Mark Martin sings Jason Hogan's praises after Roush Truck test
By Jeremy Troiano, Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. -- NASCAR Southeast Series driver Jason Hogan is at the top of his class according to NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Mark Martin. The 22-year-old Hogan was one of 10 drivers selected to participate in the final round of Roush Racing's "Race for the Ride," (also known as the "Gong Show"), in hopes of landing a ride with Roush Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The Roush Racing ride search began with more than 400 applications. That list was then narrowed down through several different levels to a group of 26 drivers who were invited to North Wilkesboro Speedway (NC) to test in a Roush truck. After the test, the list was trimmed to 10 finalists, who were invited back to Darlington Raceway (SC) for the final test.
"It was an honor and a privilege to test with Roush," said Hogan of the experience. "I was very excited just to get the chance to test with a great bunch of guys and to drive their trucks. It was a great opportunity. I was thrilled to be invited and to be selected in the top-10 from over 400 applicants. It was a good stepping stone and a good learning experience for me."
During the final test, Hogan and the nine other drivers were under the watchful eye of not only team owner Jack Roush, but a couple of his current drivers, including NASCAR star Mark Martin.
"He was absolutely spectacular," said Martin, one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. "He did an awesome job at Darlington under the circumstances with such limited opportunities to get laps there. He had ten laps, then got a new set of tires and had to make a 15-lap run. Jason actually put down the best run of everybody. He didn't get the ride, but he did a great job. He's truly a spectacular young racecar driver."
Hogan, who has spent the last several years racing full-time with the NASCAR Southeast Series and in various Super Late Model shows around the country, also tested Craftsman Trucks for Rick Crawford (#14 Truck) and Billy Ballew Motorsports (#15 Truck) this past year.
"The Roush test pretty much showed me that I was as good as any of the drivers they had there. That just pumps you up and gives you a lot more confidence in yourself. I know that something good is right around the corner. That is what I'm digging for.
"I'm digging for an opportunity to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck or Busch Series full time. I want to be competitive. I don't want to settle for being in the top-20. I want to be a top-10 driver each and every week. I know I can do it."
Hogan had a breakout year in the Southeast Series in 2004, picking up two wins in the series' first three races and led the points for much of the first half of the season. However, a string of mechanical problems during the second half of the year dropped him out of the title hunt during the 13-race season.
During the last three years, Hogan has two wins, 10 top-fives and 22 top-10 finishes in the Southeast Series. He was also crowned the 2002 Southeast Series Rookie of the Year.
Ford Racing: News: Deep Roush Racing talent pool spans 2 series:
MARK MARTIN - NO. 6 VIAGRA TAURUS
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SALUTE TO YOU TOUR?
"I guess Kevin Woods and Jamie Rodway and several people here at Roush Marketing helped us put this program together and found something that really fit me and my personality. I think most of you know me and know my philosophies on things and how I view things. I'm just really grateful for this opportunity that I've had all these years to do the things that I've done. 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 number one 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. I'm sure 20 years from now I'll say, 'Yeah, that 2005 was the good old days,' but right now I look back at all the years and a lot of the special memories that I have date back 10-15-20 years and they're real dear to me. I look forward to 2005. I realize it's gonna be the most challenging year of my career. 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."
HOW IMPORTANT ARE THESE TESTS IN CALIFORNIA AND LAS VEGAS?
"The tests in Vegas and California, every team will be at, so how important are they? In my opinion, they are or they aren't. I mean, it would be terrible if one of us missed those tests, but if nobody ran them, then it wouldn't be important because everybody has the same thing to adapt to and all the teams are geared up for adapting to change. That's why they run good consistently year in and year out whatever the rules are. I don't view these tests coming up as being anymore important than any other time because of the rules, they're just important because every team is going. That's what really makes it important. You can't afford to let someone get the jump on you because in this business that's what everybody is trying to do in the first place. We're gonna go out there. I'm real excited about the rules. Greg will tell you. He's probably driven more with them than I have, but I fixed my car in Atlanta in November in the test and it's a no brainer for me. I wished they would have done this in '99 when I started begging them to do it."
