Mark Martin Museum in Batesville to house race cars
By Caryn Rousseau
Associated Press Writer
Local News - Baxter Bulletin - www.baxterbulletin.com
Originally published February 23, 2005As construction continued Tuesday on NASCAR racing star Mark Martin's new Ford dealership in Batesville, management at the current location were offering a ride in the racer's famed No. 6 Viagra car to anyone who buys a new or used vehicle.
Martin opened the dealership in his hometown last spring, and construction started Monday on a new building that will include a museum to house his trophies and racing cars. The complex is to open in spring 2006.
Martin finished sixth in last weekend's Daytona 500.
Over the years, Martin has made it clear he never lost affection for his home town. He's backing that up with his big investment in the dealership and museum.
The museum and the experience of racing Martin's own car are his ways to let local folks touch the racer's success, said Vic Davidson, who is in charge of new car sales.
Buyers will go to the Memphis Motor Speedway, where they will take a short driver's course before driving around the track 10 times wearing a helmet and firesuit. They'll be able to reach speeds of up to 130 mph. Afterward, they will get to meet Martin, who has 34 career victories, making him 17th on NASCAR's all-time list.
"That's a retail value of $2,000 without Mark being there," Davidson said. "And with Mark being there it's priceless."
Davidson said the promotion runs through March and the racing will be June 24, but the dealership may add more days if sales make it necessary. And heavy drivers may want to slim down because not everyone will fit into Martin's famous No. 6 Roush racing car.
"Just depending on the size of the people will depend on the size of the car," Davidson said. "Of course, Mark's small, so Mark's car will be small."
Larry Shaw, who lives in Batesville and raced with Martin when they were young, said the dealership and promotions are just the racer's way to give back. For example, Shaw noted that Martin is bringing NASCAR Nextel champion Kurt Busch to Batesville on March 25 and 26 for "Mark Martin Fan Days".
"People are calling from California trying to get hotel rooms for when he is here," Batesville Mayor Joe Biard said Tuesday.
But the dealership and promotions aren't where it ends for Martin, 46, who is retiring from full-time Nextel Cup racing after this season. Martin is building a home near Batesville on the banks of the White River.
That's why Martin chose to have his high-profile promotion nearby, Shaw said.
"Mark would want to do something close to home he knows that people can leave and go to Memphis easy," Shaw said. "He wanted to do it close to home. Mark's going to be really involved in that."
The Detroit News: People in the News - 2/23/05:
Here's incentive to take a spin:
With ongoing construction at NASCAR racing star Mark Martin's new Ford dealership in Batesville, Ark., management at the current location decided to offer a ride in the racer's famed No. 6 car to anyone who buys a new or used vehicle.
Martin opened the dealership in his hometown last spring and construction started Monday on a new building that will include a museum to house his trophies and racing cars. The complex is to open in spring 2006.
Martin finished sixth in last weekend's Daytona 500.
The museum and the experience of racing Martin's car are his ways to let local folks touch the racer's success, said Vic Davidson, in charge of new car sales.
Buyers will go to the Memphis Motor Speedway, where they will take a short driver's course before driving around the track 10 times wearing a helmet and firesuit.
They'll be able to reach speeds of up to 130 mph. Afterward they will get to meet Martin, who has 34 victories, making him 17th on NASCAR's career list.
NASCAR Licensed Driver Rings Presented at Green Flag Auto Club 500;
Jostens and BDI Industries Present Rings to 2004 Top 10 ContendersMINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2005--Yesterday, during the pre-race festivities for the Green Flag Auto Club 500 in Fontana, California, Jostens(R) and BDI Industries presented officially licensed NASCAR rings to last season's top ten contenders in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. Designed by the same Jostens artists who created the Super Bowl ring for the New England Patriots last year, the customized rings feature the official Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup logo.
The rings were designed by Jostens in partnership with BDI Industries to recognize the significant accomplishments of the 2004 top ten NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers. The 2004 champion Kurt Busch, received a specially designed "2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion" ring, followed by ring presentations to the remaining top drivers, including Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Elliot Sadler, Ryan Newman, Jeremy Mayfield.
"We certainly appreciate BDI and Jostens efforts in developing these special rings that allow these ten drivers to commemorate the significant accomplishment of making it into the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup," said Blake Davidson, NASCAR's managing director of Licensed Products.
About BDI:
BDI Industries, a California based company is licensed with over 23 NASCAR driver teams and NASCAR, Inc. BDI manufactures and distributes a unique line of licensed products for the general public. In 2004, BDI entered into an agreement with Jostens to be a distributor of Jostens NASCAR licensed rings.
About Jostens:
Minneapolis-based Jostens, founded in 1897, is a leading provider of products, programs and services that help people celebrate important moments, recognize achievements and build affiliations. The company's products include yearbooks, class rings, graduation products, school photography and products for athletic champions and their fans. Web site: Jostens, Inc. - School Class Rings and Yearbooks.
Martin Finishes Seventh at California, Moves to Third in Nextel Cup Point Standings
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
California Speedway/February 27, 2005FONTANA, Calif. (Feb. 27, 2005) – Mark Martin and the Viagra® Racing Team ran to a solid seventh-place finish in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on Sunday afternoon. With the finish the team starts the 2004 campaign with back-to-back top-10 finishes and the run moved Martin up to third place in the Nextel Cup point standings; Martin’s highest place in the standings since 2002.
“It was a solid run and a good effort by the team,” said Martin after the race. “To be honest we had a little better car than that – a top five car at least, but we just weren’t in the right place there at the end. Still it’s a good finish and a good effort by this Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Team. We’ll build on that and come back and see what we can do at Las Vegas in two weeks.”
Martin started the race 18th, but wasted little time moving up the field. He would end up running his Viagra® Ford inside the top 10 for virtually the entire race. He led four laps, earning five bonus points. Martin was one of five Roush cars to lead on the day.
Martin opted to stay out after the day’s final caution on lap 218, which put him running in third with 32 laps to go behind Roush teammates Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch. Biffle and Busch were able to pull away, but on the older tires Martin eventually gave way to a couple of cars on fresh tires and had to settle for the seventh place finish. Biffle went on to win the race, with Busch finishing third.
The finish culminated a strong weekend for Martin that saw the veteran win his record extending 46th career Busch Series race on Saturday. The team will take off next weekend before returning to action in two weeks at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Martin currently trails first place by only 39 points in the standings.
Ford Racing: News: Ford Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - Nextel Cup:
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS (QUALIFIED 18TH)
"I kind of messed us up yesterday on our mock run. I was a little over-optimistic and caused the car to push real bad, so we over-adjusted a little bit with the sun and everything. I got up higher than I meant to and then I had to go through the dirty stuff there where [Dave] Blaney's car was and I just couldn't give it any gas until we got clear of all that. It really isn't gonna be that pathetic considering we fumbled and stumbled. It's still gonna be 15th-20th, so you know you've got a good car when you can stumble and fumble and still be respectable."
YOU HAD A GOOD BUSCH RUN.
"The Busch car is killer. It's gonna be bad-fun, but this car is good, too. It's 500 miles. We start 20th every week anyway, so we're not gonna be far from where we're used to starting."
Martin qualifies 3rd for California Busch race
fordracing.com
February 26, 2005Fontana, Calif. — Running a limited NASCAR Busch Series schedule, Mark Martin seems to be making the best of it so far. Martin earned the third starting position for today’s race with a fast lap of 185.376 mph in 38.840 seconds in the No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Taurus.
Full time NBS pilot David Green will join Martin in the top-10 grid spots. Green qualified the No. 27 Kleenex/Ralphs Taurus eighth with a fast lap of 184.611 mph.
Dale Jarrett, who’s sharing the Robert Yates Racing No. 90 Citi Financial Taurus part-time duties with his NEXTEL Cup teammate Elliott Sadler, qualified 12th. Following Jarrett in the 14th position will be driver of the No. 22 Stacker 2 Taurus Kenny Wallace. And rounding out the top-20 starting positions will be Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 60 Charter Communications Taurus, in the 16th spot and Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Waste Management Taurus, in the 17th position.
Tony Stewart will lead the field from the pole position.
2005 Mark Martin California Track Notes for February 27, 2005
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Auto Club 500/California SpeedwayDRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2004 WINNER: Jeff Gordon
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT - Started 26th, Finished 11th
May 2, 2004 - Auto Club 500 - California Speedway:In a wild finish that saw several cars run short of fuel late in the race, Martin brought home an 11th-place finish. Martin’s car was indeed strong early, but wavered during the last two runs of the day. The No 6 was running in 13th place when a wild and wooly end saw several cars either run out of gas late or pit for fuel in front of Martin. That activity moved Martin all the way into ninth place, before his car came up just short on fuel itself coming out of turn two. Martin lost two of the positions gained and coasted across the line for the 11th place finish.
FRESH OFF SRONG DAYTONA RUN, NO. 6 TEAM HEADS OUT WEST
After a challenging Speedweeks that culminated in Martin's sixth place Daytona 500 finish, the No. 6 Viagra Team takes the show out west to Fontana, where Martin will look for yet another strong showing.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-231) - The team will run RK-231 at California. RK-231 was the star of the stable in 2004, with top five runs at Dover, California 2, Michigan 2 and Las Vegas. The car also had strong runs at Charlotte 2, Pocono 1, Indy and Chicago.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin has currenlty been running at the finish of 23 straight races. The longest current streak in NASCAR.
MARTIN AT FONTANA
Martin has posted four top-10 and three top-five finishes in nine starts at California. In addition, Martin has started inside the top 10 in four of the seven races. Martin finished third last fall at Fontana and 11th a year ago in the Spring race.
