NASCAR's Mark Martin
2006 Season Articles - April
2006 Mark Martin Track Notes - Sunday - April 30, 2006
Aaron's 499 / Talladega Superspeedway
#6 AAA Ford Fusion
Roush RacingDRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2005 EVENT WINNER: Jeff Gordon
MARK MARTIN - 2005 EVENT
Aaron's 499
Started 16th
Finished 33rdMartin Gets Caught Up in "The Big One" at Talladega, Finishes 33rd
Mark Martin and the #6 Viagra® Racing Team
Talladega Superspeedway/May 1, 2005TALLADEGA, Ala. (May 1, 2005) – Mark Martin and the No. 6 Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team appeared poised down the stretch for another strong finish in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Martin had run inside the top-10 for the majority of the day, leading laps and running amongst the field’s leaders. But in a weekend characterized by torn up race cars, Martin would see an end to his chances come crashing across the front stretch. The veteran was running in 10th position when this year’s version of ‘The Big One’ hit. Contact between the No. 8 and No. 4 cars resulted in a massive 25-car accident that caused much of the field’s top cars to suffer severe damage, thus slamming the door on the chances of over half of the race’s competitors.
“We had the best race car that I’ve had a Talladega in a long time,” said Martin. I wish I would have been ahead of it, but the way it works out there is you're always in a cycle - moving forward or moving back. I really didn't think I was that far back, but I was far enough back to be caught in it. The timing was just such that there wasn't anywhere or anything you could do.”
The race was red flagged for over 43 minutes as track workers worked to remove the mangled mass of cars and repair damage to the track’s retaining wall. Once the red flag was lifted, teams including the Viagra® Racing Team, worked frantically to repair the damage sustained in the accident. Martin was able to get back out on the track and drive home his damaged Ford to a 33rd place finish. The finish dropped Martin to 11th-place in the Nextel Cup point standings, but only one point outside the top 10.
I appreciate the effort by the guys and I wish when we raced we could get the kind of result that the effort shows,” added Martin. “This is a tough one. You just have to hope when you come here that you're in the right place to miss those things. The drivers have done a fabulous job of preventing that to happen, but the longer you run the more you need to race the more it's likely to happen. Unless you're really, really lucky you're going have that no matter how good the drivers behave themselves. They're just in a situation where that's so likely to happen that it's hard to get a race and not have it."
Martin had started the race 16th and wasted no time powering his Viagra® Ford to the front. Using his mastery of the draft, Martin broke into the top-five by lap eight. He continued to move in and out of the top-five, maneuvering his Ford between fifth and 10th place, and he was running in eighth place when the day’s second caution was called on lap 37. The team came into the pits for four tires and fuel and came out in 12th place when the field went green, as some teams elected for a two-tire stop.
Bogged down in heavy three-wide traffic, Martin fell back to as low as 25th, before regrouping and mounting a move to the front. Utilizing excellent pit strategy, Martin came into the pits on lap 72 for a green-flag stop while running in 16th position. The stop allowed Martin to hook up with teammate Kurt Busch and the No. 29 car, and by lap 76 the trio had moved all the way to the front, with Martin running in third position. Martin would remain inside the top-10 for the next 55 laps, before getting caught up in the accident on lap 131.
Martin had advanced all the way to second place when the day’s fourth caution was called on lap 116. The team came into the pits for fuel only and used a lighting fast stop to beat all the other cars off pit road, thus earning Martin five bonus points for leading a lap. Martin restarted the race in first place on lap 120. Shuffling in and out of the draft, Martin rotated between fourth and tenth. He was in 10th position and starting yet another march forward when the huge-multi car accident put an end to his chances at victory on lap 131. The race was the second largest in the history of Talladega Superspeedway. On the day, over 30 of the race’s 43 cars sustained severe damage.
MARTIN, AAA TEAM MOVE ON TO TALLADEGA
After a strong effort on the flat-track of Phoenix, Martin and the AAA Team head to Talladega Superspeedway for the second restrictor plate points race of the season. Martin will look to extend his streak of 12 straight top-15 finishes, when he looks to find victory lane for the third time at Talladega, where he set an all-time NASCAR Cup record for the fastest race ever run in 1997.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin is one of just five drivers to have competed in all 73 restrictor plate races.
THE CAR
Chassis: RK-337 - The car finished seventh in the Bud Shootout in February, after contending for the win late in the race.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS
- Mark Martin's pace in the 1997 Winston 500 at Talladega set an all-time NASCAR Cup record for the fastest race ever run, as Martin won the caution-free event with an average speed a 188.354 mph. He covered the 500-mile distance in two hours, 38 minutes and 18 seconds.
- Martin has two victories at Talladega, with both coming in the spring race (1995 and 1997).
- Martin has scored top-10 finishes in six of his last 14 races at Talladega.
- Martin has finished in the top 10 in 49 percent of his 73 restrictor plate races.
- Martin's 34 top-10 finishes in restrictor plate races are the most ever.
- Martin is one of five drivers to have completed in all 73 restrictor-plate races.
MARK MARTIN AT TALLADEGA
This will be Martin's 41st race at Talladega Superspeedway, where he has won twice and finished inside the top 10 twenty-one times. Martin finished 12th in his first race at Talladega in 1982. He's finished inside the top 10 in six of the last 14 there, but he's only scored one top-10 finish in his last eight there, getting caught up in accidents while running inside the top-five in both races there last year.
Driver Starts - 40 (20)
Wins - 2 (6)
Top-5s - 10 (6)
Top-10s - 21 (10)
Poles - 2 (1)
Hightest finish - 1st (2 times)
First time: 5/16/82 (5th)
Last time: 5/1/05 (33rd)
10/2/05 (41st)UNRESTRICTED
Martin is one of just six drivers to have competed in all 73 restrictor-plate races. Martin's 34 top-10 finishes are the most of any driver at restricted races. He has finished in the top 10 in 49 percent of the restrictor-plate races.
MR CONSISTENT
Martin has now finished inside the top 15 in 12 consecutive races, dating back to Atlanta last fall. This season he has climbed from 11th to second in the points. Martin is the only driver to have finished in the top 15 in all eight races this season.
AAA AND MARK MARTIN
Martin is sporting a different look and sponsor this season. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA boasts more than 48 million members.
ENCORE SALUTE IN '06
Martin had planned 2005 as his final in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series, but when called into action by Jack Roush he opted to return for one more go around. Martin's fourth-place finish in the points in '05 proved he is still one of the fastest stars in NASCAR and he plans on using 2006 as an encore performance of his highly popular "Salute To You" Tour, where he will continue to take the time to thank each and every person that he feels played a role in his success, including the team members, the fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON TALLADEGA SPEEDWAY
Mark Martin:
"I think that my feelings regarding Talladega as a restrictor-plate race are pretty widely known. I'm not a big fan of that type of racing at all, but I know that the fans love it and it's the next race. We've had awful luck there the past few years. I think we wrecked both times there last year and maybe even the year before, but hopefully out luck will be a little better this weekend. We are definitely due there.
"We've run pretty well all season and at all of the different types of tracks that we've raced on, including Daytona and Phoenix. Pat (Tryson) and the AAA team have done an outstanding job with the cars this year and I can't remember a year where I had better cars each week to race with. We had a really fast car at Phoenix and things just didn't work out, but if we keep bringing cars like that to the track, we'll be in really good shape heading down the stretch."
Pat Tryson:
"We are taking the same car that we ran in the Bud Shootout and we had a chance to win with that car, so we like our chances. Mark is great with the draft, the main thing is hopefully we'll be lucky enough to avoid all the wrecks. If that can happen we should come away with a solid finish."
Martin Fights to 11th-Place Finish at Phoenix
Martin had dominate car, leading 111 laps before running into trouble late in the race
Mark Martin and the #6 AAA Racing Team
Phoenix International Raceway/April 24, 2005AVONDALE, PHOENIX – Mark Martin turned in one of his most dominating performances in recent memory during the first half of the Subway Fresh 500, leading 111 laps and dominating the field. At one point Martin led by as many as six seconds, before trouble in the pits dropped him to the back of the lead lap. Martin fought back to fourth place, before running out of gas with only one lap remaining.
“We had a really great car tonight and a car capable of winning the race,” said Martin. “We just let this one get away from us tonight, but we were still able to fight back to a descent finish. We had a car capable of a lot better than that, but we’ll have to take what we have and look to next week.”
Martin was fast from the green flag, starting 18th and needing only 17 laps to break into the top 10. By lap 47 Martin would break into the top five where he would run for the majority of the remainder of the race. He had powered his No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion into fourth place when caution was issued on lap 53. Martin came into the pits for four tires and fuel and returned to the field in second place after the AAA Crew registered a 13.98-second stop. The field went green on lap 57 and Martin needed only nine laps to take the lead away from Roush teammate Greg Biffle on lap 66.
Martin would lead the next 23 laps before caution was called on lap 89. Martin again brought his AAA Ford down pit road for four tires and fuel and returned in third when green flag racing resumed. He moved back into second on lap 104 and eventually retook the lead on lap 106. The race would embark on a long green-flag run with Martin holding the lead for the next 64 laps, building as much as a six-second lead on second place, before coming into the pits on lap 170 for a green-flag pit stop. Martin returned in 13th, but retook the lead on lap 178 once the field cycled through its stops. By lap 180 the veteran had again built his lead up to four seconds.
