Martin Makes It Two-for-Two in the Busch Series with a Record-Extending 47th Win
No. 9 Pennzoil Team moves to second win in as many races
Mark Martin and the #9 Pennzoil Racing Team
Las Vegas Motor Speedway/March 12, 2005LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Mark Martin was at it again on Saturday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For the second time in as many races, Martin drove his No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Ford into victory lane. Martin took the lead for the third and final time of the day with only nine laps remaining and proceeded to run away from the rest of the field for his record extending 47th series victory. The win is Martin's second Busch series win at LVMS in four attempts.
"This is just a Salute to Pat Tryson and Jack Roush and all the guys on the Pennzoil Team," said Martin after the race. "They have done a great job this season. We've had really good race cars and it's always good to get back in victory lane.
"We needed a little luck today," added Martin. "Carl (Edwards) was in a position to win this one. It looked like he was going to pull away, but he had a little bad luck there and we were able to get up front. After Carl had his problem, I knew it would be between us and the No. 14 car and fortunately we were able to get around him and move on to the win."
Martin started the race in 25th place but wasted little time moving up the field, breaking into the top-10 on lap 28. By lap 46 the veteran powered his way inside the top-five, before taking the lead from Roush teammate Carl Edwards on lap 76.
Martin lost the lead on pit road after pitting under caution on lap 86, but he regained the lead after passing fellow Nextel Cup competitor Kevin Harvick at the halfway mark on lap 100. The team came into the pits again under caution for four tires and fuel on lap 109, but a problem with a loose tire coupled with two cars opting to stay out, sent Martin back out in seventh place when the field went green on lap 113.
Martin was forced to fight through traffic on the restart allowing Edwards, the race leader, to pull away to as much as an eight second lead. Patiently Martin began to chase down the leader, moving into second place on lap 166. Martin had trimmed Edwards lead in half and was catching his No. 60 car at as much as five-tenths a lap when the team came into the pits for the final time of the day on lap 170 for four fresh tires and fuel. The No. 9 Team again struggled in the pits and Martin returned to the field in third place, behind Edwards and second-place David Stremme when the field went green on lap 177 with 23 laps remaining.
Edwards immediately began to pull away, but a flat right-rear tire on lap 186 would put an end to his bid for his first career Busch Series victory. The race restarted with just 10 laps to go and Martin wasted little time getting around Stremme for the lead, before pulling away by as many as 10 car lengths for the record-extending win.
Martin will make his next Busch Series start in April at Texas Motor Speedway. Ironically Martin is only 43 points outside the top-10 in the Busch Series, despite having run only two of the four races. This marks the first time in Martin's storied history in the Busch series that he has opened up his Busch schedule with back-to-back wins.
Martin wins his second Busch race of the season
By Tom Gardner
Associated Press Writer
March 12, 2005LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Mark Martin moved into the lead when seemingly unstoppable Carl Edwards was sidelined by a flat tire, extending his record for Busch Series victories to 47 Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Martin picked up his second Busch win this season, following his victory at California two weeks ago.
Edwards, making just his sixth Busch start, shot away from the field after taking his first series pole and dominated for 125 of the 200 laps in the Sam's Town 300 until the right rear tire went down on lap 186, sending him spinning into the infield.
``I had a little luck today. Carl Edwards was in a position to win that one,'' Martin said of his Roush Racing teammate. ``I was just lucky to get into the front.
``He was just checked out. There wasn't much we could do about it. That one just slipped through his fingers.''
Martin seized on Edwards' misfortune when his teammate's right rear tire failed.
``I knew Carl had a problem down the back stretch and I knew at that point the race could be on between (Stremme and me).''
As Martin swept to a 1.412-second victory -- about 14 car lengths -- Kevin Harvick and David Stremme battled for second. Harvick passed on the last turn of the final lap and edged Stremme by the length of his hood.
Joe Nemechek finished fourth and Greg Biffle fifth. Reed Sorenson was sixth, and Edwards worked his way up to seventh, despite the tire problems.
Stremme was handicapped in the late going by a cranky gearshift lever he had to hold while he was trying to steer the car around the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval.
``It's pretty hard driving one-handed around this slippery track,'' he said.
Mark Martin captures Sam's Town 300
March 12, 2005LAS VEGAS (Ticker) - Mark Martin took advantage of teammate Carl Edwards' flat tire with just 14 laps remaining to capture his 47th career NASCAR Busch Series victory in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The all-time leader in Busch Series titles, Martin claimed his second win of the year despite leading just 29 of 200 laps. He started 25th in a Ford Taurus.