WILL THIS BE THE LAST YEAR YOU EVER DRIVE A CUP CAR?
"Concerning NEXTEL Cup competition, I can't close the door on that because I don't want to come back and say, 'I know I said that, but something has changed.' 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. 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 [No.] 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. There's a possibility, but I couldn't tell you what that might be. The thing that we're looking at the most is the Truck Series. That's something I have great interest in. We don't currently have a program in place with a sponsorship and everything. When we do we'll let you know, or if we do. And if I don't do that, I'm gonna be in the driver's seat in short track cars probably all across the country signing autographs and having fun. 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."
Roush Racing: Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > 2005 Media Tour, 2005-01-27: Day 4
Image by LMS, Harold Hinson
Roush Racing: Jack Roush and Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > 2005 Media Tour, 2005-01-27: Day 4
Image by LMS, Harold Hinson
Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth
NASCAR-CUP > Preseason Test, 2005-01-20 (Daytona International Speedway): Day 6
Image by Motorsport.com
Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > Preseason Test, 2005-01-20 (Daytona International Speedway): Day 6
Image by Motorsport.com
Roush Racing's Martin returns to IROC
Martin To Make Return To IROC Series in 2005
Veteran Will be looking for record fifth IROC Championship in return to series
Motorsports.com News Channel
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. - (January 19, 2005) -- Mark Martin will make his return to the International Race of Champions Series in 2005. It marks Martin's 11th invitation to the series, where he boasts high accolades. He will be seeking his record breaking fifth series title to move ahead of the late Dale Earnhardt, who like Martin holds four IROC titles. In addition, this year's champion will take home the prized $1 million first place purse. Martin's three consecutive titles in '96, '97 and '98 are an IROC series record.
"We are very proud to announce that Mark Martin is returning to the Crown Royal IROC Series," said series President Jay Signore. "Mark (Martin) represents a career that is touted as one of the most successful in the history of NASCAR, and he is without a doubt, an icon in IROC history.
"In fact I remember a couple of years back, there was talk of renaming the series the Mark Martin series," laughed Signore. "He has four championships, 11 IROC wins and he's saluting all of us this year -- his last year of NASCAR Nextel Cup racing."
Martin won his first IROC title in 1994. In 10 seasons in the series, he has accumulated four championships and four second-place runs ('95, '99, '00 and '03). Martin last competed in the series in 2003, finishing second to Roush Racing teammate Kurt Busch for the championship. He started out the 2003 IROC season earning his 11th win in the opening race at Daytona.
"I'm excited about racing in the IROC series again," said Martin. "I've always enjoyed the IROC series, because it's an avenue where you get the opportunity to race against some of the best race car drivers in the world and it's a great opportunity to prove yourself against not only the best of NASCAR but guys from a variety of other types of racing as well.
"My record in the IROC Series is something that I'm really proud of," added Martin. "It's something that I always have to think twice about before I accept their invitation. For eight years straight I either won the championship or finished second in that series and that's something that I am really proud of, and it's hard to always live up to that.
"It's changed a lot over the years," added Martin. "A lot of the guys that I used to race against for those championships are gone and it's kind of a new generation that's moved in. Also the last year we did it, I could not beat Kurt Busch -- I finished second to him. I just couldn't score more points. We did get a win at Daytona, but we couldn't catch Kurt. That's something we'll be gunning for this year as we try to win that championship again.
The series will kick off on Feb. 18 at Daytona, where Martin won his 11th IROC race in 2003.
In addition to the season opener at Daytona, the series will make stops at Texas Motor Speedway (April 15), Richmond International Raceway (September 8), before concluding at Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 29.
Martin will be joined in the series by Roush Racing teammates Matt Kenseth, who won the series championship last season, and Kurt Busch, who won the IROC title in 2003.
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates ten motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
Martin tries for unprecedented fifth IROC title
January 19, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Mark Martin will try to break a tie this year with the late Dale Earnhardt and win an unprecedented fifth International Race of Champions title.