Caution was called for the fifth time of the evening on lap 199 with Martin still in control of the race. With the car solid, Martin opted for four tires and fuel with no changes as he brought his Ford Fusion down pit road on lap 200. A problem with the rear of the car during the stop, forced Martin to return to pit road on the next lap to have his lugnuts tightened. He returned to the field in 16th place, the last car on the lead lap, when green flag racing resumed on lap 203.
Martin wasted little time moving through the field, moving up to 12th by the time caution was issued on lap 212. The team pitted for four tires and fuel and after a 12.9 second stop, returned to green flag action in 11th position. He broke back into the top 10 on lap 233. On lap 244 he took over eighth position, before again breaking into the top-five on lap 297. He looked poised to run to another top-five finish, before radioing the team he was running out of fuel on lap 309, with only three laps remaining. He was able to coast around the track for the final lap and move to an 11th-place finish, the first car one lap down.
Martin is currently fourth in the Nextel Cup point standings, 66 points behind first place and 15 points out of fourth. The team returns to action next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway for the season’s second restrictor-plate race of the season. Martin has two wins and 21 top-10 finishes at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
Biffle, Martin come up empty
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
East Valley Tribune
April 23, 2006Greg Biffle’s luck is going to turn around eventually. It has to. Nobody can continue to have this kind of wretched misfortune. There have been eight NASCAR races this season. Biffle has held the lead in seven of them. Number of wins he has to show for his efforts? As many as you and me.
Here are the highlights, or, perhaps more appropriately, the lowlights of Biffle’s year: He led for 168 laps in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, then blew an engine. He was ahead for 49 laps in the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, then was spun into the wall by Kurt Busch. Six leads, and just two top-10 finishes. Things couldn’t get much worse for Biffle. Or so it seemed. Biffle’s latest calamity came in Saturday’s Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. He led 146 of the 312 laps. It appeared he had the fastest car and would lap the field.
Then, with two laps left, the unthinkable happened. He ran out of gas. Biffle wound up in 15th place and, for as good as his car has been this season, he’s 21st in the Nextel Cup points standings. This after winning six races last year and finishing second in points to Tony Stewart.
“He’s had the car to win three or four races,” said current points leader Matt Kenseth, who finished third Saturday. “I feel bad for Greg. It has to be hard to look at the good side if you’re him, but he’s been leading these races. He’s just had bad things happen, and really none of it’s his mistake. . . . They just need to keep going racing and eventually the averages will work out and things will start going better.”
That couldn’t come soon enough for Biffle. After the race he strode briskly through pit row, never stopping to answer questions from the pack of reporters and cameramen scurrying behind him.
A Roush Racing public relations representative tried to get a comment from Biffle, but she might as well have asked him to strip naked, lather himself up with honey and lie down on an anthill.
Biffle wasn’t the only racer cursing his bad luck.
His Roush racing teammate, 47-year-old Mark Martin, led for 86 laps midway through the race before he had to pit on laps 200 and 201 because his left rear tire wasn’t properly tightened on the first stop.
“We can’t throw the race away. C’mon,” a frustrated Martin said in his radio.
In the next breath, however, the veteran confirmed what his crew knew as well. He had one of the fastest cars on the track and plenty of time to catch the leaders.
“Tell those guys in front of me I’m coming like a madman,” Martin said. He did just that. Lap after lap, Martin closed in on the leaders. On Lap 277 he asked his crew chief, Pat Tryson, if he had enough gas to finish the race. Actually, he didn’t ask as much as demand an answer. “You all get your (expletive deleted) together and tell me if I’m going to run out or not,” Martin said. You’re fine, came the reply. But he wasn’t. With three laps to go, Martin passed Kenseth for fourth place. With two laps to go, he too ran out of gas and cruised — literally — to an 11th-place finish.
Like Biffle, Martin was in no mood to answer questions. Like Biffle, he stormed out of pit row, his anger apparent in every hurried step.
You can’t blame them, really.
They put their pedal to the metal and came up E — for empty.
Ragan Set To Take Over No. 6 Scotts F-150 at Gateway
Roush Racing April 21, 2006NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point leader Mark Martin will sit out his first of 11 races in 2006, giving driving duties of the No. 6 Scotts Ford F-150 to David Ragan, Martin‘s Roush Racing protégée for the April 29 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway.
“I‘m really looking forward to going to Gateway,” said Ragan. “I feel like I‘m well prepared heading into this race. I‘ve run there a bunch, racing and testing. It is one of my favorite places to race, because it‘s a real unique track that takes a physically fit driver. It‘s like a hybrid between the straightaways of Milwaukee and the corners of Martinsville.”
No stranger to racing at Gateway, Ragan will make his fourth start at the 1.25 mile oval when the Craftsman Truck Series comes to town for the April 29 event. He has one start each in the trucks, NASCAR Busch Series and in ARCA competition.
Ragan was initially to compete in 18 Craftsman Truck Series events in 2006, driving the Scotts Ford when Martin was not entered. Roush Racing made the decision to field a third truck for Ragan beginning with the Atlanta race in March, in an effort to afford the 20-year old additional seat time in preparation for his driving duties in the No. 6 F-150. “I think there‘s a little extra pressure going into this weekend driving the No. 6 truck. We‘re going there to race hard for a good finish, but I‘ve got to respect for what Mark and Mike Beam have accomplished by having phenomenal runs in the first four races. I want to have a good run and a solid finish, and keep this truck at the top of the owners point standings,” said Ragan.
The No. 6 team currently leads both the driver and owner championship point standings, but will focus their efforts on the owners championship beginning with the event at Gateway. They enter the event with a 55 point lead over Bob Germain‘s No. 9 team.
2006 Mark Martin Track Notes - Saturday - April 22, 2006
Subway Fresh 500 / Phoenix International Raceway
#6 AAA Ford Fusion Roush RacingDRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2005 EVENT WINNER: Kurt Busch
MARK MARTIN - 2005 EVENT
Started 16th, Finished 22nd
Martin and the No. 6 Team ran to a 16th-place finish in Saturday night’s Subway 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Martin ran as high as sixth on the day, but a late-race gamble in pit strategy backfired, and Martin fell back to as far as 22nd before recovering for the 16th-place finish. The finish was good enough to advance Martin up one place to sixth on the Nextel Cup points race.
MARTIN HEADS TO PHOENIX FOR SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN
Martin and the No. 6 AAA Race Team head out west to Phoenix for the first Saturday night race of the season. Martin moves into Phoenix fresh off his fifth top-10 finish in seven races in 2006, and looking to further cut the deficit between himself and first place.
THE CAR
The team will run RK-221 this week at Phoenix. RK-221 finished 13th in its last run at Richmond last fall. The car ran seven times in 2005, boasting four top fives. It was the car that Martin used to win the All-Star race in May.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin won at Phoenix on Halloween of 1993 and he has finished second or better in six of 19 starts.
MARTIN AT PHOENIX
Martin has posted top-10 finishes in 13 of his 19 starts at Phoenix. He has eight top-five finishes and won the Cup event there in October of 1993. He has finished inside the top 10 in 11 of his last 15 starts there. In addition, Martin has run second at Phoenix on five occasions.
Starts: 19 (1)
Wins: 1 (-)
Top 5's: 8 (-)
Top 10's: 13 (-)
Poles: - (-)
Highest finish: 1st (10/31/93)
First time: 11/6/88 (36th)
Last time: 11/13/05 (14th) 4/23/05 (22nd)MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS - PHOENIX
- Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 72 percent (13) of his Phoenix Cup races.
- Martin won at Phoenix on Oct. 31, 1993.
- Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 11 of the last 15 races at Phoenix.
- Martin has finished second or better in six of 19 races at Phoenix.
- Martin has finished every race of the 2006 season on the lead lap.
- Martin has finished in the top 15 in 11 consecutive races dating back to last season.
- Martin is the only driver to finish top 15 in all seven races this season.
AAA AND MARK MARTIN
Martin is sporting a different look and sponsor this season. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA boasts more than 48 million members.
ENCORE SALUTE IN '06
Martin had planned 2005 as his final in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series, but when called into action by Jack Roush he opted to return for one more go around. Martin's fourth-place finish in the points in '05 proved he is still one of the fastest stars in NASCAR and he plans on using 2006 as an encore performance of his highly popular "Salute To You" Tour, where he will continue to take the time to thank each and every person that he feels played a role in his success, including the team members, the fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWARY
Mark Martin:
"Phoenix is a good track for racing. It's set up a little different on each end, but ultimately the key is getting through the corners faster than everyone else. We've had pretty good success there over the years. We haven't had our best runs the last few times we were out there, but we are hoping to get that corrected and put together a solid finish this weekend.
"I can't say enough about the job this race team has done this season. We've been competitive in a number of races and we've been able to get solid finishes on days where we didn't have the best car. The team continues to work really hard and I'm excited about what we feel we can accomplish as a team this season."
Pat Tryson:
"We've been a little off at Phoenix in the past couple of years so we'll have our work cut out of us this weekend making sure that we find what we need out there. Mark has had a lot of success at Phoenix, so we know that he's capable of getting it done, we just have to make sure that we give him the car to do it and then we are able to help out with fast pit stops. If everyone is on their game, I'm confident that we can get out of there with a good finish."
This Week in Ford Racing - Mark Martin Interview
Ford Racing: News
April 18, 2006NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 6 Scotts Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, participated in a press conference today at Lowe's Motor Speedway to discuss the upcoming Nextel All-Star Challenge and Coca-Cola 600. Martin, the defending winner of the Nextel All-Star Challenge, also talked about a variety of other topics.