Martin actually finished 10th in the inaugural race at Fontana, despite running out of gas on the race's final lap, while in the lead. Martin came back the next year to win the second ever Cup race at Fontana in 1998. Martin has led a total of 259 laps at Fontana, including 65 in a third place finish last fall.
MARTIN GETS RECORD 12th IROC WIN AT DAYTONA
Martin earned his record 12th win in the IROC Series at Daytona last week. This season he will also look to break the record for championships in the series, as he goes for his fifth. He is currently tied with Dale Earnhardt with four. The IROC Series returns to action on on April 15 at Texas.
THE SALUTE TO YOU TOUR HEADS OUT WEST
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON
Mark Martin on Fontana:
"Fontana is pretty awesome right now. We have a great record out there in the past and we really have our cars figured out right now for those types of race tracks and I can't wait to get out there and do some downforce racing with my Viagra Team.
"I've been excited about this part of the schedule since it came out. We survived Daytona and made it out with a solid finish and now we are headed into the style of racing that better suits my style. We can't wait to get moving towards the next three races at Fontana, Las Vegas and Atlanta. We ran strong at Fontana last fall and I can't wait to get out there with the new rules package. We are just looking forward to going out there and seeing what we can do against everyone else."
Pat Tryson on Fontana:
"We had a really good test at Fontana and after two weeks at Daytona, we can't wait to get out there and see what we can do. We ran really well there last fall and it's one of those type of tracks that really suits the way mark likes to race. Hopefully we can go other there and notch the first win of the 'Salute Tour".
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - FONTANA
- Martin has posted four top-10 and three top-five finishes in nine races at California Speedway.
- Martin has led a total of 259 laps at California Speedway, including 65 laps last fall.
- Martin finished 10th in the inaugural California race, despite running out of gas late and posting a DNF. Martin rebounded the following year to win the race.
- Martin has currently been running at the finish of 23 straight races, the longest current streak.
- Martin will drive the No. 9 Pennzoil Busch car at Fontana this weekend as well.
NASCAR driver Mark Martin gets his car serviced during the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005. Martin has announced this will be his final year in NASCAR. (AP Photo/David Graham)
Martin Kicks Off 'Salute to You' With Sixth-place Finish in Daytona 500
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Daytona International Speedway/February 20, 2005
Roush Racing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2005) - Mark Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® Racing team were faced with obstacle after obstacle during the 2005 version of speedweeks, but true to the character that has so often defined them, they were able to battle back to a sixth-place finish in Sunday's famed Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
"This is truly a champion ship caliber team," said Martin after the race. "I just can't say enough about Pat Tryson and this whole Viagra® Team. They are the best I've ever had and they are the best in the business. Their effort to get that car fixed and back out on the track and for it to run that well means everything to me. It means a whole lot more than any trophy ever could. I might not have won the Daytona 500, but that effort means more to me that any would could have anyways."
The tone was set on Thursday when Martin, who was running third, had his Viagra® Ford severely damaged in a multi- car accident during the 35th lap of the Gatorade Duel 150's. Martin's crew worked long hours to repair the damage and provide Martin with one of the fastest cars during Sunday's season opening race.
"The car was good," said Martin. "We had the penalty early and the problems with the fan later, but we came back to the front both times. I made a couple of mistakes out there where I might could have went a different way, but that's the chances you take at Daytona. Overall we are pretty happy with this and we'll take this run to Fontana next week and look to win that thing."
Martin started the race from the back of the field, but eventually worked his way to the front. However, he would have to make his way back to the front on two more occasions on the day. First after a drive through penalty on lap 62 and then after coming into the pits for the crew to examine a faulty blower on the rear-end cooler. Both instances dropped Martin from the top-10 to the back half of the field, but Martin was able to battle his way back to the front each time.
Martin started the race in 32nd after the wreck on Thursday, but the veteran wasted little time mounting his march to the front. Martin had moved all the way to 17th position by just the fifth lap of the race. The team broke into the top 10 for the first time of the day on lap 28, after taking two tires during a pit stop during the second caution of the day on lap 27. By lap 34, the veteran had powered his Viagra® Ford into sixth position.
Martin was running in ninth place when the team came into the pits under green on lap 62 for four tires and fuel. The No. 6 team came up with a solid stop, but Martin was penalized for speeding on pit road and was forced to serve a pass through penalty. The incident dropped Martin to 29th position and two packs behind the leader. Martin was able to work with the No. 48 and No. 97 cars, both which were penalized as well.
The team caught a break with the day's third caution on lap 85, and after the first of several stellar stops on the day (13.76 seconds), Martin found himself in 16th position when green flag racing resumed. After the stop, Martin began to experience a problem with the blower for the rear cooler fan, and worried that the problem could result in burning up the rear end of the car. The team came into the pits under caution on lap 104 to examine the problem. The team was unable to provide any solution to the problem, which eventually cured itself, but Martin had dropped back to 31st place when green-flag racing resumed.
For the third and final time of the day Martin embarked on yet another drive to the front. By lap 112 he was in 23rd. Six laps later he had advanced all the way to 16th position, before breaking back into the top 10 on lap 134. Martin would run all but one of the remaining 66 laps inside the top 10.
A 13.91-second green flag stop for four tires and fuel on lap 136 helped Martin break into the top five for the first time of the day, as Martin hooked up with a six car pack that featured some of the strongest cars in the race. Martin had advanced all the way to fourth place when the day's sixth caution was issued on lap 153. A lightning fast 13.06-second stop was the fastest of all the cars that took four tires and helped Martin move inside the top-three where he was running when caution was again issued on lap 160. The team used the caution to come into the pits to take on fuel only, in what would be its final stop of the day. More excellent pit work put Martin back out in second place when the field resumed green-flag racing on lap 165.
Martin got caught in the middle and was shuffled out of the draft and back to as far as 11th place, before he rebounded. By lap 180 Martin was teamed up with a group of cars working the inside lane as they battled back and forth with the cars in the outside lane. The action made for great racing, but ultimately resulted in a multi-car accident on lap 183, that Martin just narrowly escaped while running in eighth place.
The field went green again on lap 187 with just 13 laps remaining, but caution was called immediately, with several cars getting break checked as the green flag was dropped. Again Martin narrowly escaped getting claimed in the malay, although his No. 6 Ford did sustain slight damage.
Green flag racing resumed on lap 195 and the action was intense, with Martin running seventh and on the bottom in a pack of three cars that continued to feverishly battle another pack of three cars on the top. Martin teamed with Roush teammate Kurt Busch and long time competitor Rusty Wallace. Both lanes fought back and fourth for position, before caution No. 10 was eventually issued with only two laps remaining, with Martin in eighth place.
The caution would force a green-white-checkered finish, where Martin was able to pick up two more spots and finish sixth, just narrowly beating the No. 20 car of Tony Stewart who led 107 of the race's 200 laps. The finish was only Martin's eighth top 10 at the Daytona 500, but his third top-six finish in the Great American Race in the last four events.
Martin leaves Daytona seventh in the Nextel Cup standings, as the team heads out west to Fontana, where Martin finished third last fall.
NASCAR driver Mark Martin talks with car owner Jack Roush prior to the Daytona 500. (Terry Renna/Associated Press)Daytona 500: Ford teams race quotes:
MARK MARTIN - No. 6 Viagra Taurus (Finished 6th)
"It was pretty wild. We had an awesome car there. I shouldn't have let Gordon get up on the inside of me there on that one restart. I was sitting there thinking we might have a shot to contend for this thing, and we did right down to the end. But I just didn't have myself in the right position at the right time."
YOU WERE STRONG ALL DAY, FROM LAP ONE TO LAP 200
"Pretty strong. Credit the Viagra team here, this Taurus' big engines, great effort. This guys have big hearts, and all of 'em."
THE DECISION TO FIX THE CAR WAS THE CORRECT ONE, WASN'T IT?
"Oh, it was the right one, all right. And they did it right, too."
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU AND RUSTY WALLACE WERE RUNNING TOGETHER.
"Rusty and I had a pact. We've been racing 30 years. We had a little problem at Talladega a year ago where he said he was going to go with me and didn't, and I didn't think that was going to happen today. Rusty and I knew this was our last shot and I would've helped at the end and he would help me. I figured that was probably the most loyal friend I had on the race track at the end of the race."
DID IT MEAN EXTRA TO BE OUT THERE AT THE END WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN RACING AS LONG AS YOU?
"I love Rusty. I've raced with him for 30 years, and we fought for the same turf for 30 years and we never once had a problem, and that says a lot."
YOU CERTAINLY MUST BE PROUD?
"I'm proud of this race team, Pat Tryson, this Viagra team. These huge engines we've got under the hood are incredible and this Taurus worked good, and these guys fixed back right, better than right. It was an awesome run for us. I had a great car, I had a car that could contend and so did a lot of other guys. We fought our way back from the back a few times, and we did what we did. It was a good outing for us. I would've liked to have won the race, but we didn't have it hand and let it slip away."
ON NOT WINNING
"It ain't no big deal right now, I'm telling you. I don't have any major love for this place. Check with me at Charlotte. I'll have a tear in my eye there."
DID YOU EVER FEEL YOU HAD A CAR STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE A MOVE?
"Well, I thought we were sitting pretty good when we were second and third, I really, really did. I should've never let Jeff get on the inside of me there. It happened so quick, I couldn't do anything about it. It was my mistake. Had I been up there, no telling what would've happened. Stewart was a shoo-in to win and didn't, so what are you going to do? I mean, you just got to do the best you can and we got a great team, fought our way back twice and everything else."
WITH THE IROC VICTORY AND TODAY'S SIXTH-PLACE FINISH, IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD WEEKEND.