Martin was one of five NASCAR drivers to accept invitations to compete in the four-race series matching top competitors from five North American circuits. Included are the two most recent Nextel Cup champions, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth, back to defend his IROC title.
The 29th IROC competition, which begins with a race Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway, features seven series champions from 2005.
"With seven reigning series champions and numerous individual victories among the remainder of the field, the driver who wins this year's championship will have certainly earned it,'' IROC president Jay Signore said.
Joining Busch from NASCAR are Busch series champion Martin Truex Jr. and Craftsman Truck series champion Bobby Hamilton. Other champions are Champ Car's Sebastien Bourdais; Max Papis and Scott Pruett, who shared the Grand American title, and World of Outlaws winner Steve Kinser.
Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice, two-time Indy king Helio Castroneves from the IRL and former World of Outlaws champion Danny Lasoski complete the field.
The drivers will compete in equally prepared cars, with the points champion winning $1 million. The other races are April 15 at Texas Motor Speedway, Sept. 8 at Richmond International Raceway and Oct. 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Martin preparing for final Daytona 500
January 18, 2005DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Mark Martin has built a reputation as a pessimist and that certainly has not changed as he prepares for the his final Nextel Cup season.
``We're half a day into this thing, but it's pretty much business as usual,'' Martin said Tuesday during a break in preseason Nextel Cup testing at Daytona International Speedway. ``I've been coming down here a lot of years and nine times out of 10 we're real disappointed with what we've got, and this is not much different.
``We'd be much happier if we were a half-second a lap faster, but that's just the nature of the racetrack.''
Martin's No. 6 Roush Racing team brought two new Ford Tauruses to test on the 2 1/2 -mile oval in preparation for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.
``They are what they are,'' he said. ``We'll do everything we can to improve them, but the improvements that we make are the same improvements that our competition makes. So, when we gain, they gain and we generally don't close the gap a whole lot.''
Although Martin, who turned 46 on Jan. 9, announced late last season that 2005 will be his last in the Nextel Cup series, he won't go as far as to say he will never again race after the coming season.
"I still again will say that I don't see Nextel Cup competition in my future,'' Martin noted. ``I didn't say it never would happen for a lot of reasons. Someone could get injured (at) Roush Racing.
``I'm not going to say never, but I don't expect to do a limited Nextel schedule because I don't feel like I would be able to have a competitive organization for that situation. I'll say again that I'm not going to quit driving race cars. I don't have anything to announce right now, but I think everybody knows that I follow the Craftsman Truck Series with great interest. There's no new news there.''
Meanwhile, the four-time series runner-up would love to end his Cup career with a championship. He came close in 2004, finishing fourth after going into the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a shot at the title.
The drivers finishing in the odd-numbered positions in the 2004 points tested at Daytona for three days last week, with the even-numbered finishers taking the track Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.
The Chevrolets of teammates Joe Nemechek and Scott Riggs were fastest among Tuesday's testers at 184.661 mph and 184.646, respectively. They were followed by series runner-up Jimmie Johnson's Chevy at 184.260, the Dodges of Jeff Green and top 2004 rookie Kasey Kahne at 184.249 and 183.718 and Martin's Ford at 183.547.
Dale Jarrett's fast lap of 186.455 last week in a Ford remains the fastest this preseason, followed by Jeff Gordon's Chevrolet at 185.736.
Nemechek's speed is 10th overall.
Martin Hopes to "Screw it Up Royally" in 2005
No. 6 Team committed to strong run in Martin's final year on the circuitDAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (Jan. 19, 2005) – Mark Martin has plans for his last year of Nextel Cup Racing in 2005; he hopes to really mess things up in the NASCAR community. Martin, speaking to a room full of reporters during lunch at Tuesday’s Daytona testing session, said he hoped to wreak some havoc on the racing world in 2005.
“I think the No. 6 team will be better prepared than they were a year ago and I think that we stand a chance of really messing this whole deal up, and that would be if we could win the championship,” said Martin.
“That would be pretty strange to not have the champion come back and do the tour. It’s my hope right now that I can screw it up royally,” added Martin with a slight grin.