MARK MARTIN -- No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion and No. 6 Scotts Ford F-150
YOU WERE ON THE TRACK THIS AFTERNOON IN A ROUSH MUSTANG. WAS THAT YOUR FIRST TIME ON THE NEW TRACK SURFACE AT LOWE'S MOTOR SPEEDWAY?
"Yes. I've had the opportunity to take a few laps in a Roush Mustang and check out the race track. I think most everybody in motorsports knows that this is the race track that sets the standard in my world. I've said this is the greatest race track in the world, and it certainly is to me anyway. The new pavement looks beautiful. They did such an incredible job of laying it. It's smooth as silk and the race track still has every bit the same personality. In other words, the transitions off of turn two and turn four. The transition into three is the same, and it's very clear and obvious to me that the challenge of the entry of turn one is the greatest challenge, which it always is and always has been. It will be a greater challenge, I think, at the high speeds that we're going to be running. The need for widening the turn into turn one is going to put you right on the edge on the turn into turn one. I bet there'll be a visit or two into the wall there about halfway through one and two, by hopefully not me. I'll bet they'll be a few visits there. It looks beautiful and you couldn't have asked for a more awesome looking job on the paving. I know these guys know how to mix the asphalt so that it stays down for us. They haven't had any trouble in years and years with that. They figured that out years ago, and so I'm very confident that we're going to have a great surface to race on. And, as we put an enormous amount of rubber on it during the Cup test, we'll see its personality probably take on, and, of course, the Busch test following. By the time we get to the All-Star weekend, the race track should have a lot of rubber on it considering it's a fresh pave job. We're excited about coming back here."
HOW WAS YOUR DEAL IN BATESVILLE, ARK. LAST WEEK?
"It was outstanding. I'm not sure what we called it. Last year we called it Ford Fan Days, and I guess that's what we're going to call it because it's going to be an annual event. It will be Friday and Saturday before Easter annually. This was the second one that we had, but the first one at the new museum and dealership there at Batesville. Thanks to many of you, we really got the word out really well. We had an overwhelming crowd there on Friday and even larger on Saturday. Folks came from everywhere. From L.A. -- and that's not Lower Alabama (laughing) -- as well as many couples from Minnesota and people from New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Ohio, and just from everywhere. It was a fantastic turnout. It was the most fun event I did in 2005. In 2006, it was a lot of fun. It was a little bit more of a challenge because I was the only one signing autographs this year. Last year I had Kurt Busch and Rusty Wallace helping me out. I took all of these guys on and I got everybody an autograph that came for one over the course of two days. It was really special to share with them, and I'm very proud how it all came together there. I'm very proud to share that with our fans and it was great."
WHICH OF THE TWO VICTORIES IS MORE SPECIAL TO YOU -- YOUR 2002 COCA-COLA 600 WIN OR LAST YEAR'S ALL-STAR RACE?
"I think that in my case, the older I get the more rubbery my brain gets, so things don't penetrate it very well. Obviously, the last win is the best win because it's the one I can remember the most. Honestly, the All-Star win, this last one, I felt like I made -- and it was because of luck -- but I felt like I made the largest contribution in my career to winning a race. Every move I made, luckily, was the right move. I drove probably uncharacteristically aggressive, and everything that I did on the race track happened to turn out to be the right thing. We had a very good car, but I have a good car often. We managed to win that race where it would have been easy if things hadn't worked out so well for me, I could have been further back in the field. Arlene and Matt were there and it was a great, great celebration. We had the retro paint scheme along with the Salute Tour and everything that was going on. I truly believe that some of the fans' response to that was the retro paint scheme because I think some people remembered that far back and remembered us out there battling in those years. I think it meant something to those fans that have been around for a while, and I think it's real special to everyone. Their response was real special."
GIVE AN UPDATE ON MATT MARTIN'S RACING CAREER AND HIS PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO SPEND WITH HIM.
"Well, Matt's racing in Late Models this year. He's got him a Ford Fusion and Coca-Cola on the side of it, so it's a real pretty car. It's number 66 because he says that's twice as good as 6. And, of course, if you ask him, he'll tell you he is twice as good as his dad, too (laughing). And he is with the media and the fans. He's going to be racing about once a month this summer in that Late Model. That's about as much as he and his mama, especially his mama, really care to do, especially since I'm not around. He's just having fun with it. He's 14, and next year, we haven't made any long-range plans, he will be old enough to race in Hooters Cup a time or two. Anything that we do, we're just going to be playing with. We're not going to run a whole Hooters Cup schedule and all that because I'm going to be racing in the truck series and stuff like that. His mother is not going to travel him all over the country. And, his education is primary. We don't want him to be missing school for much of anything. We want to make sure that's primary. There's a chance he might do some Hooters Cup racing or something else. Right now we're kind of planning on the next race. His next race is the 29th. Talladega Saturday night is the best way I can remember it. It's April 29th at New Smyrna. I may get a chance to get back to see that one, so that would be special. Then he's going to race two weeks after that, again at New Smyrna."
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PERSONNEL CHANGES AT ROUSH THAT WERE ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK?
"Well, I've learned from experience that whenever I don't completely understand something, if I ever have a chance to sit down and listen to Jack's rationalization of what has taken place, it makes a lot more sense. I know that things are going to work out very well at the 99. I know that things will work out very well at the 26. Jack and I have not had a conversation yet, and I don't know what his grand plan is for Jimmy. Obviously, Jimmy and I go all the way back just about. I know that there's tremendous opportunity in Roush Racing for Jimmy to be a huge asset, but I don't know if or what Jack has planned. I hope that Jack is in a position to figure out a way to utilize Jimmy to make all of our teams stronger, which is something that could be a plus for the whole organization. Both of those crew chiefs on those Cup cars were my engineers. Bob was my engineer and it crushed me when they promoted him to head engineer. Then we got Wally, and we loved Wally. I was real disappointed when we had to promote him to head engineer, and so then I just said, 'I've got to have a proven one.' I went back on over there and got another new guy. I was able to get Mike Janow to come over to the 6 car from the 97. Both of those guys went to head engineer and then became crew chiefs, and both of them are incredible. Wally Brown is going to do really well, and Bob already has."
YOU HAVE DONE A LOT TO PROMOTE UP-AND-COMING DRIVERS INTO THE SPORT. WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JARED LANDERS?
"I'm so glad you brought that up because I would forget. Jared Landers -- and you're talking about the race this weekend (Colossal 100 @ LMS Dirt Track) -- is going to be out here. He's going to be in car 06, which is actually the brick car. It's the Mark Martin Ford car, and it's got my image on the car and everything. Jared is the son of my partner at the dealership, and Jared has won several Modified races already this year on dirt and is just getting his feet wet with this Late Model, and is doing a fabulous job. He's a great driver and it's going to be across the street. That car is the car that I'm going to be driving at Eldora with the Prelude to The Dream on June 7th. We're all pretty close; it all kinda goes around in a circle. I'm going to be pulling for Jared this weekend even though I'm in Phoenix. I'm going to be in touch with him and I wish him luck. It's going to be a very competitive race over here. They're expecting 165 cars, so just to make that A main there will be a huge feat and I wish him luck. He's young, he's aggressive, he has a lot of talent and he's got a cool looking car."
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR RACING AT LOWE'S IN MAY?
"I almost just blurted out, 'All of them,' but you may be having an ARCA race that I don't know about. As far as I know I'm just about running everything that you've got. Definitely running the truck race, the All-Star race, the Busch race and the Cup race. There will be plenty of track time at my favorite place, and I promise that I'm going to try to be smiling the whole time no matter what. I really look forward to it. This is, and I mean it, and you know I don't blow a lot of smoke, I'm telling you, I love this place. This is it, and I'm excited about coming here and racing that much."
WITH THIS BEING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BUSCH SERIES AND THE FACT THAT CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE SEVEN TRACKS THAT HOSTED THE SERIES FROM THE START, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHERE THE SERIES IS TODAY?
"The Busch Series has come a long way since 1987. Nineteen Eighty Seven was the year I came down here and ran the full schedule in Busch. I don't mean to veer off of it, but I just want to say that some of the coolest things that I've seen this year was having the Busch champions, like Jack Ingram and Tommy Ellis, and all of those guys, on TV at Daytona. I really want to commend whoever was in charge of that because this is a sport that as soon as you're gone from the public eye, you're gone. It really meant a lot for me to see those guys. I wasn't hanging out with them, but I felt like I was just sitting by the TV listening to them. I thought that was really cool. But, racing has changed a lot. It has had tremendous growth. It is certainly right there alongside Nextel Cup racing today with huge sponsors and very full fields and everything. I just want to thank the fans for that. I know that NASCAR has worked at it, I know that the guys here at the speedway have worked at it and all of the other speedways to promote the sport, and the media and everything else, but honestly, we wouldn't be where we are today if it wasn't for these great fans. They were here back in 1987, but they're here strong today. The growth has been incredible from the fans and that's what's brought all of the rest of it. It's brought the competitors; it's brought the sponsors and everything else. It's a great opportunity for all of us, so I definitely want to thank the fans for their support.
YOU SAID YOU WOULD NEVER RACE CUP FULL-TIME AGAIN AND CIRCUMSTANCES BROUGHT YOU BACK THIS YEAR. COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN?
"You had to be there in the conversation because what it was is: I've already said never once and I can't say a bunch of nevers this year because I don't want to do that twice. Pretty much of what I said was that there is no way that I would be back full time again, although I wouldn't put it past them to ask me to come back. I'm not going to do that. I have 13 more weekends off in 2007 right now, and I won't surrender any of those 13 to testing or to a NASCAR race. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't necessarily go to a Friday night short track somewhere, or even possibly a Saturday night, but I won't surrender those. Those will leave open some others that I'm already going to be here. I've already indicated that I have no interest in the Busch Series. I've got to be careful now about saying never."