"It's a better start than 43rd last year. This is a good car and I could've had a chance to maybe do a little bit better, but I sure could've done a lot worse."
Rusty Wallace (2) and Mark Martin (6) race side-by-side during the Daytona 500. Both drivers are retiring after this season and running in their last Daytona 500. (Orlando Sentinel, John Raoux/Associated Press)
Martin's finale: I will be fierce
By Louis Brewster, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun - Sports
February 21, 2005FONTANA - Unless he fulfills his dream in his final competitive season, Mark Martin will arguably be the best driver never to have a NASCAR Cup championship.
The driver of the Viagra-sponsored Jack Roush Ford has finished second four times. That legacy includes the 1990 season, when Martin was second to the late Dale Earnhardt by 26 points, after Roush was fined 46 points for an illegal part.
Yet Martin, who started his first Cup race on April 5, 1981 at North Wilkesboro, N.C., is not disappointed. In fact, he has embraced his record as he begins his last run.
"I just can't understand how you can say it's bad that I finished second four times,' Martin said. "Isn't that good? I think it's good that I finished second four times, not bad. It doesn't make me mad.
"It would make me mad right now if I finished third four times instead of second four times, knowing that I could have finished second. That would make me mad.
"But I'm proud and honored for the career I've had and the success I've had.'
Martin has 34 Cup victories, including the NAPA California 500 in 1998. His resume includes wins on the shortest of tracks (Martinsville, 1991) and the longest (Talladega, 1995, 1997) as well as both road courses (Infineon and Watkins Glen).
He has started 602 Cup races and finished in the top 10 more than half the time (340). Martin's career earnings are just over the $46 million mark.
Other than running second in the points race (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002), perhaps his greatest accomplishment was running fourth in 2004 after finishing 17th the year before, his lowest showing since joining Roush in 1988.
That and co-owning the Ford Matt Kenseth drove to the Cup championship in 2003.
But now he stands ready to give up the competitive grind of NASCAR racing. He is in the last year of a five-year contract and he knew when he signed it that it would be his last. He said he is ready for the challenge.
"I realize it's gonna be the most challenging year of my career,' said Martin, who recently announced plans for a car dealership and museum in his hometown of Batesville, Ark. "I've made that commitment to go at it with all the ferocity that I have and my family has made the same commitment. They realize that they're gonna see less of me this year than ever before, but my team and all the people in this sport are gonna get every ounce that I have and I look forward to it.'
Together with Roush and team executives Kevin Woods and Jamie Rodway, Martin has put together the "Salute to You' tour, his way of thanking fans and the media.
"I'm just really grateful for this opportunity that I've had all these years to do the things that I've done,' Martin said. "I reflect back more now than ever before, facing the final go at this Cup thing and realize that I was just a little kid from Arkansas wanting to go race the big time, so it's real important to me. I wouldn't say more than anything else because contending for that championship is probably No. 1 on the agenda, but right behind that is the opportunity to thank the fans, give the respect to the media that they deserve and that we've not always had time to do throughout the years, and my sponsors and the people in this sport that really made the memories.'
Roush wants his driver to go out in style.
"I wouldn't predict the outcome of a horse race or an automobile race,' Roush said, "but I will predict that Mark Martin will not go quietly. I think that speaks volumes.'
And that sentiment extends to his peers.
"If anybody deserves a championship in this sport, Mark Martin does and the truth of the matter is Mark deserves four or five or six,' said former Cup competitor Ricky Craven, now driving trucks for Roush. "He's exceptional. He's a good guy, but he's an exceptional race car driver and only race car drivers truly know that.
"It would be a shame if he doesn't win his championship in 2005. Having said that, he's a champion.'
Martin, perhaps one of the most intense competitors on the circuit, has his eyes squarely on the prize.
"I've done everything; I've given everything I can,' Martin said. "I've devoted the majority of my life since I was 15 years old to being successful in this sport and will never let up as long as I race on this level.'
He let the competition know last week in Daytona this will not be a sentimental tour.
"I will be fierce in 2005. I will have a great team,' said Martin, who finished 107 points behind champion Kurt Busch last year. "I will be watching, and I'll be interested to see in 15 or 20 years if these guys (Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.) are still sitting up here. I know the rate of difficulty to continue to do this for that amount of time.'
Martin is buoyed by the fact he did not lose a team member during the offseason.
"It wasn't because people didn't try to get them,' Martin said. "It was because they knew we had a championship caliber team and they wanted to give me a shot at it in 2005. That's something pretty big to me. It says a lot, some guys had job opportunities that may have looked better to them than what they had, but they chose to give me my last shot.'
There also will be another element to Martin's last year: fun.
"I didn't place an importance on it (racing) being fun,' Martin said. "I placed an importance on winning and running up front. So trying to let fun creep into it wasn't in my brain.'
In 2006, Martin will be racing, but it probably won't be in Cup.
"There is no plan to run Nextel Cup races. We're not even pursuing that possibility at this point and there's a good reason for that,' he said. "It's real competitive and really difficult to do a one-off race and have a chance to win. To believe that I could get in a part-time car and beat the 6 car is not very realistic in my opinion, and I don't want to do it on a limited level like that. I want to definitely have as good a chance as anybody if I do race.'
So, instead, Martin may drive in the truck series or somewhere, anywhere in the country.
"I'm gonna be in the driver's seat in short-track cars probably all across the country, signing autographs and having fun,' Martin said. "The thing I'm gonna do in 2006 is I'm gonna make the decision based on what's gonna be fun and not necessarily what's best for business or anything else.
"I don't have a lot of experience in having fun, so I'm gonna start working on that in 2006.'
Martin takes repaired Taurus to track
fordracing.com
February 19, 2005Daytona Beach, Fla. — Mark Martin got back on the track for the first time since his crew made repairs to his No. 6 Viagra Taurus, which was badly damaged in Thursday's Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race. Martin spoke about how the car felt after Saturday's practice.
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
HOW IMPRESSED ARE YOU THAT YOUR CAR WAS 11TH AFTER PRACTICE?
"I'm just honored to be a part of this team. It's an honor. These guys will do anything. That's why I wanted them back this year. I really love these guys, so it's really an honor to have them back."
HOW MUCH DID THIS PRACTICE SESSION RE-ENERGIZE YOU?
"I'm happy. I'm happy right now. We missed a day of tuning on our car, but it's a good enough car. Sometimes you don't have a good car and you tune on it and it doesn't help. It seems like this car runs good no matter what we put in it."
WHERE ARE YOUR EMOTIONS NOW COMPARED TO THURSDAY?
"Last night got me over my frustrations of Thursday. I had 100 percent confidence in the team. They said they were gonna fix it and that meant it would be right. I told them I didn't care if we practiced or not. If they could fix it, we didn't need practice. If they couldn't fix it, all the practice in the world wasn't gonna help us win, so this is a good thing."
HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING SUNDAY?
"Better than they would have been if they hadn't fixed that car."
CAN YOU PUT A NUMBER OF WHERE THE CAR IS NOW VERSUS BEFORE THE WRECK?
"I think it's where it was right now. I don't know how much better you can get it and we certainly didn't have a lot of time to work with it, so it's where it was on Thursday and I'm happy with that."
PAT TRYSON, CREW CHIEF - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
"That was pretty good. It's pretty close to where it was. The track is obviously a little different, but that was a pretty good practice and now we'll just tweak on it for the race."
HOW BIG WAS IT TO BE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AS FAR AS REPAIRS WENT?
"I was hoping they would give us a little more time to work on it, but we still managed to get it done. We've still got some work to do. It's not 100 percent yet, but it's closer than it was so we'll see."
WHAT PERCENT WOULD YOU SAY IT IS RIGHT NOW?
"It's probably about 90 percent right now. We've got some more work to do tonight to finish it up, but it'll be ready for tomorrow."
DID YOU KNOW?
The last time the "Great American Race" took place on Feb.20 was five years ago when Dale Jarrett, driver of the No. 88 UPS Taurus, led a Ford sweep of the top-five positions and claimed his third Daytona 500 crown. Jarrett, who will start from the pole on Sunday, also won the pole in 2000.
RACKING UP THE MILES
Ricky Rudd, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft Genuine Parts Taurus, can move into the top 5 all-time for miles completed in the Daytona 500 if he makes it at least 411 miles. Rudd will enter the race having completed 11,142.5 career miles while fifth-place Bill Elliott has 11,552.5 miles.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Office Depot Taurus, will be making his first Daytona 500 start, and he has an opportunity to join a select list of drivers who have completed all 500 miles. There have been 475 drivers who have participated in the Daytona 500, but only 96 of them have gone the entire distance.
Martin Lauds Crew
fordracing.com
February 18, 2005Daytona Beach, Fla. — Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra Taurus, will not practice today as his team continues to make repairs to his primary car. Martin spoke about the job his crew is doing and how he feels going into Sunday’s Daytona 500.
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
WHAT THOUGHTS DO YOU HAVE WHEN YOU SEE YOUR CREW DOING WHAT THEY’RE DOING?
“It would be so much easier to pull the backup car that ran in the Bud Shootout out and get it ready to go, but that’s what I love about these guys. They’ve seen the Shootout car run. They know what it’s capable of, and they’ve seen this one run and they know what it’s capable of. I’m sure it’s happened, but I haven’t seen a car on a superspeedway torn up worse than this ever be repaired for anything other than a start and park situation. So it gives me even more pride. I’m so proud to be associated with them. They have great confidence in what they’re doing and I have great confidence in them.”
PAT [TRYSON, CREW CHIEF] SAID YOU DIDN’T CARE IF YOU GOT ANY PRACTICE IN THE CAR BEFORE SUNDAY.