Martin will kick off his final bid for the Nextel Cup title in next month’s famed Daytona 500. The team will look to get off to a strong start to the season, before heading to California, Las Vegas and Atlanta – all strong beds for Martin’s racing. The team enjoyed one of its most successful Speedweeks last season, posting one of the strongest cars, before suffering a disappointing setback in the 500, after losing the engine just eight laps into the race. Martin started the year in last place, but rebounded to make the top-10 in time for the Chase for the Cup, before eventually moving on to a fourth place finish in the final standings.
“My hope is to go out with a season that is as good as or better than 2004,” said Martin. “I really believe that we can hope for a season that is better than 2004, based on what I know about Pat Tryson and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) team and the support we have.
“I have to mention here and it’s very important that I acknowledge the guys that work that car because a number of them had good job opportunities that were for better conditions and more money than what they stayed to give me my last shot at a championship.
“It’s an honor to me,” added Martin. “Because I asked them to do that. I asked them to stay and it was an honor to me that they did – every one of them stayed. That’s very special to me and I’d like to acknowledge that and we are going to go after this thing. Nothing is going to step in front of the commitment that we have this season.”
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich.-based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams: five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
Mark Martin with crew chief Pat Tryson
NASCAR-CUP > Preseason Test, 2005-01-19 (Daytona International Speedway): Day 5
Image by Bob HarmeyerPreseason Test: Martin visits media
Motorsports.com News Channel
January 18, 2005Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Viagra® Taurus, announced last October that 2005 would be the final season in which he races full-time for the Nextel Cup. Martin, who finished fourth in the points standings last year, took part in a Q&A session during the first of a three-day test session at Daytona International Speedway.
MARK MARTIN - No. 6 Viagra® Taurus
THOUGHTS ON YOUR FINAL 500 START.
"We're half a day into this thing, but it's pretty much business as usual. I've been coming down here a lot of years. Nine times out of ten we're real disappointed with what we've got and this is not much different. We'd be much happier if we were a half-second a lap faster, but that's just the nature of this race track. Usually, whatever you unload with and go out and run, you know what you've got. We will prepare two race cars for Speedweeks. We brought two new ones down here and they are what they are. We'll do everything that we can to improve them, but the improvements that we make are the same improvements that our competition makes. So when we gain, they gain and we generally don't close the gap a whole lot."
HAVE YOU FORMED A PLAN FOR '06?
"I still say again that there are no plans for Nextel Cup racing for the obvious fact that if you really sit and analyze it, to have what you would call a short program or a limited program, you would also have to have limited people. You couldn't possibly have the quality of car that I drive today and I'm not gonna do it like that. I still again will say that I don't see Nextel Cup competition in my future. I didn't say it never would happen for a lot of reasons. Someone could get injured, Roush Racing. I'm not gonna say never, but I don't expect to do a limited Nextel schedule because I don't feel like I would be able to have a competitive organization for that situation. I'll say again that I'm not gonna quit driving race cars. I don't have anything to announce right now, but I think everybody knows that I follow the Craftsman Truck Series with great interest. There's no new news there."
HAVE YOUNGER DRIVERS IN THIS SPORT HAD AN EFFECT ON YOUR DECISION?
"There are different ways to look at that. To answer your question directly, not that the young guys have come in. The bottom line is I'm 46 years old and my greatest fear in motorsports is going out on decline. Why could that happen? It could happen because the young talent in the sport begins to put pressure to overtake our positions in the sport. On one hand, my answer might be not exactly. On the other hand, yes, of course. Really, my biggest fear in motorsports would be to go out on decline. I've fooled a lot of people for a long, long time and it's very important for me to step out of this thing with everybody fooled and disillusioned about what I was able to do."
HAS MATT'S CAREER HELPED AS FAR AS MAKING YOUR DECISION?
