson:
"We are looking forward to going back to Watkins Glen. Mark has a very strong history at that track and he's one of the best road racers in the business, so we always like our chances in those events. We are taking the same car that we finished third with there last year so it will just be up to us to work with the car enough on Friday and Saturday and hopefully give Mark what he needs to get the win on Sunday."

Ford Racing: News: Ford Post Race Notes and Quotes - Nextel - Indy:
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
"We had a better car than that, but the problem was is we were set up for long runs in the beginning and it just killed us. So then we made the adjustments we could for short runs. We knew we'd be in good shape. We got it where it would take off and run short runs and, boy, we were looking good for all of those cautions that they always have at the end of the races, and then we got long runs. So we didn't get to show the potential of our car because we never had it right for the kind of racing conditions that we had. The car was a little better than that, but it was a good day for us. It was an awesome team effort. The guys are just giving me championship stuff right now. If we just keep honing on our deal here, we'll be championship contenders come The Chase."
YOUR THOUGHTS ON TONY [STEWART] WINNING. YOU'RE A TONY FAN AREN'T YOU?
"Yeah. I'm happy for Tony. Tony is today's ultimate racer. He's the ultimate racer of this era. He's pretty excitable, but he's very fair. He's given me more respect than I deserve. He's great to race with. He's one of the best ones out there. I wish I could have made him earn it today, but it was Kasey [Kahne] that was making him earn it instead."

Martin Finishes Seventh in Caution-Filled Brickyard 400, Moves to Sixth in Points
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Indianapolis Motor Speedway/August 7, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. - Mark Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing team turned in one of their most solid performances of the season with a seventh-place finish in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The finish advanced Martin to sixth in the Nextel Cup point standings and put the veteran 149 points ahead of 10th with only four races remaining before the Chase cutoff. Running a special Retro-90 scheme, the team was strong all weekend, qualifying 10th on Saturday and running inside the field's top 10 for virtually the entire race in route to the team's 11th top-10 finish of the season.
"It was an awesome team effort by the Viagra Team," said Martin. "The guys are just giving me championship stuff right now. If we just keep honing on our deal here, we'll be championship contenders come the chase."
Martin started 10th based on the qualifying effort and was up to eighth by lap 23 when the first of 10 cautions on the day was issued on lap 23. A lightning fast stop of 13.75 sent Martin back out in sixth place when green flag racing resumed on lap 26. Martin was back in 10th when caution number two was called on lap 38 and the team again opted to come into the pits for four tires and fuel. Several cars took two tires only and Martin restarted in 17th place when green flag racing resumed.
The No. 6 got the track position back by taking two tires only after the fourth caution on lap 58 and Martin was back in sixth place when the field took the green again on lap 62. Martin pitted for the fifth time of the day on lap 93 and a 13.46-second stop to take on four tires and fuel put Martin out in 14th place when the field went green. Just two laps into the run Martin had moved up two positions to 12th and on lap 101 he broke back inside the top 10, where he would run the remainder of the race.
The Viagra® Team pitted for the sixth and final time of the day on lap 117, with Martin returning to the field in ninth place when green flag racing resumed on lap 120 with just 40 laps remaining. By lap 229 he was running in eighth place. He moved to sixth on lap 150 with only 10 laps to go, but was unable to hold on to the position and was forced to settle for the seventh-place finish. Indiana native Tony Stewart went on to win the race.
"We had a better car than that, but the problem was is we were set up for long runs in the beginning and it just killed us," said Martin. "So then we made the adjustments we could for short runs. We knew we'd be in good shape. We got it where it would take off and run short runs and, boy, we were looking good for all of those cautions that they always have at the end of the races, and then we got long runs.
"So we didn't get to show the potential of our car because we never had it right for the kind of racing conditions that we needed," added Martin. "The car was a little better than that, but it was still a very good day for us."
The team returns to action next week at Watkins Glen for the second and final road course race of the season. Martin boasts three wins and 15 top 10 finishes in just 17 races at Watkins Glen. Martin has now finished inside the top 15 in nine of the last 11 races, while posting top 10's three of the last four. Martin is currently 10 points out of fifth place and 69 out of fourth. He trails first place by 149 points.