WHAT IF YOU NEEDED TO FILL IN FOR AN INJURED TEAMMATE?
"That's what I've tried to say all along. There may be a situation where I'm needed as a fill-in or whatever. I'm just not going to say it couldn't happen. The thing that I do know is that I'm not going to surrender those 13 weekends. Then, I have to be careful about that because, honestly, if one of the five Cup drivers was injured, then under that circumstance I would. If Matt or Greg or Jamie or Carl were to get injured then that might be a different story. I've got to be careful about what I say. The way I said it was that if you go all through that, there is some wiggle room on the truck race weekends. There is some wiggle room and I just can't say never."
YOUR SCHEDULE IS PRETTY FULL THIS SEASON.
"Well, I'm no Kenny Schrader, but I am racing quite a bit this year, that's for sure. I just wound up involved in a lot. Definitely, my heart was in the truck thing. I wanted to start working with my team and learn a little bit about the series and the vehicles and get my team working, and that grew into a bigger schedule than I had planned. And, I got myself tied up to a number of Busch races that I hadn't expected to. Of course, IROC wrote me a check for $1 million in November. Even though I didn't need to be racing in any more races, when they come calling you can believe that I will be there. And, I'm having the time of my life, which is unexpected. I went in to February at Daytona not knowing what to expect and very concerned that it might be a tough year for me to meet it with the kind of fire that I needed to, but I think by the time we left Daytona Sunday night, I think we had found it. It feels like home when I strap into that race car and I love Pat and my guys, and Jack's support is phenomenal and the fans have been overwhelming with their response to my coming back for another year. I'm living a dream."
HOW SHOULD NASCAR USE ITS DRIVERS AFTER THEY RETIRE FROM COMPETITION?
"Well, I don't know, unless they ask me to tell them what springs to run because I'm not very smart about all of the rest of that. I really did enjoy seeing Tommy Ellis and Jack Ingram and all of those guys that I got to see. I didn't see all of them because they were on at different times, but that is sad. Ernie got hurt and there was no place for him, and I feel bad about that. Bobby Allison would have loved to have been a part of this sport for a lot longer time than he was, and there just really wasn't a place. I think that everybody can feel sad about that. I don't know what the answer is. For me, it felt good to see those guys because I identified with them because I used to race with them and they were the men when I was getting started. I looked up to them, and I still do in the same way, and I think that was a good experience for me and I think other people could benefit from the same experience."
WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, HOW DO YOU WANT TO REMEMBERED BY THIS SPORT?
"Here's my answer to that one: I just want to be remembered. I couldn't say how I would want to be remembered. It would be an honor and a privilege to remembered by the competitors as well as the fans."
WHEN COMPETITORS SAY THAT THEY WISH MORE PEOPLE DROVE LIKE MARK MARTIN, HOW MUCH DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
"Honestly, respect is the greatest compliment that you could ever give anyone, so that kind of respect means everything to me. I learned a lot of my racing etiquette from Dick Trickle and the guys that raced in Wisconsin in the 70s and early 80s. That stuck with me ever since. They didn't tear up very much stuff up there, and they raced five nights a week. The races didn't pay very much, and we couldn't afford to be tearing your stuff up all the time. And, they race hard. They could still do that and not tear the heck out of everything. When I came in up there, they wanted to get that straight right away that I was going to mess it up for them if I was running over them all the time. I have to give them the credit for my driving style, what we learned in order to survive in the environment that we were in at the time."
WHY DO SOME OF THE YOUNGER RACERS STRUGGLE WITH THAT TODAY?
"Because they haven't fixed their own race cars. It would probably take months to fix one wreck without any help. You wouldn't fix it but once, and you wouldn't tear it up anymore."
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DALE JR.?
"Dale Sr. was tough on Junior. Junior just didn't get a lot of things handed to him. He got the name handed to him, but the rest of it he had to earn, and it shows. Dale Jr. is a fine young man who had to show that he wanted it really bad, and he worked for the opportunity to be a NASCAR driver. He had to work for it, and look how that turned out. He's a fierce, aggressive competitor that doesn't cause hardly any trouble on the race track. That's what you want. The fans really want to see fierce competition, but they know you can have that and not have a wreck-fest. That's what they really want to see is drivers who race hard and competitive and race close, and a little rubbing is OK, but nobody wants to go see a demolition derby."
IS THERE A WAY TO BRING YOUNG DRIVERS IN TO THE SPORT AND NOT HAVE THEM DEFECT LATER IN THEIR YOUNG CAREERS?
"That's a complex question that's way over my head. I think we're learning because it's changing so much because you're talking about getting 14-year-olds, maybe younger. Some of them, when they're shining and bright as Joey Logano, he needed to be signed at 14 years old, and you can't really sign a 14-year-old to anything law-wise that will really hold up. There's a lot of things yet to be learned by everyone in business about how to manage to nurture and bring some of these guys in. And then other ones, maybe nothing happens. Once in a while you've got somebody as bright and shiny as Joey, and you've got figure out how you can bring him in and bring him along."
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH THE NEW TRACK SURFACE?
"No, I'm not concerned with the track at all. Obviously, history says that there should be concerns about tires being able to be durable enough to hold up. Even though they held up in the test, will they hold up once the rubber starts laying down? No knock against Goodyear, we're just talking about 200 mph speeds at a downforce race track. It's just an incredible challenge that I think we're going to have to wait and see. I don't think that we could expect anything worse than what we had last year, but hopefully tire durability won't be an issue. If it's not, then it's all good and every time we race at this race track it will get more racy."
WILL THE SMALLER FUEL CELL HELP THE RACING?
"I think it's too early to tell. It's going to change the complexion of the race. If there are durability issues, then a smaller fuel cell will be a good thing. If there's not durability issues with the tires, then the smaller fuel cell is going to create more cautions, more accidents and a more difficult race to strategize. To plan and to pit will be a tremendous challenge from that aspect. I wish that we were in a situation that we knew we had confidence that we're not going to have tire durability issues, and then you have the big fuel cells and it would be a little bit more like old school racing."
NASCAR driver Mark Martin drives a Roush Ford Mustang around the newly paved track at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Tuesday April 18, 2006.
AP Photo/Chuck BurtonMartin thrilled with Lowe's repaving
By Jenna Fryer
AP Motorsports Writer
April 18, 2006If there's anything wrong with the freshly paved surface at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Mark Martin would be the driver to find it.
It took him one lap in a street car Tuesday to learn his favorite race track was as good as ever.
"Most everybody in motorsports knows that this is the race track that sets the standard in my world — it's the greatest race track to me — and the new pavement looks beautiful," he raved. "The race track still has every bit of the same personality as it did.
"Couldn't have asked for a more awesome job. I am very confident we are going to have a great surface to race on."
Martin's assessment was the stamp of approval Lowe's officials had been hoping for. They spent $3 million this winter to repave the surface and have been crossing their fingers that the project was successful.
Track president Humpy Wheeler tried to stall the paving project last year by using a cheaper grinding process called "levigating" that he used in spots to smooth out the trademark bumps in the surface and create more side-by-side racing.
The project didn't really work and there were a NASCAR-record 22 cautions during the Coca-Cola 600 last May. So Wheeler went back over the summer and levigated the rest of the surface.
Only that was a disaster.
The surface was way too slick in October, creating a hazardous situation that caused tires to pop like balloons during any extended runs.
Martin was furious about the state of the track.
"It's just messed up now," he said during a test last September. "Humpy has tried to make it better ... but he shouldn't have tried to manipulate this race track in the first place. I don't know why it had to be more exciting for the fans than it was, because it was a great racetrack."
Now that the track has been repaved, Martin couldn't be more pleased.
He ran six laps in a Stage 2 Roush Mustang, hitting about 90 mph as he carefully examined the surface. He was thrilled the moment he got to Turn 1 of his first lap.
"That's silk smooth," Martin said. "This is where the real character is — this is a Charlotte character how that banking falls away. It's a non-issue.
"This corner is smooth, bumps are gone. Everything is really good here."
Martin acknowledged that the smooth surface will be fast, a precaution Goodyear officials have prepared for by designing a new tire compound to use during the May races. NASCAR is also prepared for the increased speeds, mandating smaller fuel tanks be used there next month.
Cars will go to 14-gallon tanks at Lowe's rather than the normal 22-gallon tanks to create more pit stops for gas, preventing long runs that would put stress on the tires.
The smaller fuel cells is the one change Martin doesn't favor.
"I understand what they were trying to do, but I'm not a big fan of it," he said. "If we run into marginal tire durability, then it will be a good thing. (But) you're going to have to pit every time the caution comes out.
"What I want is old school racing. I want a fuel stop. I want to run 80 or 100 miles of green-flag racing. I don't want run five laps and have a caution, run five more and have a caution."
USATODAY.com - Martin won't rule out occasional Cup races in '07
By Seth Livingstone
April 18, 2006CONCORD, N.C. — Mark Martin planned to retire from Nextel Cup competition last year, then said this year would be he last.
Now, he's not ruling out an occasional race in a Cup car in 2007.
"I should have never said 'never,' " Martin, 47, said yesterday at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Martin, winner of 35 Nextel Cup races, plans to drive a full Craftsman Truck Series schedule in 2007 and 2008 and concedes it's possible he could find his way into a Cup car on those weekends. But he said he has no interest in driving in the Busch Series in 2007, as he is doing on a limited basis this season.