“I would rather run this car repaired and unpracticed than run the other car in practice for two days. The other car is OK, but it’s not special and it’s not gonna be special. This car appears to be special. It’s been our pet since they started hanging the body on it on the surface plate in November and it’s been our pet through January. We had hoped that it would perform as it did yesterday and that’s the car I want to use. If they can fix it, I didn’t care if we practiced or not because we would work it out on Sunday.”
NOW THAT THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED, HOW DO YOU ATTACK THE REST OF THE WEEKEND?
“My official comment now after I’m over being halfway locked up with anger is that I didn’t see anything but the back end of the 29 [Kevin Harvick] car. Once the wreck started happening, the rest of it really doesn’t much matter. Why it happened, who caused it or anything else is not really important to me anymore. What’s important to me is to recover and the team is in the process of that recovery. I’m 100 percent confident in what they’re doing and they’re confident in what they’re doing. This is my last shot at it and they’re gonna do everything they can to have our best effort.”
DOES THIS SPEEDWEEKS SEEM TO HAVE MORE OF AN AGGRESSIVENESS TO IT? SOME DRIVERS HAVE COMMENTED THAT THE SHOOTOUT AND EVEN PRACTICE SESSIONS HAVE BEEN MORE INTENSE. DOES IT FEEL ANY DIFFERENT TO YOU?
“It doesn’t feel any different, but it does look a little different. I think what you’re saying is there. It looks to me like it’s there. It has had a more aggressive look. It doesn’t feel any different than normal to me, but it may feel different to other guys. Both of the qualifying races were rougher than normal. The Shootout seemed to be a wreck looking for a place to happen and it was incredible that we didn’t have one.”
Ford Racing: News: Tryson gives No. 6 Taurus update"
Daytona Beach, Fla. — Crew Chief Pat Tryson gave an update of the team's plans regarding the No. 6 Viagra Taurus that was involved in an accident during the second Gatorade Duel 150.
PAT TRYSON, CREW CHIEF - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
"Our plan is to fix that car. It was the better of our two cars when we were down here testing as far as racing. It's been really good in practice. Mark [Martin]'s been really happy with it, so we're just gonna stay late and work on it. We'll work all day on it tomorrow and try to get it ready for Saturday's practice. Hopefully, we'll get it back like it was and we'll have a shot at winning the race."
HOW MUCH WORK IS THERE?
"There's a lot of work. We have to fix the right-hand part of the nose and the lower part in the center, and then the left-rear quarter and the decklid we've got to fix. The suspension was OK, so that's good. It's just mainly sheet metal stuff, but it's a lot of work. We're committed to giving Mark everything we've got this year. He feels a whole lot better about that car, so we just need to fix it and try to win the 500."
SO YOU DON'T FORESEE ANY PRACTICE AT ALL ON FRIDAY.
"Our plan right now is to not practice tomorrow and just get it ready for Saturday's practice. Mark doesn't care if he practices it at all, but we want to practice on Saturday just to make sure everything is OK."
Ford Racing: News: Ford Nextel post qualifying notes and quotes:
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS (FINISHED 22ND)
"I couldn't see anything but the back end of the 29. I'd be better off not interviewing. We don't have another race car like that. I believe I could win the Daytona 500 with that car, but I don't know if they can fix that. It's wrecked."
BUMP DRAFTING HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT THIS WEEK. IS IT BECOMING AN ISSUE?
"I don't know. I didn't see anything but the back end of the 29. That's all you can see when you're that close. I don't know what happened. Pat [Tryson, crew chief] says he's gonna fix that car. If we want to win and they can fix it right, we can certainly win from the back with that thing. But we don't have another car here, or any other car that we could borrow, I think I can win in. That's the one."
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Gatorade 150/Daytona International Speedway
February 17, 2005Martin's Team Works Feverishly to Repair Car after Lap 35 Accident
Martin had driven the No. 6 Viagra® Ford to the front when accident put an end to his strong runDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2005) – For Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® Racing Team, Thursday’s Gatorade Duel offered the full gamut of emotion. In just 35 short laps Martin and the team experienced a problem with the car on the green flag. They overcame that and used a solid effort that featured a lightning fast car, Martin’s expertise in the draft and solid pit work, all to have it come to a crashing end on just lap 35 of the 60-lap scheduled race.
“I believe I could win the Daytona 500 with that car, but I don't know if they can fix that," said a disgruntled Martin moments after climbing out of the car. "It's wrecked."
Martin’s car struggled at the start of the race, as the engine choked up when Martin pressed the gas. The problem dropped Martin to the back of the field. He was all the way back to 21st when he caught a break as the first caution was issued on just lap three.
The caution allowed the team to come down pit road and take a look under the hood. Although they were unable to find the culprit, the problem cleared up and Martin mounted a strong march to the front after the green flag dropped on lap six. By lap 11 Martin had raced his way back to 11th place as he moved in and out of three-wide racing.
Martin raced his way back into the top 10 on lap 23 and was running in seventh place when the team came down pit road for four tires and fuel on lap 30. The No. 6 Viagra® was ready for the challenge, coming through with an excellent 13.73-second stop that sent Martin back out in third position and with a solid chance at the win.
However, just three laps later it all came to an end when the No. 29 car of Kevin Harvick (who was running in second position), made contact with the leader Jimmie Johnson. The contact sent Johnson’s No. 48 car spinning and caused a multi-car accident that would eventually claim six of the 28 cars in the field. Martin's car sustained severe damage and his run at the Gatorade Duel was over.
However Martin and the team made the decision to repair the car and the team worked feverishly into the night to repair the damage.
“I don't know what happened,” added Martin. “Pat says he's going fix that car. If we want to win and they can fix it right, we can certainly win from the back with that thing. But we don't have another car here or any other car that we could borrow I think I can win in. That's the one."
Martin will start Sunday’s race from 32nd position. However if history is any indication, the starting place should not inhibit Martin’s shot at a solid finish. Two years ago Martin started the great American Race 28th and finished fifth. In 2002, Martin started the race 39th and ran to a sixth-place finish.
Roush officials might partner with Red Sox owner
By Jenna Fryer
AP Motorsports Writer
February 17, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Baseball's champion could be teaming up with NASCAR's.
Looking to tap into the popularity of the World Series-winning Boston Red Sox, Roush Racing has had preliminary talks with Boston owner John Henry about forming a possible partnership.
Rumors circulating around Daytona International Speedway on Thursday had Henry possibly buying a stake in the lucrative Roush organization. But Roush general manager Geoff Smith said any talks with the baseball owner concerned cross-promotion with the Red Sox.
``Jack Roush as long as he lives is going to want to control and operate these race teams,'' Smith said. ``Not to rule out that there isn't a proposition that could be advanced for some sort of affiliation at some time, but right now we like the prospect of an affiliation from a marketing standpoint.
Henry did not immediately return an e-mail request for comment.
Garage insiders have described Henry as a ``racing junkie'' who competes in a high-tech computerized NASCAR league on his own personal simulator. He attended last year's NASCAR race in New Hampshire, and was a guest of NASCAR at their December awards banquet in New York City.
Henry was also spotted at NASCAR's Daytona headquarters last week.
Roush officials, meanwhile, were his guest at Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees.
Smith said the Roush teams, which include reigning Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards, are interested in tapping into the Red Sox fan base and possibly carrying the team paint scheme on one of their cars at the New Hampshire race.
``I think right now John is just taking a harder look at NASCAR,'' Smith said.
BURNING RUBBER
Goodyear officials pulled another 600 tires out of circulation Thursday because of a manufacturer problem that was causing them to either blister or lose the tread.
NASCAR's only tire supplier had already called back 300 tires because the same problems surfaced last weekend. In all, Goodyear took 900 tires from the same group of serial numbers that they feared might suffer from ``tread delamination.''
``We want to do everything we can to provide the best product we can,'' said Goodyear's Stu Grant. ``We met with NASCAR at 7 o'clock this morning after we got our data and told them what we were going to do, explained our results.''
Goodyear officials said they actually only had problems with eight tires, but pulled the rest as a precaution before the twin qualifying races. Grant said Goodyear workers had been through the Nextel Cup garage Thursday morning to take the remaining tires from the teams.
Grant insisted there would not be a tire shortage for Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.
Ryan Pemberton, crew chief for Joe Nemechek, said Goodyear took a dozen tires from them. Nemechek had problems with two this week.
But Pemberton said he was more concerned about the tires overheating than he was about the tread separation.
``The tires are running extremely hot and we are very concerned about that,'' Pemberton said. ``Goodyear may have solved this one problem, but the new problem is the tires are running at about 280 degrees and at most they should be around 250.
``It is just a lot of worries right now for the biggest race of the year.''
Goodyear officials said there were no tire problems in either of Thursday's qualifying races.
FIX IT UP
Mark Martin thought he had a good chance to win his final Daytona 500.
Then he was caught up in an accident in one of Thursday's qualifying races that damaged his No. 6 Ford.
``I believe I could win the Daytona 500 with that car, but I don't know if they can fix that,'' Martin said.
Hands on his hips and a look of a disgust on his face, Martin watched helplessly as his Roush Racing team tried to repair the damage. Martin is retiring from full-time competition at the end of the season and wants badly to add a Daytona 500 win to his resume.
Crew chief Pat Tryson said the team would do everything possible to fix the damage because the car was far superior to the backup.
``Our plan right now is to not practice on Friday and just get it ready,'' Tryson said. ``Mark doesn't care if he practices at all, but we want to practice on Saturday just to make sure everything is OK.''
The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Lifestyle:
NASCAR visits Wal-Mart:
For racing fans who can't make it to the track, the Kraft Racin' Station, a mobile exhibit featuring some of the speed, technology and history of NASCAR racing, made its debut in Florida Wal-Mart locations this month, just in time for the start of the 2005 race season.