"I can't let Matt's decision on what he does with his life directly control or affect my happiness about my life. In other words, I've got to support him in whatever it is he chooses to do. Therefore, I can't let Matt directly impact what I do with my focus. Obviously, I have ball racing with Matt. I've also had a ball racing with Joey Lagano. He's raced one of my trucks four times now and won once and finished second once and finished third once and set fast time two or three times in it. So I'll have all of that. Joey is two years older than Matt, so it's been fun for me. It's very important for me to figure out how to have fun because I've never put any premium whatsoever on that. It's never been important and it's not important in 2005, but it is important to me looking toward 2006 - to make a change in my life - close this chapter and open the next chapter. Therefore, I have to find some things that I love, that I have passion for and that I'll have fun with. I will have some of that with racing, but that's one of the reasons why I'm telling you I'm not gonna stop driving. If I couldn't work anything out in NASCAR racing, I'd drive some of my son's race trucks, his late models. I'd go around across the country and do guest appearances at short tracks, signing autographs and driving race cars. I'm not gonna quit racing. I can't. I can't because I might short-circuit. There's no doubt that that void has to be filled in my life and that I have to transition.
"I couldn't just pull the plug right now and step out because I don't have a focus toward being a NASCAR team owner, for example. At this time I have no desire to. At this time, Jack can give me a team and I'd say, 'Take that back. I don't want that.' So that's how strongly I feel about that at this point, so I am gonna have to find some things for me to have passion for and fire for, and one of those things that will help fill that void could be the Truck Series. If not, I can always find stuff to drive. There's people standing around all the time - 'Why don't you bring your helmet over here.' So I will do something around racing that I think will be fun."
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM SEASON ON THE WAY OUT OF CUP?
"Gil de Feran literally brought tears to my eyes. That is the ultimate. It would be a terrible mistake for me to hope to do that - to go out like that. But, obviously, I want to go out with a season as good or better than 2004. I believe that we can hope for a season that is better - realistically hope for a better season in 2005 than 2004 based on what I know about Pat Tryson and the Viagra team and the support we have. I want to make mention here - it's very important for me to acknowledge the guys that work on that car because a number of them had good job opportunities that were for better conditions and more money than what they stayed to give me my last shot at a championship. It's an honor to me. I asked them to do that. I asked them to stay and it was an honor to me that they did - everyone of them stayed. That's very special to me and I'd like to acknowledge that and we're gonna go after this thing. Nothing is gonna step in front of the commitment that we have to not only excel on the race track, but to try and do what I said I would do and that's give the media the respect and something different than they've ever gotten for me - try to give the fans a thank you for the respect and the things that they've helped me do with my career as well. So it's a huge commitment. This is gonna be the most difficult year of my life and there's no way it's gonna be fun because it's not designed to be fun. If it was designed to be fun, we'd have a little bit of fun time scheduled in there, but all we've got is work in front of us. But that's what it's about. We're gonna work hard at it and then we're gonna open a new chapter in 2006. As soon as we have that figured out, we will share that with you guys."
IS ROUSH RACING THE TEAM TO BEAT THIS YEAR - GOING FOR A THIRD TITLE?
"One of the things that has changed is, in my opinion, the hottest driver lineup in the garage. Then right behind that, those cats are strapping down into some great equipment based on terrific crew chiefs and engineering program - great engines and really terrific race cars. You put those drivers in less-than-great equipment and they couldn't get it done. It takes it all and right now they've got it going on and I'm proud to be a part of it."
WHAT WON'T YOU MISS RACING AT THIS LEVEL?
"The demands. I won't miss being at the race track on every Sunday for 38 or 39 weekends out of the year. That is a grind. It's not when you're a kid because every place you go is an adventure, but after 15 years it starts to wear old and after 20 - there are a lot of things I've given up in my life to do what I do and to have been able to fool all of you guys for all of these years, it took sacrifices and compromises. I won't miss making as many. I'll have to make some. Don't get me wrong, you'll still have those because I'm still gonna race, so there will still be a number of those, but the number of those today in this environment has just gone completely beyond what I'm willing to continue to give. I was happy to give it. I'm happy to give it in 2005, but I couldn't sign up for another. I want you guys to understand one other thing, too. Every year for me to be competitive in this thing, I've had to reach deeper and, believe me, in 2005 I'm having to reach as deep right to the bottom of the bag - everything that I can find and everything that I can scrape up in order to be competitive next year because all the guys I race with are doing the same thing. So it's required a larger commitment from me every year and at some point you stand around and you look and you say, 'I can't do anything but go down next year because I can't find anymore. I can't put anymore in this thing.' And the level is still going up."