"I can't imagine seeing me at a NASCAR race where the trucks weren't there that weekend," Martin said.
Presumably, Martin would fill in for at an occasional race for a young driver such as Roush Racing teammate David Ragan. Martin said a plan to have Ragan split time this season with Rusty Wallace or Bill Elliott was talked about last year before Kurt Busch's defection left Roush in need of another full-time veteran. Martin, who had been on a season-long farewell tour with Wallace in 2006, became that man.
"It would only be in a situation where I felt it was a car as good as I was driving now," Martin said of his chances of returning to Cup action next season. "It's very unlikely to have all the stars line up properly, but I don't want to say never because I've already said that and had to back up.
"I will say that I'm not going to run another full schedule. I have 13 more weekends off in 2007 than I will have in 2006 and no event is going to get those — no broadcasting, no racing unless it was something like a dirt track race that I wanted to go to."
Martin was at Lowe's yesterday, getting a look at the newly resurfaced track. He drove six laps in a Stage 2 Roush Mustang, not unlike two he owns personally.
"This is like the greatest race track there could be," said Martin, who has recorded 14 victories in 88 career starts at Lowe's.
But Martin, like other drivers, became disenchanted with the track last year. The track, which hadn't been repaved since 1994, was partially levigated in an attempt to reduce bumps. But the new surface resulted in a NASCAR-record 22 caution flags at the May race. Further levigation for the October race resulted in numerous blown tires on extended runs.
"The grinding kind of ruined it," said Martin, preparing for his first test lap. "The bumps that it had were good bumps that gave it character. They gave you a challenge."
Martin was immediately convinced that one of his favorite tracks was favorable once again. "The new pavement looks beautiful," he said, putting the Mustang through its paces at 80-90 mph. "The race track still has every bit the same personality."
"This is the greatest," he said, easing through Turn 1. "Come in here, get into this banking and let it fall ... The bump (between Turns 3 and 4) that was here — that's all gone. It's silk smooth."
Martin said the track's real test for drivers continues to be in Turn 1, where the banking falls away. "I bet they'll be a visitor or two to the wall, halfway between (Turns) 1 and 2," he said. "Hopefully, not me."
Seeking to reduce tire failures with high speeds expected on the new, faster surface, NASCAR has mandated smaller fuel cells (14 gallons, down from the standard 22-gallon tank) to be used at Lowe's. That could require as many as 12 pit stops for the Coca-Cola 600.
"I understand what they're trying to do. I'm not a big fan of it," Martin said. "(But) if we run into marginal tire durability then (smaller tanks) will be a good thing ... What I want is old-school racing. I'd like to run 80 or 100-mile of green-flag racing. I don't want to run five laps and have a caution."
AAA Arkansas to Support Call for Mandatory Seat Belt Law By Veteran NASCAR Driver Mark Martin; Arkansas Native Martin Proposed Primary Seat Belt Law at Racing Museum Opening Last Week
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2006--Responding to a call last week by veteran NASCAR driver and Arkansas native, Mark Martin, for a mandatory seat belt law in the state, AAA Arkansas today announced it would support passage of primary seat belt during the legislative session beginning in January 2007.
Martin, who drives AAA's No 6 Ford Fusion in this year's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, called on state lawmakers to pass a primary seat belt law during remarks at the opening of his racing museum Friday at the Mark Martin Ford/Mercury dealership in Batesville.
"Mandatory seat belt laws save lives," said Mike Right, vice president of Public Affairs. "Mark is very well respected and well known for his skills as a driver and with his help we'll work with the legislator to get a primary seat belt law passed next year."
Primary enforcement seat belt laws allow police to stop and ticket drivers for not wearing a seat belt, just as they stop other drivers for routine traffic violations. Currently, 24 states and the District of Columbia have primary seat belts laws on the books and, as of the end of February, 17 states were considering legislation to convert their secondary seat belt laws to primary enforcement laws.
According to Right, the use of seat belts in states with primary seat belt laws is 10 to 15 higher than in states without mandatory laws, and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that nearly 2000 lives a year could be saved and 50,000 injuries prevented if all states adopted these required safety measures.
Martin, who grew up in Arkansas and has been working closely with AAA to promote stronger teen driver safety laws throughout the United States since the beginning of the year, called passage of a primary seat belt law vital to the health and safety of state residents.
"AAA is doing great work in the area of safety," Martin said, "And I'm very excited to be working with AAA on a number of safety issues I'm concerned about."
Speaking to a crowd of fans at the museum opening Friday morning, Martin called on state lawmakers get behind the passage of a primary seat belt law as soon as possible next year.
"If we know mandatory seat belt laws work and we know they save lives, why in the world wouldn't we want that kind of law in Arkansas?" he asked.
AAA is North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization with more than 49 million members. AAA members enjoy exclusive travel, financial, and automotive related services as well as member-only discounts. Since its founding in 1902, the not for profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
Race fans flood Batesville for grand opening
By Mary Jo Guenzel, Guard Staff Writer
GuardOnline.com :. Batesville Daily Guard
April 17, 2006They came from all over, not just race fans, not just NASCAR fans, but Mark Martin fans.
“It gives me a lot of pride when I walk into this place (the Mark Martin Ford Mercury Dealership and Museum). I just want to be remembered. I hope this museum is around when I’m gone,” Martin said to hundreds of fans that lined up Friday afternoon wanting a glimpse of him and an autograph.
“My whole career has been driven by my fans,” he added.
Martin said when he lived in Batesville he drove the roads “hard.”
“I ran all of them. How do you think I got to know how to be a road racer?” he asked.
Dewaine Moncier from Van Buren said he has been following Martin since he was the local track champion at the Tri-County Speedway in Fort Smith in 1977.
“I followed him (Martin) after that win on into ASA (American Speed Association) racing. Then he became a NASCAR driver. He was my man,” Monicer said.
Monicer has a room filled with Martin memorabilia mostly bought from eBay, he said. His collection includes 128 die-cast cars, a Kosei crewman’s shirt when Martin raced in Japan in 1997, Martin uniforms and helmets plus the original artwork used to make mouse pads with Martin’s insignia on them.
Monicer said he also has the full body frame of a car Martin drove in the Diehard 500 in Talledaga in 1996. “It’s got a doughnut on the side put there by Dale Earnhart,” he said.
One man, Dale Perry and his wife, Margaret, drove more than 700 miles to see Martin from Battle Creek, Mich.
Even though he was told by officials in charge of the autograph sessions he couldn’t have a home-built motorized No. 6 Viagra car signed by Martin, he said, “I’m just happy to be here. We’re having a great time.”
Other out-of-towners John Stine of Savannah, Ill., Ray and Becky Reid of Arlington, Texas, Jim Walters of Hagerstown, Md., and Paul Williams and Jay Dorrs, who traveled more than 2,000 miles from Butte, Mont., all agreed with the Perrys, saying they were all Martin fans and wanted to be part of the grand opening festivities.
“We wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” said Bill and Sue Moeller from Los Angeles. “We came all this way just for this. We flew to Dallas and rented a car to come to Batesville,” Bill Moeller said, explaining he worked for Eagle One Car Care Products owned by Valvoline.
And, Myra McGee from Mountain Home, who is confined to a wheelchair, said, “If I believed in reincarnation, I would come back as a race car driver. I just love NASCAR and I follow the smaller tracks too. I just like racing.”
Det. Jim Rudd from the Independence County Sheriff’s Office, who was working security at the dealership/museum said, “I know this is the second time in two years the town of Batesville has doubled its population. Last year there were 10,000 people here to see Mark.”
Krista Ross and Jennifer Jordan from Columbus, Ohio were two fans who drove to Batesville to see Martin.
“We get his (Martin’s) online diary once a week and saw a banner promoting the grand opening,” Ross said. “I told Jennifer, ‘We have to go.’”
Both ladies said they are in a diet group and by setting diet goals each week that earned them money, they reward themselves by going to NASCAR races.
“Setting diet goals is how we get our money to go to the races. This time we decided to come to Batesville to see Mark and we are going to Homestead in November,” Ross added.
“We have met so many people,” Jordan added, admitting she was more of a Matt Kenseth fan.
“We’re just having fun. This is truly what makes us the happiest,” she said. “I am sure this community is proud that Mark brought it all back home even though somebody told us, ‘Well, we just know him as Mark.’ This has got to be good for the community — the town’s economy.”
During a question and answer session with the crowd, Martin said it was his Champion IROC car — “our first win with Jack Roush in 1989” — that was most important to him.
“It’s got all the dings and bangs right off the race track. ... I’m 47 years old, not 27. I’m doing good to get what I’m getting,” Martin told the fans.
“Jack (Roush) did the best he could do and so did I. We can do better and we are doing that this year. I don’t have one ounce of regret (about not winning the NEXTEL title). Jack’s friendship and confidence means more than any trophy.
“I’m 15 to 20 years older than Carl Edwards. I don’t think they (other young race car drivers) know how hard it is to compete. Those boys don’t know they can wreck and I do,” Martin said.
“It’s a spectacular day,” Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) said Friday. “I can’t image what Mark feels, the city feels for this crowd and this enthusiasm. It is a sign of good things we are going to see in northeast Arkansas.
“It’s like seeing the first half of a movie. I want to be around to see the ending,” Berry concluded.