Martin averaged 122.158 miles per hour and finished 1.412 seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick. He won $91,501.
"We got a little lucky," said Martin, who gave Roush Racing its 11th NASCAR victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "Carl Edwards and his team had this thing in the bag."
The pole sitter, Edwards led for 125 laps and appeared to be in control before the right rear tire of his Ford blew out, resulting in the race's eighth caution.
On the restart, Martin passed the Dodge Charger of David Stremme and held on for his second win here. He also won in 1999.
Edwards, Martin's Roush Racing teammate, was 14th on the restart. Due to NASCAR tire limits, he had to replace his blown tire with a used tire from earlier in the race. He tried to make up ground but ran out of time, finishing seventh.
Harvick, the defending race champion, recorded his fourth straight runner-up finish. Stremme was third, while 2003 winner Joe Nemechek and Greg Biffle completed the top five.
Harvick maintained his overall standings lead with 690 points, 80 more than Edwards.
On lap 115, the Dodge of Sterling Marlin nudged the rear of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo of Paul Menard, who spun and took out five other cars. Among them was Nemechek, who escaped serious damage.
Victory lane: race winner Mark Martin arrives
NASCAR-BUSCH> Las Vegas, 2005-03-12 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway): Saturday race
Image by Michael C. Johnson
Victory lane: race winner Mark Martin celebrates
NASCAR-BUSCH> Las Vegas, 2005-03-12 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway): Saturday race
Image by Michael C. Johnson
Victory lane: race winner Mark Martin
NASCAR-BUSCH> Las Vegas, 2005-03-12 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway): Saturday race
Image by Michael C. Johnson
Martin moves into the win in Vegas
Racing series: NASCAR-BUSCH
Date: 2005-03-12 (Las Vegas, NV)
By Linda Przygodski - Motorsport.comMark Martin inherited the NASCAR Busch Series victory when race leader Carl Edwards brought out the final caution in Saturday's race.
"We got a little lucky today," expressed Martin who keeps increasing his 'most wins' record. "Carl Edwards and his bunch did a great job today, they had it in the bag -- no way could we have caught them."
Martin motored past David Stremme with less then ten laps to go to garner his 47th career Busch series victory. He is the all-time top winner in the Busch series.
"I am so proud of this team," Martin continued. "They gave me a great race car. I am so happy to be back in victory lane at Las Vegas."
Edwards was the man who lead the most laps, the rookie, along with his teammate and eventual race winner Martin, showed how strong the Fords are at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the Ford's right-rear tire went away sending him spinning him out of his first Busch series victory with only 14 laps of 200 remaining in the Sam's Town 300.
"A set of new Goodyears would have helped us there," said Edwards in reference to the new tire rule for 2005. "I am just lucky to be driving for this team. We are going to lose races like that but I am happy for Martin. I can not say enough about him and what he means to this team and the drivers. I am proud of Roush Racing and the guys."
NBS points leader Kevin Harvick scored his fourth second place finish in as many races in the new season. Stremme placed his Dodge in third after running side-by-side with Martin and Harvick. After Martin pulled away, neither Harvick nor Stremme gave an inch.
"This Chevy's been great, we just have not gotten the win yet," commented Harvick. "My hat's off to Stremme and his team, it was a lot of fun at the end."
Joe Nemecheck and Greg Biffle rounded out the top five.
Edwards started 14th at the back of the longest line when the field returned to green, he moved into seventh at the checker flag and retained second in the points behind Harvick.
Pole sitter Edwards took a commanding lead in the first stages of the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Edwards led when the first yellow flag flew at lap five as Michael Jordain spun and wrecked his race car.
Edwards led through the next caution but gave up the lead to Harvick just prior to the day's third caution caused by Steve Grissom.
Harvick was in control of the event at lap 86 after a round of pit stops after caution four was caused by debris on the racetrack. He continued to lead through several more cautions and another round of pit stops; one of those cautions included a multi-car wreck just past the halfway mark.
Involved in the wreck were Sterling Marlin, Paul Menard, Stacy Compton, Tony Raines and Kasey Kahne. The wreck occurred after Kahne got into the back end of Menard. Only Kahne suffered no damage in the melee.
Harvick slid back to fourth after a round of green flag pit stops late in the race giving the lead back to Edwards. The tire failure on Edwards' car took him out of contention with 14 laps to go.
That gave the lead of the race to Stremme, but he was being hotly pursued by Martin. With nine to go, Stremme and Martin battled for the lead. In the end, the Roush dynasty at LVMS paid off as Martin passed Stremme for the victory.