2005 Mark Martin Fast Facts - Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
#6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Ford Taurus
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard / Indianapolis Motor Speedway
August 3, 2005
DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
MARTIN, NO. 6 TEAM READY FOR SHOT AT INDY
Martin moves into Indy boasting top-10 finishes in five of the last eight races, including a third-place run last week at Pocono. Martin will be looking for his first career win at the famed 2.5-mile race track. With only five races before the cut-off, Martin has been consistent, finishing inside the top-15 in seven of the last eight races.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-314) - The team will run RK-314 at Indianapolis. RK-314 is a brand new car that boasted impressive times at the Indy test two weeks ago.
2004 RACE WINNER: Jeff Gordon
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
AUGUST 8, 2004 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway
BRICKYARD 400 – Started 16th, Finished 25th
Martin and the Viagra Team suffered one of their biggest heartbreaks of the season, when the left front tire of Martin’s Ford blew out going into turn one of the last lap of the Brickyard 400. The blown tire put an end to what moments before had looked to be a sure top-five finish and relegated Martin, who had been one of the fastest cars in the race, to a 25th-place finish. Martin had battled his way through the field on two separate occasions, first when he hit the wall during the race’s early laps and again after a blown tire under caution 30 laps into the race. Martin had run in the field’s top six for the previous 68 laps of the race, before blowing the tire on the final lap of NASCAR’s newly instituted green-white-checkered.
MARK MARTIN AT INDY
Starts: 11
Wins: -
Top 5's: 4
Top 10's: 6
Poles: -
Highest finish: 2nd ('98)
First time: 8/6/94 (35th)
Last time: 8/8/04 (25th)
WORTHY NOTE
Martin has finished top 10 in seven of 11 starts at Indy.
IN THE POINTS
Martin's third-place finish at Pocono kept him in seventh, but more importantly gave the No. 6 118 points of breathing room from 10th place. After 20 races Martin is currently 47 points out of fifth and 309 behind first.
MARTIN AT THE BRICKYARD
Martin has finished inside the top 10 in seven of his 11 starts at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He ran inside the top five for much of the race last season, before cutting a tire on the final lap and dropping back to a 25th-place finish. Martin's success at the Brickyard has been a story of hot and cold. He finished 35th in the inaugural race there in '98 after getting caught up in an accident, before reeling off five straight top-six runs from '95-'99.
Martin has finished either top nine, or 22nd or worse in all 11 of his starts at Indy.
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – THE BRICKYARD

Martin has finished inside the top 10 in seven of 11 starts at Indy and inside the top six in five of the 11.
Martin has finished top five in four of 11 starts at Indy.
Martin has won three IROC races at Indy ('98, '99 and 2000).
Martin has scored top-15 finishes in seven of the last eight races and top 10's in five of the last eight.

MARTIN TO GO RETRO AT INDY
Martin will run the third of four special retro-paint schemes that commemorate his 'Salute To You' tour this weekend at the Brickyard. Martin will run the Retro-90 scheme that he originally ran on the car in 1990 and 91. Martin finished second in the points with the scheme in 1990. He scored 30 top-top five and 40 top-10 finishes, eight poles and four wins in that two year span, with wins at Richmond on 2/25/90, Michigan on 8/19/90, North Wilkesboro on 9/30/90, and Atlanta on 11/1.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON THE BRICKYARD
Mark Martin:
"Indianapolis is a race track with a lot of history and we'd love to go win one there this weekend. We really liked the car when we tested there a few weeks ago and we do expect to be pretty strong. We had a strong car there last year and would have gotten a good finish, but we ran over something on the last lap and had to settle for 25th. Hopefully we can go there and finish the job this week. I enjoy racing at Indy and we've had some really good runs there over the years. I think we finished second there once but we'd like nothing more than to put another retro car in victory lane there this weekend.
"We've had some pretty good runs lately and we've finally put some breathing room between us and 10th place, which is something that we wanted to do. We would prefer to be locked into that top 10 down the stretch, rather than having to fight our way in tooth and nail like we did last year. Hopefully that way we can put all our emphasis on those last 10 races and going after that championship."
Pat Tryson:
"We tested there two weeks ago and we really liked the car that we are taking, which is a new car. We had a really good race there a year ago and Mark was able to come up through the field on a couple of different occasions, so we know what he is capable of doing there. If we can get the car set up the way he needs it, then we should be a factor on Sunday."