Mark Martin Then and Now
By Mary Jo Guenzel - Guard Staff Writer
GuardOnline.com :. Batesville Daily Guard
April 13, 2006Phones are ringing off the wall, motel rooms are booked and motor homes filled with fans already arriving in anticipation of the big Mark Martin event.
“We’re having a party!”
That’s what Mark Martin told the Batesville Daily Guard during a phone conversation Wednesday afternoon about the Mark Martin Ford Mercury Dealership and Museum’s grand opening celebration set for Friday and Saturday.
“I brought all my years of racing home — to Batesville. I brought it all,” Martin said.
“We’re set to go and we’ve had hundreds and hundreds of calls from all over the country” said Mooney Starr, general manager of both the dealership and museum.
“It’s just awesome to me for this many racing fans from all over the country — from everywhere — even Alaska and Canada to be coming to Batesville,” Lance Landers, co-owner of the dealership, said with Benny Ertel, Martin’s business manager.
Motels and hotel managers in the Batesville area are reporting no vacancies in their facilities for Friday and Saturday night while staff at the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce said its phones have been ringing “off the wall.”
“I have a room booked for a mother coming from Texas with her son to surprise him to see Mark Martin,” said Rebecca Holleman, sales and marketing coordinator for the Super 8 Motel.
She said as of this morning, the motel has had a few cancellations with the possibility of one or two available rooms. “I don’t know how long they will last. People are coming from Wisconsin, Mississippi, California and the East Coast,” she added.
“The calls (at the dealership/museum) have been non-stop from fanatic race fans that want to be part of the excitement,” Starr said.
“It’s true what they say — race fans are the most loyal. We know of people coming from all over — California, Texas and Oregon.”
Located at 1601 Batesville Blvd., the 40,000-square-foot building, which includes a 6,000-square-foot museum, sits on 18 acres of land south of Batesville.
The celebration starts at 9:30 a.m. Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. An autograph session from 10 to 11:30 a.m. by Martin will take place in the dealership’s simulated Victory Lane in the shop portion of the dealership.
Landers said Arlene, Martin’s wife, and Matt, Martin’s son, plus numerous members from Roush Racing will also be on hand for the festivities.
The celebration will continue through the noon hour as fans can view Martin’s 2006 No. 6 AAA Nextel Cup Ford Fusion and get in the act with AAA simulators where fans race each other, Landers said.
A question and answer session will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. Friday with another autograph session by Martin set for 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Starr said Martin is planning to attend the races at the Batesville Speedway Friday and Saturday night. “He just wants to watch the races,” Starr said.
Inside the museum, fans will be greeted by Martin’s voice heard on hi-tech plasma televisions telling a story of each of his victories in some of his cars that include his Stroh’s Light, Folgers, Winn Dixie and Viagra cars plus his Championship IROC car.
The museum also has on display a variety of other memorabilia, including several of Martin’s past race helmets, historic fire suits, plus his handwritten diaries dating back to 1974 and letters from Martin’s late father, Julian Martin.
There are also several personal photo books that chronicle Martin’s early success, as well as thousands of pictures and newspaper articles that show Martin’s climb from a local dirt track sensation to a NASCAR legend.
On Saturday, Martin will reappear for two other autograph sessions; one from 10 a.m. to noon and again at 3-4:30 p.m. Another question and answer session from Martin is set for 1-2 p.m.
“It’s been a long road for Mark and it’s been a lot of fun and he really wanted to put all of that on display,” Landers said.
“We could have put the dealership anywhere,” Martin added. “But I wanted to bring all of it home. It means a lot to me and I’m excited to share what I’ve been lucky enough to experience with everyone.”
The halls, service area, lobby, break room and Martin and Lander’s offices also contain memorabilia of Martin’s racing career where “customers can stroll around for hours,” Landers said. “They have free rein of the museum and dealership.”
“Triple A sent out 285,000 e-mails to its customers in Arkansas and Missouri to invite them to Batesville,” Landers said.
“We already have eight trucks or cars scheduled for pick-up or delivery — one’s going to Washington D.C., one to Chicago and one to Alaska. It’s amazing. Mark’s fans are amazing! And, this is where it all started for Mark — his hometown of Batesville.”
For more information, call 793-4461.
Roush Racing’s Mark Martin will hold the 'Grand Opening' for his all new Ford dealership
April 12, 2006Roush Racing’s Mark Martin will hold the grand opening for his all new Ford dealership, Mark Martin Ford-Mercury, and museum this weekend (Friday and Saturday) in Batesville, Arkansas. The dealership and museum officially opened on Feb. 27th. The grand opening is being officially presented by Coke.
“I’m really excited about the grand opening,” said Martin. “The Ford fan days that we held last year was one of the coolest things that I’ve we’ve ever done. I was able to take time with the people and the fans. It’s not just an autograph session, it’s a time where I can take time and walk around and talk to the people and meet them. We look at old photo books and they share some of the stuff with me that I might have never even seen.
“I just hope that as many of the fans as possible can get out and see us this weekend,” added Martin. “Last year we had around 10,000 fans come out for the event and we hope to see that many or even more this time.
“This year we are even more excited about it with the opening of the new museum. It’s just an awesome thing to be able to bring back all of these cars and trophies to the place where it all started and the place that I consider ‘home,’ said Martin. “We have a lot of stuff on display at the museum and I hope that all of the fans will get a chance to come out and share in all of the memories with us.
“Growing up I couldn’t wait to get out of Batesville and go out and see what I could do,” added Martin. “I went off seeking my fame and fortune and I was fortunate to work with a lot of great people and have a lot of success. Now it’s time to bring all of that back home where it belongs to Batesville.”
In addition to the normal artifacts on display in the museum, other items of interest that will be on display at this weekend’s grand opening are the Nextel Experience that travels to each NASCAR Nextel Cup race, The winning Scotts Ford F-150 from the Daytona Truck race direct from Victory Lane, the No. 6 AAA Nextel Cup Ford Fusion, AAA simulators where fans can race each other, the AAA booth and tent display and Coca-Cola booths as well. Martin’s No. 6 Ameriquest Busch car and hauler will also be on display and there will be live remotes with radio stations as well.
The state-of-the art museum features several of Martin’s past cars, including the No. 6 Viagra Coca-Cola 600 win car, the ’90 Folgers Thunderbird, the No. 60 Win Dixie Busch car, Martin’s 2005 IROC car that he used to win his record fifth championship, and the ’89 Strohs Thunderbird. Each car is a part of a display that includes hi-tech mantrons that tell the story of each piece of history.
The museum also has on display a variety of other memorabilia, including several of Martin’s past race helmets and historic firesuits. There are also several personal photo books on display that chronicle Martin’s early success, as well as thousands of pictures and newspaper articles that show Martin shows Martins climb from local dirt track sensation to NASCAR legend.
“We really wanted to do something that we could share with the fans and the people of Batesville,” said Martin. “It’s been a long road and it’s been a lot of fun and we really wanted to put all of that on display.
“We could have put the dealership anywhere,” added Martin. “But I wanted to bring all of it home. It means a lot to me and I’m excited to share what I’ve been lucky enough to experience with everyone.”
Roush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Entersprises which operates 13 motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, six in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Todd Kluever and Danny O‘Quinn Jr., and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with Martin, David Ragan and Erik Darnell.
This Week in Ford Racing - Mark Martin
Ford Racing: News
April 12, 2006MARK MARTIN – No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
WHAT’S YOUR IMPRESSION OF ERIK DARNELL?
“It’s really, really neat because these guys are so young and so talented. They have so much incredible respect for Jack Roush and for Roush Racing, as well as for me, and it’s just a joy to work with people like that. Danny O’Quinn as well and Todd Kluever. That’s something you never really picture yourself being in that position, but it is a really nice position and it’s really refreshing to work with talented, young drivers that really have that kind of respect.”
HE’S RUNNING REALLY WELL.
“Erik is fantastic. We’re real excited and real pleased to have Erik on the team and in the mix here, and we look forward to seeing him come right along.”
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU RETIRE AND TODD KLUEVER GETS IN THE 6 CAR?
“Please don’t use the word retire. I’m in the process of signing a two-year – ’07 and ’08 full Craftsman Truck Series contract, so I don’t like using the word retire.”
HOW DO YOU TRY TO MENTOR TODD?
“I’m trying really hard because Todd is in a new environment with his cars and in the series and he also has a new team as well. It’s not like he has a veteran crew chief leading him, so I’m trying to give him a small piece of that. I can’t be there for him all the time like a veteran crew chief could, but I’m trying to help move him along. He’s slated to roll in that 6 car next year and we’ve got a steep learning curve.”
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE COMPETITION LEVEL IN THE TRUCK SERIES.
“It’s what I thought it would be. You have Nextel Cup quality drivers in the top-15 and you have fierce competition, not only from teams but especially from manufacturers. It’s the kind of competition that you really don’t see in Busch at all, and I don’t even see that kind of competition from the manufacturers in Cup racing at this time. So it’s a very fierce manufacturers competition environment over there and it’s old school racing. It’s grassroots and sort of a throwback to old school racing and that’s what I love about it.”
ARE YOU LOOKING AT DOING ADDITIONAL RACING DURING THAT ’07 AND ’08 PERIOD? BUSCH RACES OR CUP RACES?
“That’s a good question, an excellent question and not one I really want to talk about right now. I hate crying wolf and never say never. I don’t know. I wouldn’t be interested in doing anything outside of conjunction races with the truck. My primary racing is going to be the Truck Series for the championship, not that I’m worried about that but my supporters are. Ford is very worried about that and our sponsor and Roush Racing is, so when I say that I mean that my primary focus will be the full schedule and then if there were conjunction races that were appealing to me, which haven’t presented themselves at this time, then I might. But I’m not gonna sign up and do another full Cup deal. I’m not gonna do it.”