The 42-foot long interactive racing exhibit will criss-cross the country, giving shoppers a hands-on experience. Activities include state-of-the art racing video games as well as an under-the-hood view of the 2005 Kraft "Guess Who's Got the Groceries" Ford that Mark Martin drove in the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday.
On Sunday, the Racin' Station will be stationed in Daytona Beach at the Wal-Mart on Beville Road from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Kraft family of drivers runs in the Daytona 500. Fans also can visit the Racin' Station (weather permitting) today at 174 Cypress Point Parkway, Palm Coast, and Saturday at 1590 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange.
Martin prepares for last laps
By Tim Haddock, Columnist
Whittier Daily News
February 17, 2005This will be Mark Martin's last Daytona 500. But don't expect him to get teary-eyed about never competing in the biggest race in NASCAR again.
"Daytona has never been very good to me," said Martin, driver of the No. 6 Ford Taurus for Roush Racing. "And I don't have very kind feelings for Daytona."
Martin, along with fellow old-guard drivers Rusty Wallace and Terry Labonte, are going to retire from NASCAR Nextel Cup Series racing at the end of the season. Martin was the only one of the three that made the new NASCAR Chase for the Championship last year.
But his season started as bad as it could in 2004, when he finished last in the season opener at Daytona. He battled his way throughout the year and made the cut for the Chase as one of the top-10 drivers with 10 races to go.
During preseason testing at California Speedway this month, Martin talked about his decision to retire, visiting some of his favorite tracks for the last time and getting one more shot at winning a NASCAR Cup championship.
Martin signed his last contract to race for Jack Roush five years ago. He told his wife and his accountant it would be his last, although Roush left the door open to add another year or two if Martin wanted.
"The reason I didn't really feel like doing that at this point is because 2003 scared me to death," Martin said. "If my last season had been 2003, I would have gone out and buried my head in the sand and been embarrassed."
Martin didn't win a race in 2003 and finished 17th in points, his worst showing since 1988, his first year with Roush Racing.
"I have a lot of pride," Martin said. "I'm very proud of the career I've had and the things I've done in my career and I don't want to go out hanging on, just hanging on."
Although racing at Daytona won't bring back many good memories for Martin, there are other tracks special to him.
"When you ask me when I get to Lowe's Motor Speedway or some of the other places, it will scare me," Martin said. "There are some places I love so much, and I love to race at so much."
Then there are other things that stir up Martin's emotions.
"Yes, I do sometimes feel a little bit sad, but it would really surprise you the things that make me feel like that," Martin said. "One of the things was when I went into the room at the media tour in Charlotte, with all the media. Just when I saw all their faces out there, I thought, 'Oh no, is this the last time I'll see them?'
"It's not when I roll into Daytona and look around and tears come to my eyes. I want to keep racing at Daytona. It's not that. It's weird the stuff that pulls at my heartstrings."
Martin, a four-time runner-up in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, has his eye on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship, and wouldn't be racing if he didn't think he had a chance to win it.
It's the first time Martin can remember his team and crew returning almost completely intact. He said some of them had offers from other teams and could have left for more money. But most of them stayed.
"That's something that's pretty big to me," Martin said. "It says a lot. Some of the guys had job opportunities that may have looked better to them than what they had. But they chose to stay to give me one last shot."
Martin and Wallace take last shot at Daytona 500 win
By Aaron Bell - Motorsport.com
February 16, 2005A stock car racer's to-do list is usually pretty short.
By the time they decide to hang up their helmet and call it a career, most would be satisfied with a short list of accomplishments. Win a championship. Win the Daytona 500. Win it again.
Of course there are other trophies that drivers want to win. Indianapolis. The Coca-Cola 600. The Southern 500. But nothing else in NASCAR carries the immediate respect of a Harley J. Earl in the trophy case.
For two of NASCAR's modern pioneers, Sunday will be their last chance at the prized possession.
Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace both made their Daytona 500 debut in 1982 but 23 years and a combined 42 starts in the Great American Race have left nothing but heartbreak.
Martin and Wallace have both announced that 2005 will be their final season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and their last shot at winning the most famous race in NASCAR.
"I want to win the damn thing. That's my goal," says Wallace, who has 55 wins in NASCAR's top series, but has never taken the checkered flag in 43 points races at DIS. He won the Bud Shootout in 1998, but his best finish in the 500 was third in 2001. "I got close many, many times. I'd love to go into my final year knowing I've got a 500 (win) under my belt."
Martin also has a Bud Shootout win (in 1999), but has been shutout from Victory Lane in 39 Daytona races, including 20 500's where his best finish was third in 1995.
"I would like to say it really doesn't exist on that list, but, let's face it...that was what I wanted to accomplish by the time I was 25," Martin admitted. "I've been fortunate enough to win more than one race and I didn't get to choose which ones they were. Doggone it, I wish I could have but I didn't."
Both drivers plead that they don't need a Daytona 500 win to make their careers complete - "I don't feel any pressure because it won't make or break my career," Martin says - but Wallace admits that a Daytona 500 trophy would be the icing on the cake of a Hall of Fame career.
"That would be a special feeling," said Wallace the 1989 series champion. "What would be my ultimate thing this year would be to win the 500 and win the final race at Homestead. That would be pretty hot if I could pull it off."
Wallace and Martin aren't the only drivers that have had trouble finding victory lane at DIS. Terry Labonte, who is running a limited schedule this year and next before driving off into the sunset has finished second three times in 26 tries at the Daytona 500, but won't attempt to make the field this year. Current drivers Ricky Rudd (0-for-27), Kyle Petty (0-for-23) and Ken Schrader (0-for-20) are also looking for their first win at the 45-year-old super speedway.
It took 17 years for Darrell Waltrip to win his first Daytona 500 and Dale Earnhardt Sr. competed for two decades before he finally claimed his first and only Daytona 500 win in 1998. Dave Marcis holds the all-time record of 67 Daytona starts, including 33 in the 500, without a win. The history is not lost on Wallace.
"I think about that when I'm quiet," Wallace admitted. "When I go to the track I (don't) even think that. I'm just thinking get that old hot rod running fast because I don't' want to come down here and look stupid in the Daytona 500."
Despite their pending retirement, Martin and Wallace aren't quite ready for the nursing home and are both considered legitimate shots to win the season-opener. Martin picked up a win and 10 top-5's last season and finished fourth in the point standings and Wallace still scares his friends - let alone the people in his Penske Racing shop - with his intense will to win.
Martin has finished sixth or better in four of the past five Daytona 500s and had a strong car one year ago but saw his chance of finally winning the big race go up in smoke when his engine expired seven laps into the race.
"That was one of the few 500's that I was going to be able to really be a contender to win," Martin said. "I can't predict if we can replicate that. That takes a lot of special circumstances. I don't know how big other people's engines are going to be this year. I don't know how sorry their cars are going to handle. I don't know. That was a magical year."
It's hard to image the NEXTEL Cup Series without Martin or Wallace, who have combined to pile up nearly $90 million in winnings during the past quarter century. Even though they try to make us believe that a win isn't that important to their careers, Wallace and Martin will clearly be the sentimental favorites to finally end the drought on Sunday.
Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > Daytona, 2005-02-12 (Daytona International Speedway): Saturday practice 2
Image by Eric Gilbert
Equipment: Canon EOS cameras (3072x2048 digital)
Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > Daytona Shootout, 2005-02-11 (Daytona International Speedway): Friday practice 1
Image by Eric Gilbert
Equipment: Canon EOS cameras (3072x2048 digital)
Veteran drivers brace for last laps
Martin, Wallace ready to begin their final full-time seasons on Nextel Cup tour
By Mike Mulhern, Journal Reporter
Winston-Salem Journal
February 16, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - For Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace, this is it, their last Daytona 500. It takes a while to sink in, that these legends are at the end of the line, after 25 years or more in stock-car racing's major league.
"It's really strange, the things that go through my mind," Martin said. "You would think I would be agonizing over my last Daytona 500. I'm not.
"What does strike me is when I go into a press conference and see all the faces of the people I've known and worked with for the last so-many years, I have this little fear inside I may not see these guys again. I know that's not true, but that's what I feel. That's what I felt at the media tour (in Charlotte two weeks ago) when I walked in and saw all those faces.
"I've truly been blessed with the opportunity and the privileges that I've had in motorsports and in NASCAR racing and the success I've had. But really, family and relationships are much more important than the rest of that. That's probably the part that scares me the most."
Martin, who will probably run in next February's Bud Shootout, insists that the last Daytona 500 of his career "doesn't seem like a big deal to me, because this place has never been very kind to me.
"There is no special place in this place's heart for me, and no special place in my heart for this particular place. I don't have any great memories or any wonderful days.
"I've had some good runs here and some good finishes. We won the Shootout and won in an IROC car, and things like that. But for the most part this is not at the top of my list."
Wallace and Martin can commiserate. Wallace has never had much success here, either.
"Rusty and I have known each other since '76, and we've been racing against each other since '77 on a weekly basis, and it's pretty cool, because Rusty and I came from the same part of the country," Martin said. "We've battled all these years, 30 years, and never once had a problem on the track. That says a lot for Rusty Wallace and the kind of person, the kind of competitor he is."
Wallace's NASCAR championship in 1989 was one of the wildest campaigns in NASCAR history. Martin has not won a title, but he has come oh, so close many times, including last season.
"Rusty Wallace is one of the greatest that's ever been," Martin said. "He's won 50-some races and a championship, and he's quite a character. He's one of the most distinct personalities in NASCAR.