WHERE DOES WINNING THE DAYTONA 500 RANK ON YOUR LIST?
"I would like to say it really doesn't exist on that list, but, let's face it, most of you guys don't know this but when I was 17, 18 - say 19 years old - that was what I wanted to accomplish by the time I was 25, which would have been a young Daytona 500 winner if he was in his early to mid twenties at that time. Obviously, that is a huge milestone. That's what I wanted to do. I said I wanted to that more than once. It was something that was a big deal. The reason that I don't play that up is because if you don't win it, you didn't. So waste your time on something else. That's how I look at it. I'm not gonna waste my time on all that stuff. Hey, we either won it or we didn't. This is probably my last chance and I don't feel any pressure because it won't make or break my career. 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."
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ENGINE AND AERO PROGRAM?
"Every year holds surprises. We expected to have big horsepower last year coming down here and we did. It was incredible. Unfortunately, it only ran eight laps in the 500. We did some very special things throughout Speedweeks to our race car and our big horsepower allowed us to do those things in the past we weren't able to do, and it made my car - what I believe in my heart - was a contender for the 500. That was one of the few 500's that I was gonna be able to really be a contender to win. 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 gonna be this year. I don't know how sorry their cars are gonna handle. I don't know. That was a magical year. We had big horsepower which enabled us to do some things to our car that made it handle like some of the people I had to race against couldn't, and we had a chance. Will all of those cards line up exactly the same this year or not? I can't say. I might be able to tell you on Saturday before the 500, or maybe on Thursday of the qualifiers. I don't know, but we're gonna have to get into it and evaluate our competition and evaluate our equipment."
IN ALL THE DECISIONS YOU'VE MADE, WHERE DOES THIS RANK AS FAR AS DIFFICULTY?
"I'm not sure if this will directly answer your question, but I'm sure you'll be interested in this. I started racing for trophies and not for money. If I were to race for money, I would be signed up for 2006. I'm leaving a big pile on the table at the peak of my earning career. There's certainly no decline in that part of my career. Two thousand five will be the most money I've ever made and 2004 was the most before that. Every year I've made more money. I don't race for money and still don't. If I did, I would be signed back up. I still race for trophies. And though I'll leave a few trophies on the table, maybe, I don't leave a ton of them on the table. It's much more important for me to exit with great respect than it is in great decline. I wish from a material standpoint that I was 26 instead of 46 because there are a couple of things that I'd really like to have that I'll never be able to have in my life. If I was 26 and where I am today, I'd be able to have those things, but those things aren't that important to me. I'm not 26 and it is time. I wouldn't walk away from this thing if I was 20 years younger right now because there would be time on my side. But you guys know I'm realistic and I'm a realist and the real deal is that this is a good time for me. My biggest fear in 2003 and I agonized over it every day was, 'I don't want to go out like this. What a disgrace.' Two thousand four boosted my self-esteem by a lot and I think that we can come back and have a great 2005. If it's not as perfect as we hope, it'll still be not on a great decline after having such a bright and shiny 2004. On the other hand, if you want to really look at the bright side, I believe that we'll be better prepared. Not knowing what the competition is gonna do again, but I think that the 6 team will be better prepared than they were a year ago and I think that we stand a chance of really messing this whole deal up and that would be if we could win the championship. That would be pretty strange to not have the champion come back and do the tour. It's my hope right now that I can screw it up royally (laughter)."
WHAT SHOULD THE BACK OF THE WATCH SAY AFTER RETIRING?
"I don't know. The first thing that came to my mind it probably wouldn't fit. Well, if you used a magnifying lens you could get it all there. 'There was a guy who tried really, really hard and always did what he thought was right.' "That's just the first thing that came to mind."