Mark Martin joins star studded Nextel prelude to the dream at Eldora
Eldora SpeedwayROSSBURG, OH (April 10) -- When Tony Stewart released the preliminary list of drivers that will be attending this year’s Nextel Prelude to the Dream (June 7) at Eldora Speedway, he was quick to point out “stay tuned folks, because this list of talent will be growing”. And it is.
Mark Martin is the most recent NASCAR Nextel Cup driver to confirm his intentions to jump behind the wheel of a dirt short-track Late Model to challenge nearly a dozen of his NASCAR brethren on the one-half mile clay oval.
In addition to Stewart, who is the owner of the legendary speed plant, Martin will be joined by defending Prelude winner Kenny Wallace, Kenny Schrader, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Dave Blaney, Kyle Petty, Kevin Harvick, and Jamie McMurray, along with Nextel Cup rookies J. J. Yeley and Denny Hamlin. Also in the mix are the ageless Red Farmer and current NHRA standout Ron Capps.
In his 19th consecutive season of NASCAR racing, Martin ranks as one of the sport’s most popular and loyal drivers. He has been with his present team, Roush Racing, since 1988, and together they have achieved 34 NASCAR Cup wins.
After announcing his intentions to retire after the 2005 season, Roush encouraged Martin to come back one more year to allow the team to groom a replacement. Thus, Martin’s “Salute to You” has been extended through 2006, and the Eldora visit will be part of that farewell process.
Originally from Batesville, ARK, but now calling Daytona Beach, FL home, Martin is no stranger to dirt track racing. He began racing on the dirt short tracks near his Batesville home at the age of 15 and won his first race only three events into his storied career.
Like the others, Martin will find winning at Eldora to be no easy task. Each driver will receive a pair of warm-up sessions in their ‘borrowed’ dirt Late Models, and then be lined upon into qualifying heat races by virtue of their time trial runs. The heat race finishes, in combination with the time trial lap times, will be used for the main event line-up.
Also on the card will be the Lincoln Welders Truck Series of ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of American), with race time set a 7:30 PM.
Advance tickets for the event are available online at http://www.eldoraspeedway.com
Mark Martin Richmond International Raceway Quotes
Richmond International Raceway
April 11, 2006Quotes from the first day of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing at Richmond International Raceway in preparation for the May 6 race "under the lights".
MARK MARTIN, No. 6 AAA Ford
Q: You have said that this is your last season and that you are just going to enjoy it and have fun, you are currently third in points, tell us about your season so far.
MARTIN: "I'm really fortunate to be working with a great team in the #6 car, but I think the most rewarding thing to be a part of in 2006 is AAA and the opportunity to do some really important work with driving safety, especially teen driving safety, which is one of their main focuses for 2006. It's very important to try to raise awareness for traffic safety. We're going to be doing some stuff in Arkansas, trying to get a primary seatbelt law passed there, because when I go there, my friends aren't buckled up, and I can't believe it. I think the affiliation with AAA has been a wonderful surprise for me and the team is doing a great job and it looks like if we keep going this way I might say that I went out of here on the top of my game."
Q: In Bristol, Matt Kenseth used you as an example of "what would Mark Martin do," the sportsmanship kind of thing. What was your reaction to that? It kind of seemed like a high pedestal of respect for you.
MARTIN: "Well, it was. That's come over a period of time and I'm not sure I really want that because I'm subject to blow a gasket as well. Everyone makes mistakes and has bad days. It certainly feels good to be admired and appreciated. That's something that's come over the past 20 years."
Q: Three of your Roush teammates right now are outside the top-20 and are going to have an uphill climb to get into the Chase. You experienced something like that in 2004. Can you explain what it's like to have to fight your way through five or six races to get in?
MARTIN: "This is the third year of doing the Chase and everybody's getting wiser and hungrier. Three fourths of the field didn't make the chase last year or the year before so I see it continuing to heat up and get more difficult. For us, we managed a charge that was really, really sweet, something very much like Matt Kenseth managed last year. Most people counted him out to be in the chase throughout most of the season, then he put on a charge. It can be done, but you have to look at all the great teams and great drivers. To be real honest with you, my charge could have been broken by two more bad days and Matt's could have been broken by two more bad days. No matter what you do in this sport, I hate to use the word luck, but no mater how good you are, there are things that can prevent you from being all you can be if you have more than your share of misfortunes."
Q: Matt Kenseth mentioned when he was talking about Dale (Jarrett) not getting out of the way that it was an unwritten rule to do that for the leader. Tell me what you consider to be an unwritten rule.
MARTIN: "Dale Jarrett just missed The Chase two years ago, so that answers your question as to why he stayed where he was (at Bristol). He didn't block the leader (Matt Kenseth), he just stayed where he was. That would have an effect on how you might handle the situation. I would have to say if I was in that situation, I might have handled it differently, but I didn't miss The Chase the last two years. You have to always put yourself in the same shoes. In my opinion, it was a set of unfortunate circumstances the way it happened, but Dale didn't block Matt, although him just being there impeded his progress. What I've done all through my career is try to do what I want people to do for me and that's not always easy to do. In this particular instance, it may have been more difficult than usual, based on the circumstances."
Q: Has going through last season which was originally going to be your final Cup season, dealing with the emotions as the last go round helped you as you go through this season towards what will be your final NEXTEL Cup season?
MARTIN: "That's a really great question and yes it has. I have totally come to grips. I was very focused in 2005 with the Salute tour and very intense on being near the top of my game. I had a great time with the fans and gave them something special and the media as well. As we go along this year a lot of that feels like it's somewhat behind me and this year I'm focused on the performance of the team and trying to meet all my obligations, which are the greatest they've ever been in my career. I have had a touch of emotion a couple of times this year, but for the most part I feel really good about what's going on and what's coming of it in 2007 and 2008. Since I'm not going to be retiring--I'm going to do the full Craftsman Truck Series in 2007 and 2008--at least I will be racing, otherwise I would be having a tough time with it, because there's a lot of race left in me."
Q: You've seen a lot of changes in your time in NEXTEL Cup, looking at it now on your way out, what trends do you see developing and how do you see the future of Cup, what do you like, what are you a little warry about where it's going?
MARTIN: "I have to be careful about things that I worry about. I've been doing this for so long that it's real easy for me to get sour on certain things. It's nothing like it was when I first got involved. When I first got involved it was a lot like the truck series is now, that's why I love the trucks so much because racing is a lot like racing the cars were back then. It has provided major opportunity for so many people. There was only a small group of people that had the opportunity to race in NASCAR when I first got started, and now there's thousands and thousands of people--that's a positive thing. The growth in that respect is great. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of it when it was so much grassroots and be a part of the tail end of the really big boom where there was lots of coverage, lots of recognition, much more lucrative. For me, I hit it at a very good time because I got some of both--some of the era where the Cale Yarboroughs and Buddy Bakers and all those guys--I had a little taste of that as it started to change and then got the tail end of the big boom and I can't see how it could possibly grow at the same rate that it has, but it may. I know one thing. If everybody out in the country is like me--that hasn't been introduced yet--as they are introduced to our sport they will be fans. There will be many more fans if they're like me."
Q: Talk about the importance of testing here. How transferable is the information to other tracks and what do you know now that you didn't know three hours ago?
MARTIN: "The importance of testing here is--if there was no testing it would probably be 95% the same for everyone, like it has at a lot of the other tracks we've gone to. The good thing about testing is we wouldn't be able to look at new and different things extensively if there was no testing. This gives us all an opportunity to step back, catch our breath and explore new areas. We're trying to explore new avenues that we probably wouldn't have time to look at if we just came here for a race. It gives you a chance to veer off path. But if no one gets to test here, then it's the same for everybody."
Martin Fastest Overall on First Day of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Testing at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
April 11, 2006RICHMOND, VA --More than 35 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers took their first laps "under the lights" at Richmond International Raceway tonight, to end the first of three days of testing. Through NASCAR's new testing rules, teams are allowed two days of testing from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at America's Premier Short Track, the only short track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series test schedules.
Kurt Busch topped the morning session (9:00 a.m. to Noon) with a fast lap of 21.583 seconds (125.360 mph), while former teammate Mark Martin clocked the fastest lap in the afternoon session (1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at 21.705 seconds (124.395 mph). Martin topped the charts again in the evening session (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) and was fastest overall for the day with a lap of 21.505 seconds (125.532 mph).
Tonight's testing will help the drivers prepare for the upcoming NASCAR Busch and NEXTEL Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway on Friday and Saturday nights, May 5 -- 6, as well as the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 weekend September 8 -- 9, which will mark the 26th race of the season and set the stage for the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.
"The vision I think NASCAR has is to make the 26th race more competitive and that's why we're here testing at Richmond," explained past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Kurt Busch. "That's the cutoff for the Chase, they want to make an equal opportunity for everybody when it comes down to the wire. Whether you're in or whether you're out, there's no excuses. You have a full two-day test to get ready for it. It's all great because it's fun to test at night because we race at night."
Tickets for the May 5 Circuit City 250 Presented by FUNAI NASCAR Busch Series race are on sale now at the Richmond International Raceway ticket office and online at www.racetickets.com. Come out to cheer on your favorite NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers as they battle to beat NASCAR Busch Series stars to the checkered flag.