"He will leave his legacy, and I guess I will mine as well. It's different - mine is different - and I'm not sure how I will be remembered. I'm sure it will be for being a determined competitor, and a fair competitor.
"I've had a chance to reflect a little. I'm excited about opening a new chapter in my life, and doing a little reminiscing of some great old times."
But the real fun, Martin said, "will start a year from now. This year is all about work.
"It's going to be all hard work. The hardest, most demanding year of my life. And I'm all signed up for it, my family is signed up for the sacrifices and compromises, and my race team is signed up for all that, too. Everybody stayed in place from last year in order to give me a shot at this championship."
Martin is braced.
"These seasons are long and difficult, and I haven't had any of them just fly by," he said. "It really, really wears you down. I don't think it'll go fast at all.
"There's a lot of pressure in this business, and it would be almost impossible for there to be any more pressure on me this year than in 2004, for many reasons that most people don't know. That was by far the most pressure I'd ever experienced."
But Martin does seem happier than usual.
"I think the smiles are because I can see the weight lifting, I can see the end of the tunnel," he said."For so long I was buried and could never see the end of the tunnel, and now I see it.
"I really need to be out from under the pressures and the grind. I need to reclaim a piece of my life back for my family. These are things that are incredibly important to me at this time in my life. So I'm excited about the future and opening a new chapter."
Martin says he, Wallace, Bill Elliott and the other over-40s on the tour are the last of a breed. The new generation of drivers won't be hanging around nearly as long.
"Absolutely not. No way. The demands are so great now," Martin said.
"In the days before Rusty and me, you got a later start because you had to wait for a good car to open up. You had to prove yourself and then wait for a good team. That put you in your early 30s before you got in a position to really race for a championship. So you raced much longer.
"But now the demands are so great I don't think anybody who started at 20 would want to be doing it at 50.
"I don't think fans truly, completely understand because I don't think that we've done that good a job of educating the fan on the day-to-day, week-to-week demands on the driver's time and team's time. The teams have it even worse than the drivers."
Martin weighs only 135 pounds, but it's all muscle. Martin pumps iron.
Martin has been on a serious weight-lifting program since 1988.
"I only weighed 130 when I started lifting weights, and I traded a lot of body fat for some muscle, but I didn't really gain any weight," Martin said. "I'm just a little guy. I've tried to get big. I would have liked to have gotten up to 150 or 145, but I don't have the body type for that. I just can't get that heavy.
"At 46, I can't strength-train in the same lunatic fashion I did in the early 1990s. I strength-train but I don't bench-press 230 pounds anymore, I don't squat 275 pounds anymore."
Next spring Martin will likely be driving on the Truck tour, which is becoming NASCAR's "senior tour."
"It looks like it would be fun," Martin said. "I'm not done racing. I'm way too young to stop racing.
"I'm very capable and very passionate about racing ... but I'm done with what I'm doing. I've got to close this chapter. It has grown to the point where I can't sign up for another year.
"I have other things that are important to me, that I have put off for 30 years.
"Go to a family reunion. I haven't ever been to a Martin family reunion in my life. I'm excused from every kind of family event, except the ones that they schedule around my schedule.
"I didn't go to my granddad's funeral last year.
"You guys should know better than anybody that if you've got a day off and it's Monday and your kids are in school and everybody you know is working, what good is it? It's not the same as a Sunday, when you can go and have dinner with your family.
"Sunday is a totally different day than a Monday, it just really is. And it's something that when you haven't had any for 30 years, it's a different day."
Mark Martin adjusts his mirror during a break in practice at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. in this Aug. 22, 2003 file photo. Whether Martin wins his final Daytona 500 or not, or finally wins a series championship or not, he plans to have fun this year. People who know Martin find that attitude change surprising .But Martin, who acknowledges he tends to be obsessive about whatever goal he sets, said this is all part of a master plan he devised six years ago. - (AP Photo/Alan Marler)
Martin loosening up entering final full season
By Mike Harris
AP Motorsports Writer
February 15, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Whether Mark Martin wins his final Daytona 500 or not, or finally wins a series championship, he plans to have fun, fun, fun this year.
People who know Martin find that attitude change surprising.
``Mark has always been a very, very intense person,'' said Matt Kenseth, who Martin mentored to NASCAR Nextel Cup stardom. ``Since he began telling people 2005 will be his last season, there's been a real difference. He seems to be happier.''
It's true, Martin says.
``I believe I have changed,'' Martin said, grinning. ``I know for a fact I'm happier now than I was a year ago. I think it's because I understand myself more than I have in the past.''
But Martin, who acknowledges he tends to be obsessive about whatever goal he sets, said this is all part of a master plan he devised six years ago.
``When I signed my last contract with Roush Racing in 1999, I had a plan,'' Martin said. ``I didn't really tell anybody, but I knew what it was. I wanted to be able to do things my way, a way that made sense to me.''
That means walking away from Cup racing while he's still competitive.
``I don't want to be embarrassing myself,'' the 45-year-old driver said. ``I don't want to be caught out here finishing 25th every week.''
Not likely.
Martin is coming off a season in which he finished fourth in the final standings and was in contention for the title up to the last race of the year. He goes into Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500 as one of the favorites -- and certainly the sentimental choice.
And admiring is how Martin is feeling these days, although not necessarily about his racing.
``Looking at going to my last Daytona 500 doesn't phase me,'' he said. ``It's all about relationships. Everything means more to me now; the people I've known and relationships I've had.''
Martin has had a tremendous amount of success during a Cup career that dates to 1981. A 30-foot high wall of trophies and awards and at his office on the outskirts of Daytona Beach attest to that.
There have been 34 Cup victories and four series runner-up finishes, a record 45 race wins in the Busch Series and four titles in the all-star International Race of Champions series.
Looking at his wall of hardware, Martin shook his head and shrugged.
``You know, it's invisible to me,'' he said. ``I'm here almost every day and I don't even see it.''
That's why he's going to move most of trophies, along with old cars and other memorabilia, into a museum he's building in his hometown of Batesville, Ark., next to his new Ford dealership.
``I'm a fan first,'' he said. ``I was a fan before I drove and I'll always be a fan. I want people who are interested to be able to see some of these things. I'm not doing it for any gain. I don't expect it to make any money, just to be someplace my fans can go to see some pretty interesting things.''
The self-effacing Martin has rarely taken credit for his successes, usually pointing to the car or the team or some stroke of luck for his wins and titles.
But now, nearing the end of his career, he can at least admit he's ``done OK.''
``I don't know if I really truly believed I would be this much of a success when I was standing around those little dirt tracks in Arkansas. I know I'm not the greatest that ever was, but I'm proud of what I've accomplished,''
Finishing up his Cup career won't be the end of his racing, either.
The plans haven't been finalized, but Martin said he can still see some truck racing, and maybe even a Busch race or two, in his future.
``The main thing, though, is I'm going to be doing what I want to do when I want to do it,'' he said. ``I'm going to have some fun.''
Martin to appear in the Monster Mile Club June 5 at Dover International Speedway
By Gary Camp
WhoWon.com
February 15, 2005DOVER, Del. -- Dover International Speedway is pleased to announce that Mark Martin, driver of the #6 Viagra Ford in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, will appear in the Monster Mile Club on June 5, 2005 at 10:00 a.m.
The Monster Mile Club is a pre-race fan hospitality package available to all ticket holders at Dover International Speedway. Located in the North Hospitality Tent Village, the Monster Mile Club is an action-packed way to experience race day at Dover International Speedway in style.
Admission to the Monster Mile Club includes unlimited food and drink (beer, soda and water), a VIP trackside tour, live entertainment, a limited-edition souvenir item, a program, interactive games and an appearance by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup star Mark Martin.
The club opens at 7:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast, and VIP trackside tours begin at 8:00 a.m. Mark Martin will be the special guest at 10:00 a.m., and will participate in a hosted question-and-answer session. A hot, catered lunch will be served at 10:30 a.m. Fans will enter the Monster Mile full and refreshed for the start of the MBNA 400 NEXTEL Cup race. The Monster Mile Club closes at lap 200, or 3 p.m., whichever comes first.
Admission to the Monster Mile Club costs $99. To add the Monster Mile Club to your ticket purchase, call the Dover ticket office by May 20, 2005 at 800-441-RACE. It's available to everyone -- even the kids! Martin is a true fan-favorite, and the Monster Mile Club is expected to sell out. Space is limited.
Martin, 46, has experienced success in the past at Dover International Speedway. He won the MBNA 400: "A Salute to Heroes" NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on June 6, 2004, and had a strong finish in the Sept. 26, 2004 race at the Monster Mile. Starting 12th in the MBNA America 400, he ended the race in second behind eventual winner Ryan Newman.
Martin has collected four wins and four poles at Dover since he first tackled the Monster Mile in 1982.
He was one of the final ten drivers eligible for the "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup" in 2004. He finished fourth in the battle for the championship, behind winner and Roush Racing teammate Kurt Busch.
Despite an incredibly successful career, Martin is one of the most talented drivers to never win a championship in NASCAR'S premiere series. He finished second in points in 2002, 1998, 1994 and 1990.
At an October 2004 press conference, Martin announced that 2005 would be his final full season in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. He will orchestrate the "Salute to You" tour throughout the 2005 season, and mentioned the possibility of fielding his own trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2006.
34 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup wins, and over 600 starts later -- Martin finds himself as one of the top contenders for the championship in 2005.
Tickets for the June 3-5 and Sept. 23-25, 2005 race weekends at the Monster Mile are now on sale. Call (800) 441-RACE today to purchase tickets and the Monster Mile Club hospitality package at Dover International Speedway!