-ford racing-
Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > Preseason Test, 2005-01-18 (Daytona International Speedway): Day 4
Image by Bob Harmeyer
Tryson, Viagra® Racing Team Gear Up For 2005 Season
With a year under their belts together, Tryson and Martin are excited about 2005
Roush RacingCONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 14, 2005) -- Late in a race midway through the 2004 season, veteran Nextel Cup driver Mark Martin radioed his crew chief Pat Tryson and asked him a resounding but loaded question, "Where have you been my whole career?"
In 2004 Tryson helped get Martin and the Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team back to the front of the pack. Martin rebounded from a sub-par 2003 to move back inside the top-five, finishing fourth in the Nextel Cup points, while keeping his championship hopes alive well into the final race of the season. In fact, after finishing 17th in the points the previous season, Martin found himself only nine points outside of first place before cutting a tire midway through the season finale at Homestead.
"Pat Tryson is just a tremendous crew chief," said Martin. "He just knows how to get the things done that I need and he put together one of -- if not -- the best teams in the garage. The strategy was sound, the cars were fast and the stops were great and that is what you have to do to compete out here."
This year Tryson moves into his second full-season at the helm of the No. 6 Team and he is excited about his team's chances in '05.
"We have a great team and one of the best drivers to ever get behind the wheel of a race car, so how can you not be excited about that," said Tryson. "Everyone knows that this is Mark's last year in a full-time Cup car, and make no mistake about it, we are looking to win races.
"We have all the tools in place for a great season, it's just a matter of us going out and getting the job done. We know Mark is capable, so we just have to help provide him with the things that he needs to win races."
The team will have a busy month in January. They have already tested at Lakeland and they are scheduled for a three day test during the second session at Daytona next week. The team will then test Las Vegas at the end of the month and Fontana on the 1st and 2nd of February before moving on to Speedweeks the following week.
"I tell you what, we are ready to go," added Tryson. "This is a team made up of some pure racers and we are ready to go race. I know I speak for the team when I say we can't wait to get back down to Daytona and get back out on that track. We've put a lot of work into the off-season and we hope to see some of that work pay off here in a couple of weeks.
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
NWAnews.com - Motorsports Report:
Starr said he now hopes to have more time to bring special events to Batesville Speedway. Among those, he said, will be six modified races to honor Batesville NASCAR star Mark Martin, who is retiring from Nextel Cup racing after the 2005 season. "We're going to call it Salute to 6," Starr said, referring to the car number of Martin, who began his career and won his first race at what is now Batesville Speedway. "It's going to be six modified races, paying $6,000 to win and $600 to start. I hope to have about one a month."
Martin Announces "The Road Home" Commemorative Brick Program
CONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 7, 2005) - Mark Martin grew up in Batesville, Ark., where he dreamed of one day leaving the small town for a life of stardom on the NASCAR circuit. It was there on the long winding dirt roads of Batesville that Martin first learned to drive -- a skill that would one day allow Martin to travel all over the country and even the world.
Today, Martin has plans for a museum that will be housed in Batesville at the sight of his brand new Ford dealership, where he plans to house each of his NASCAR trophies, select race cars and several other items he collected along his journey since leaving Arkansas in the late 70's.
"Growing up all I could think about was getting out of Arkansas," said Martin. "Twenty years later after having gone a lot of places and seen a lot of things, I realize that a part of me will always see Batesville as home. When I decided to open a Ford dealership, I said I wouldn't even think about doing it anywhere but Batesville.
"Now we plan on putting in a museum that will have all my trophies and some race cars and other stuff. Batesville gave me a lot when I was growing up, and now I want to take all the things that I was fortunate to win over the years and bring them home for everyone to see. I've been able to experience a lot during my career and I want to bring that back here and share it all with the people of Batesville.
In order to share this return home with his fans, Martin has decided to start "The Road Home" Brick Program, where fans can share in and be a part of Martin's effort to give back to the place he truly considers 'home.'
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich.-based Roush Industries that operates nine motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards; three in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth and Edwards, and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with drivers Ricky Craven and Todd Kluever.