Martin, Wallace feel differently about impending retirements
By Steve Ballard - Indianpolis Star
February 15, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace have shared the same stage for more than 20 years and now are preparing to leave it together. But that doesn't mean they are in unison as they sing their final chorus.
Martin, the introvert, can't wait for the NASCAR Nextel Cup season to end so he can step out of the spotlight and into the rest of his life. Wallace, ever the extrovert, already is having second thoughts.
The departures of two of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history bring to light the similarities in their careers, including the combined 0-for-42 they carry into Sunday's Daytona 500. But it would be difficult to find two men more different in personality.
Martin avoids controversy with the same zeal he avoids media attention. He can be crabby at times but is careful in all he does on the racetrack and all he says off it. To him, a TV camera has the same appeal as a dentist's drill.
Wallace is an interviewer's dream, a wise-cracking quote machine with an opinion on everything and everyone. If there isn't a TV camera around, he'll go find one.
"He's quite a character," Martin said of his fellow retiree. "He will leave his legacy and I guess I will mine as well. Mine is different. I'm not sure how I will be remembered (except as a) determined competitor and a fair competitor."
Martin, 46, has had his exit mapped out since he signed his last contract with Roush Racing in 1999. He knew then this season would be his last and nothing has happened since to change his mind.
"I've spent a lot of weekends sitting by myself wishing I was somewhere else, so I'm doing something about it," Martin said.
"I'm making the decision based on what's going to be fun. I don't have a lot of experience in having fun. I'm going to start in 2006."
Martin has made clear he is retiring only as a full-time Nextel Cup driver and not as a racer. The exit strategy employed by former series champions Bill Elliott in 2004 and Terry Labonte this year of running a limited schedule does not appeal to Martin. But the NASCAR truck series appeals to him because he could race 25 weekends a year instead of 38 and still have Sundays off.
"I'm not done racing. I'm way too young to stop racing," he said. "But I'm done with what I'm doing. I've got to close this chapter.
"I haven't ever been to a Martin family reunion. I didn't go to my granddad's funeral. I haven't done anything. If you've got a day off and it's Monday, and your kids are in school and everybody you know is working, what good is it?
"Sunday is a totally different day than Monday, especially when you haven't had any (off) for 30 years."
Like Martin, Wallace, 48, is weary of the grind, but he has yet to reconcile himself to a future that doesn't include Sundays at the racetrack.
He is a part-owner at Penske Racing South, but his ongoing feud with teammate Ryan Newman could imperil his partnership with Roger Penske. Wallace is a natural for the TV booth, but he knows that won't feed his competitive desires.
"I'd be lying to you if I told you I hadn't been thinking about that a thousand times," he said. "I've been lying in bed wondering if I made the right decision or if I pulled the trigger too quick."
Neither is being forced out for performance reasons. Both won races last year and Martin, a four-time points runner-up with 34 career wins, challenged for his first title. He is a contender again.
"I predict that Mark will not go quietly," owner Jack Roush said.
Wallace's 55th career victory, which puts him eighth on the all-time list, ended a 105-race winless streak. The 1989 series champion is a long shot to get into the 10-man, 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup, but don't tell him that.
"I'm going to be on the gas real, real hard," he said. "I feel like I'm up for the game."
His boss agrees but isn't going to try to talk Wallace out of retirement. Penske remembers all too well how Wallace was affected by the crash that killed Dale Earnhardt four years ago at Daytona.
"He saw Earnhardt, one of his good friends -- you know this is a sport that has some risks," Penske said. "We don't want to see Rusty do like some other great drivers and wait until it's almost too late. I told him, 'You're doing it at the right time.' "
Helping ease the transition for both drivers will be the opportunity to mentor their sons. Matt Martin, 13, and Stephen Wallace, 17, are both aspiring racers.
A Daytona 500 victory also would make closing the book a little easier. Wallace said he is "possessed to win that race" and will feel a void if he doesn't.
And Martin? "This place has never been very kind to me, so there is no special place in (Daytona's) heart for me and no special place in my heart for it."
Just one more thing that sets them apart from one another.
Martin savors memories, mementos
As career winds down, 34-time winner in Cup reflects on people, places
By Nate Ryan - Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
February 15, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. The scratched stopwatch is tucked between a crystal bowl from the inaugural Winston Cup race at Las Vegas and a gold-plated globe from a win in the 1993 Southern 500.
Surrounded by shiny trophies from North Wilkesboro, Rockingham and Darlington, it's easy to miss the prehistoric timepiece. But for Mark Martin, it's impossible to forget.
A nicked-up faceplate reveals he was the 1977 S & S Auto Parts Rookie of the Year in the American Speed Association. It's the only tangible reminder of his career in the Midwestern-based series, where he won four championships and countless races before becoming one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers.
"When Arlene and I got married in 1984 we moved seven times in five years," Martin said. "All my ASA trophies hit the dumpster on the second or third move. She said, 'You're going to be sorry.' She was right."
Martin is retiring from Nextel Cup at the end of the season, and the plainspoken native of Batesville, Ark., isn't the sentimental type. Thinking about his final Daytona 500 still "doesn't faze me." But his outlook changed last month when he stepped into a preseason news conference, was greeted by throngs of media and felt "like when you jump into cold water and it takes your breath away."
"I said 'Oh no, is this the last time I'll see these guys?'" Martin said. "Everything started meaning more to me. I thought about the people I've known and relationships I've had, and I recognized more and more that it's about the symbols more than anything else."
At the end of Seclusion Drive, inside a converted airplane hangar a short walk from Martin's house in a fly-in community ("You can't park there, I'm pulling my plane out," a visitor was told yesterday), he is storing the symbols of his success. Aside from a neatly arranged set of workout equipment, a conference table, a leather couch and a large-screen TV, the warehouse-sized room is dominated by trophies, framed firesuits and newspaper clippings, helmets, banners and cars from a career featuring 34 Cup victories and 41 pole positions.
Martin long has maintained he doesn't race for fame. But he does live for the memories and each piece of nostalgia helps jog his brain about a lifetime built around racing.
"It makes me think about the crew chiefs and the people that were there; the stories and the circumstances," he said.
A lime-green car from one of his four IROC championships is parked alongside a yellow and black Winn Dixie-sponsored Ford, a Busch Series fixture that ran for the final time in 2000 at Homestead.
"There is a reason why I finished second to Jeff Gordon that day," Martin said, lifting the car's hood to point at a right-front tire worn to its cords.
A lugnut wired to a Watkins Glen trophy tells another tire story from 1993 when he overcame a slow pit stop with a troublesome right rear for an unlikely victory.
"[Former crew chief] Robin Pemberton was changing tires back then and wired that nut," Martin said. "You can look at a lot of these and remember what circumstances were involved in winning those races."
The mementos also recall light-hearted moments, which explains why a pair of underwear are embroidered with "Mark Martin winner, Martinsville, 4-9-00."
"I was frustrated during a Saturday practice driving so hard, and I'm on the radio going, 'You've got to have panties to run this place,'" he said. "We won the race the next day. Some of my crew had those made up."
The Virginia-shaped plaques from his record five Busch victories at Richmond International Raceway are lined up along an adjoining wall. They won't be much longer.
Martin will open a museum devoted to his career next year adjacent to his Ford dealership in Batesville, and the hundreds of items inside the hangar are ticketed to fill his new showcase.
"Very few people see this here," Martin said. "I don't appreciate it because I see it every day. I want to put it where everyone can appreciate it."
Martin's career becomes symbolic
The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SPEED Magazine
By Godwin Kelly, Staff Writer
February 15, 2005DAYTONA BEACH -- Mark Martin didn't have to climb a tall mountain to visit an old wise man to find the meaning of life.
He just took a good look at the events and people around him to make that discovery over the last year.
"It's all about relationships," Martin said. "Everything means more to me now; the people I've known and relationships I've had."
On an off-day at Daytona International Speedway, Martin invited a dozen or so media members to his local racing complex, which includes a race shop for his 13-year-old son Matt and a separate office that holds his vast collection of trophies.
The wall of awards is missing several early trophies earned in the days when Martin was more concerned about a paycheck than metal kudos.
"I married Arlene in 1984, and we moved seven times our first five years together," Martin said. "All my trophies I had collected hit the dumpster in our second move. Arlene warned me, 'You'll be sorry.' "
"At the time, I was more concerned about Arlene and her four daughters," he added. "To me those trophies were just a lot of junk."
Martin hooked up with car owner Jack Roush in 1988, and they've made beautiful music together in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series ranks.
It wasn't until 1994, when Martin hired business manager Benny Ertel, and he settled here, that trophies began to have some meaning.
The current wall of trophies are from Martin's many Nextel Cup, Busch Series and IROC victories. Lost are Martin's numerous American Speed Association and regional short-track awards earned before he entered the NASCAR ranks.
"Benny and I have been in retrieving mode here lately," Martin said. "Everything prior to 1994, before Benny came along, we're struggling with."
It's not so much the hardware but the memories that the trophies revive. There's one in the trophy case from a win at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a lug nut wired to it.
Martin said the lug nut, from his right rear tire, would not come off on his last pit stop, and he was forced to go the distance on the same tire. Despite the old rubber, Martin won that day.
"I never dreamed that we would win that race because of that tire," he said. "That's why that trophy means something to me. I look at the trophy, and I remember that day and the people."
"As my full-time Cup career comes to a close, I recognize more and more the value of these symbols, and that's something I just realized here lately."
Martin is not retiring from racing, but after this season, he won't be a full-time Nextel Cup driver.
He plans to open his own museum next to his car dealership in Batesville, Ark., in the next year. All of his trophies and a select number of his former race cars will be housed there.
Martin has a "The Road Home" program, where race fans may purchase a brick at the Martin museum.
"I needed a good home for these trophies," Martin said.
Martin begins the last year of full-time Cup duty with optimism, believing he will win at least one more time before starting a new chapter in his life.
"I don't want to end my career racing for 25th place every week," Martin said. "I'm not the greatest that ever was, but I'm proud of what I've accomplished."
Martin Finishes Eighth in Budweiser Shootout
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Daytona International Speedway/February 12, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2005) - Mark Martin kicked off his "Salute To You" Tour 2005 season with an eighth-place run in Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Martin made his record 18th straight start in the Shootout, powering the Kraft Guess Who's Got Groceries Ford.
"I would have liked to have watched it, because it should have been a good show," said Martin after the race. "I just want to thank Kraft for their support of this thing. We had a giant motor under the hood and I guess we did good to finish eighth.
"We had a flat tire in that first segment and really were lucky to stay on the lead lap and that it didn't tear the car all to pieces."
The team was forced to battle back from a flat left-rear tire for the finish, after an early tire rub almost resulted in disaster for the No. 6 car. Martin started fourth and moved up to as high as sixth, but he was forced to drop to the back of the field after losing the left rear. Martin was able to stay on the lead lap and the team was able to repair the damage caused during the break between the first and second segments after lap 20. Martin finished the first 20-lap segment in 19th of 20 cars.
Working with the No. 8 car, Martin was able to drive his way to as high as sixth place in the second segment, but he was never able to get with the right group of cars to further advance.
"There were a couple of times when we had a chance to get up there and get in the mix," added Martin. But I never quite got into position where I had enough good cars behind me that they would wind up staying behind me. Each time I got near the front I would wind up at the tail end of the line on the outside. I had to do all my business on the outside and I just didn't have enough pals back there."
Martin and the team will now turn its attention to preparations for next Sunday's Daytona 500. Qualifying will be held on Sunday (Feb. 13), with the Gatorade Duel 150s on Thursday.
"The thing I look forward is got some big engines under the hood and we've got a great race team on pit road there for us, so I look forward to going out and racing," added Martin.
From AP Motorsports article dated 2/13/2005:
THE BEST MAN
Mark Martin spent his morning serving as the honorary best man in the wedding of ``Survivor: Vanuatu'' winner Chris Daugherty and Lorie Groves.
Daugherty is a self-professed Martin fan and wanted to be married in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
``You don't pass up an opportunity to get married at Daytona, especially in Victory Lane,'' said Daugherty. ``It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.''
Martin found the ceremony amusing, but said he doubted his own wife, Arlene, would have gone for it.
``It would be fun for me, but I am not sure Arlene would have gone for it,'' Martin said. ``It shows you the commitment that the fans have to the sport and the love they have for racing.''
Martin and Wallace begin long goodbye in Shootout
By Mike Harris
AP Motorsports Writer
February 11, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace will begin saying a season-long goodbye to stock car racing Saturday night.
While both are preparing for their final full seasons of NASCAR Nextel Cup racing, each is determined it won't be a sad farewell.
"I think Rusty feels the same way I do," Martins said. "We both want to go out on a high note, as competitive race drivers."
Martin, 46, finished fourth in the points last year and goes into the 2005 season as one of at least a dozen drivers considered contenders for the Cup championship. The 48-year-old Wallace ended a 105-race winless string last season and expects to run near the front of the pack this year.
"I don't plan to go out quietly," Wallace said, grinning. "We have everything we need to win races."
A great start for either one of the veterans would be a victory in the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, a race each has won once. Martin stormed back from 13th to beat Kenny Schrader by a car length in 1999. Wallace won the previous year, holding off younger brother Kenny as they raced to the checkered flag.
"I've always thought the Bud Shootout was a great way to start the season off," said Martin, who will be making his 18th start and 17th in a row in the non-points race for last year's pole winners and former winners of the made-for-TV event.
"It's one of those rare races where second place means nothing and you just have to go out there and put everything on the line to win the thing. That's my kind of racing."
Wallace, who will be starting his 19th Shootout, echoed his longtime rival, saying, "If you can win the Shootout, you get your season off on the right foot and give you whole team a big boost of confidence. And that race is usually a pretty good preview of the 500."
It would also be an enormous thrill for Martin or Wallace to finish at the front of the Daytona 500, NASCAR's most prestigious race and one neither has won.
"I haven't won the Daytona 500 and I doubt there's too many people out there who are not aware of that fact," said Wallace, the 1989 series champion and winner of 55 Cup races. "I got close many, many times.
"I'd love to go into my final year knowing I've finally got a 500 victory under my belt when we leave Daytona. That would be a special feeling."
And, as long as he is dreaming, Wallace is dreaming big.
"What would be my ultimate thing this year would be to win the 500 and win the final race at Homestead," he said. "That would be pretty hot if I could pull it off."
Martin is a little less ambitious.
"I'd love a top-five finish," he said. "I'd like a top-10 finish. I'd be much happier with a 20th-place finish than 43rd, like last year. The big thing is it's very important to me to get off to a better start than last year."
Both drivers say that building some momentum in Saturday night's 70-lap event -- divided into segments of 20 and 50 laps, with a mandatory pit stop in the second segment -- is important.
To do that will take some work, with Martin starting 14th and Wallace 15th in the 20-car field.
Defending champion Dale Jarrett got the pole and Greg Biffle the second spot in a blind draw for position.
Others in the race include Bill Elliott, Brian Vickers, Schrader, reigning Cup champion Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Ricky Rudd, Jeremy Mayfield, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Joe Nemechek, Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Bobby Labonte and Geoffrey Bodine.
2005 Mark Martin Daytona 500 Track Notes - February 20, 2005
Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Roush Racing #6 Ford Taurus
Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway
February 7, 2005DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. (6) Viagra® Ford Taurus
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
WINNER OF 2004 EVENT: DALE EARNHARDT JR.
MARK MARTIN - 2004 EVENT
February 15, 2004 - Started: 8th Finished: 43rd:
The day started off with a much-anticipated visit by President George Bush. Unfortunately for the No. 6 team the pre-race festivities would prove to be the highlight of the day. Martin started the race in eighth place, his fifth best starting position in 20 races at Daytona and his best since 1997, based on his strong finish in Thursday's Twin-125. However, Martin's day would come to an end just seven laps into the race when he lost his engine. The finish was a disappointing ending to one of the team's strongest Speedweeks.
MARTIN KICKS OFF 'SALUTE TO YOU' TOUR AT DAYTONA
Martin and the Viagra® Racing Team officially kick off the 2005 "Salute To You" Tour at Daytona Speedweeks, where Martin will be looking for strong showings in the Budweiser Shootout, IROC series and the famed Daytona 500.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (RK-235, Daytona 500) (RK-286, Budweiser Shootout) - The team will run RK-235 in the Daytona 500. RK-235 ran to a sixth-place finish last July at Daytona and it finished fourth in the Shootout last season. RK-286, a new car that the team tested in February, will run in this year's Bud Shootout.
THE 500
Starts: 20
Top 5's: 4
Top 10's: 7
Highest finish: 3rd ('95)
First time: 2-14-82 (31st)
Last time: 2-16-03 (5th)WORTHY NOTE
Martin has finished top six in two of his last three Daytona 500s.
MARTIN AND THE DAYTONA 500
Resident of Daytona Beach, Florida, this will be Martin's 21st start in the famed Daytona 500. Martin made his first start at Daytona International Speedway in 1982. He has finished in the top-six in two of the past three Daytona 500's, but suffered a 43rd-place finish last season after losing his engine only eight laps into the event, despite posting one of his strongest Speedweeks in recent memory. This will be Martin's 40th Cup start at Daytona.
MARTIN AND THE SHOOTOUT
Martin will also run his record 17th-consecutive Budweiser Shootout, an event he won in 1999. Martin finished fourth in the event last year, his best finish in the Shootout since the win in '99.
RETURN TO IROC
Martin will make a return to the International Race of Champions Series in 2005, where he'll be looking for a record-breaking fifth championship. In addition Martin needs just one more win in the series to break a tie for the most wins ever in the series. Martin won the last IROC race he took part in at Daytona in 2003.
THE SALUTE TO YOU TOUR
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON
Mark Martin:
"We are really excited about getting this season started. Pat Tryson and all the guys on this Viagra Team have worked very hard over the last couple of months to get us ready for this and it's going to be great to get the season started up. We've had a great month of testing and we just can't wait to get it going. We have a lot of racing to do over Speedweeks with the Shootout, the IROC race, the Gatorade 150's and the 500 and I'd like nothing better than to kick off the "Salute To You" tour with some strong runs and maybe a couple of wins in there.
"We've got a great race team in place. A lot of these guys passed on some good opportunities to come back and make one more run with me and I don't plan on letting these guys down. Our plan is to come out strong and that all starts with Speedweeks here at Daytona."
Pat Tryson:
"We're excited and we're ready. We didn't get the finish down here last year that we wanted or that we felt we deserved and we are going to do all we can to get this thing started with a strong run at Daytona. We've put a lot of work into the off-season and at this point we just can't wait to go racing. Mark's the best driver in the business and it's our job to make sure that he has what he needs to go out and win races. We'd like nothing more than to start that off with a big win in Daytona."
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS - DAYTONA
- Martin will make his 21st start in the 500 and his 40th overall Cup start at Daytona.
- This season will mark the final for Martin as a regular on the Nextel Cup circuit.
- Martin will make his record 17th consecutive start in the Budweiser Shootout.
- Martin will make his return to the IROC series in 2005, where he will look to set record for championships.
- Martin had his 12th IROC career win at Daytona on February 18, 2005. He now holds the record with 12 wins.
- Martin has currenlty started 545 consecuitve Cup races, the third longest active streak.