The top 10 fastest drivers of the day on Richmond International Raceway's 3/4 mile oval, regardless of morning, afternoon or evening session were:
Driver, Time, Speed
1. Mark Martin (E), 21.505, 125.552
2. Kurt Busch (M), 21.538, 125.360
3. Casey Mears (M), 21.548, 125.302
4. Greg Biffle (E), 21.554, 125.267
5. Greg Biffle (E), 21.568, 125.185
6. Kurt Busch (M), 21.573, 125.156
6. Mark Martin (M), 21.573, 125.156
8. Matt Kenseth (E), 21.589, 125.064
9. Kyle Busch (M), 21.595, 125.029
10. Kurt Busch (E), 21.598, 125.012
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Nextel - Samsung/RadioShack 500
Ford Racing: News
April 9, 2006MARK MARTIN -- No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion (Finished 9th)
"We were off. We had a good car, we just didn't have it set up as good as some of them, but the potential was there. I think we know what we would do if we had to do it over again, but that setup ran second in the night race here, but it just didn't seem to work as good in the daytime. Everybody did what they needed to do and we put up a reasonable performance, but we should have got more out of our car than that."
IS THIS ONE OF THOSE DAYS WERE YOU TRY NOT TO PUSH IT AND YOU TAKE WHAT THE CAR GIVES YOU?
"We pushed it to the max, but we didn't push it over. We pushed it right up to the edge and that's all."
Martin Runs to Another Top-10 Finish at Texas
Ninth-place run at Texas marks Martin’s fifth top-10 finish in seven races
Mark Martin and the #6 AAA Racing Team
Texas Motor Speedway/April 10, 2005FT. WORTH, TEXAS – Mark Martin and the No. 6 AAA Racing Team ran to their fifth top-10 finish of 2006, with a ninth-place run in the Samsung 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. In a weekend where Martin qualified third, was the fastest car in Saturday’s final practice session and took the race lead on lap one, Martin ran in the top-10 for the majority of the day, finishing the weekend off with a top-10 finish and a solid day in the points; cutting the margin between Martin and first place to only 46 points.
“We were a little off,” said Martin. “We had a good car, we just didn’t have it set up as well as some of the others, but the potential was there. I think we know what we would do if we had to do it over again, but that setup ran second in the night race here, but it just didn’t seem to work as good in the daytime.
“Everybody did what they needed to do and we put up a good performance, but we should have got more out of our car than that.”
Martin started third and took the lead on lap one, leading the race’s first 11 laps before giving up the lead to Greg Biffle on lap 12. The car started strong, but the handling would become too tight for Martin. He would run the next 36 laps in second before dropping to third on lap 49. Martin was still running in third place when the day’s first caution was called on lap 64. By that point, the car’s handling had become very ‘loose’, and crew chief Pat Tryson brought Martin down pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. A few cars stayed out or opted for two tires only, and Martin returned to the field in eighth place when green-flag racing resumed on lap 68.
The car’s setup failed to react to the adjustment, and Martin dropped back to 10th by lap 75. The team came into the pits again under caution on lap 83, after teammate Greg Biffle got spun out into the wall. A lightning fast stop of 12.75 seconds advanced Martin three spots to seventh when he returned to the field. Again the car started fast, but would become too tight in the handling, and Martin dropped back to ninth by lap 102.
The veteran was back in eighth place when the day’s third caution was issued on lap 146. The team would pit again, but a problem with the rear tires would cost the team valuable time in the pits and several positions, as Martin would drop back to 16 th position when the race went green on lap 150. Martin struggled with lap traffic, advancing one position by the time caution was called for the fourth time of the day on lap 159. This time in a move to reclaim its lost pit position, the team would take two tires only, returning to the field in fourth place when green-flag racing resumed.
The old tires would eventually give, with Martin dropping back to ninth place by the time caution was called again on lap 189, but Tryson’s move had netted Martin six spots by the time the team pitted again on lap 190; Martin would run almost the remainder of the race in the field’s top 10. Another quick stop of 12.6-seconds moved Martin up to seventh when the field went green on lap 195.
As the day progressed the car became tighter and tighter, especially over the day’s longest green flag run from lap 263 to lap 312, with Martin dropping back to 10th place by the time the race’s ninth caution was issued on lap 312. Martin restarted in eighth place after a 13.57-second stop, as the race went green with only 20 laps remaining.
Martin would spend the remainder of the race fighting vigorously for his spot in the field’s top 10, holding off a charging Bobby Labonte for the final three laps of the race to preserve the ninth-place finish. Martin is now tied for third in the Nextel Cup point standings, just 46 points out of first and 31 points behind second. Martin has now finished inside the top-15 in 11 straight races dating back to 2005.
The team will be off next weekend for Easter, before returning to action in two weeks at Phoenix for the series’ first night race of the season.
Martin Finishes 24th in Texas Busch Race
Tire issue forces untimely pit stop, traps Martin, No. 6 Pennzoil Platinum Team a lap down
Mark Martin and the #6 Pennzoil Platinum Racing Team
Texas Motor Speedway/April 8, 2006“It was a pretty tough day for the Pennzoil team….We thought we had a tire going down…and that ended up catching us a couple of laps down.” - Mark Martin after Saturday’s Busch Series race at Texas.
FT. WORTH, TEXAS – An issue with the right front tire forced Martin to pit early on lap 124 to take fresh tires. Eleven laps later the day’s second caution was issued, trapping Martin’s No. 6 Pennzoil Platinum Ford Fusion two laps down. Martin, who had run inside the top 10 for most of the day, was then relegated to a 24th place finish in Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 Busch Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
“It was a pretty tough day for the Pennzoil team,” said Martin after the race. “We had some issues with the car bottoming out early and then we pitted early because we thought we had a tire going down and that ended up catching us a couple of laps down and there was just really no way to recover from that.”
Martin was strong in qualifying on Thursday, earning a fourth-place starting spot for Saturday’s race. From the beginning, Martin had problems with his No. 6 Ford Fusion bottoming out and with the car handling loose off the corners and tight going into the corners. He fell back to eighth place by lap 51. He was running in ninth place when the day’s first caution was called on lap 82. The team came down pit road for four tires, fuel and aggressive changes to the chassis to help correct the car’s handling. The No. 6 Pennzoil Team delivered with a fast stop that gained Martin two positions to seventh when the green flag dropped on lap 87.
Martin was able to hold seventh for the next 19 laps before continuing problems with the car’s handling forced him back to 10th by lap 108. Martin felt the car was beginning to abuse the right-front tire, and by lap 123 he had fallen to 13th place. One lap later Martin and crew chief Mike Beam opted to pit rather than taking a chance on losing the race car with a blown tire.
Martin pitted for fresh tires and returned in 30th position. He had worked his way back to 27th by lap 134, but an untimely caution on the next lap would trap Martin two laps down and put an end to his chances for a strong finish.
Martin will return to action in the Busch Series in two weeks at Phoenix, driving the No. 6 Soaring Dreams Ford Fusion.
What a GROOVY looking paint scheme ;)
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - IROC Race 2 - Texas
IROC
April 8, 2006Mark Martin, No. 6 (Finished 4th)
"My car just didn't have enough straightaway speed to really do a whole lot there. It wound up being a heck of a race for a long time. It's just so slow. I've had rental cars before that would go faster than that. It was a lot of fun though. I ran 25 laps wide open. I never lifted anywhere on the race track. As it turned out, it was pretty interesting, but kind of frustrating. It was like a mini Talladega."
Mark Martin aka "Crazy Old Man" ;) Interview - Texas
Mark Martin, driver of the AAA Ford Fusion, is in second place in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings and trails leader Jimmie Johnson by 59 points. He spoke about his season thus far and the reason Ford and Roush Racing have been so successful at Texas Motor Speedway.
MARK MARTIN – No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOUR SEASON IS UNFOLDING SO FAR?
“So far it’s really been good, but I think it’s only been five or six races. There is a lot of time in there for things to change, but so far our AAA Fusion has been awesome. The guys have been fantastic and I’m having the time of my life.”
YOU’RE 12 YEARS OLDER THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE TOP 10. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
“I’m old (laughter). That’s a problem there. I see the same thing. I look around and see all these kids out here doing this stuff, but I’ve really stayed committed all through my career and I’ve stay committed to my physical fitness program. Most of all the support from AAA and Pat Tryson and everybody at Roush Racing gives me great race cars so that I can get out there and try to give them a little bit of competition.”
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
“It’s a lot harder work when you get my age to get it done. We’re working real hard to get it done and, like I said, I’m having the time of my life.”
HOW IS IT HARDER?
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask some scientist or something. They could probably explain it better than I could.”
IS IT NICE TO COME TO A PLACE WHERE YOU RUN SO WELL AT?
“We really feel good right now about where our team is and our cars and everything. We love this race track. We had a great run the last time we were here and hopefully we can come back and do the same. This is the time of my life. I never really dreamed that it would be, but I’m sure that a couple years down the road I’ll be able to look back at 2006 and say that was the good old days.”
ROUSH HAS FIVE WINS IN 10 RACES HERE. WHY SO DOMINANT?
“There’s a lot of coincidence that goes along with racing, but Roush Racing works really hard on their cars. They’ve got great crew chiefs and, in my opinion, they get the best drivers in the business. Texas is a race track where that kind of stuff really shows.”
HOW DOES AGE AFFECT A DRIVER?
“I don’t know. You need to ask a doctor. They can explain it to you better than I can. I don’t know.”
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF EXPERIENCE OR DISADVANTAGES?
“The advantage is that hopefully you make fewer mistakes in judgment with more experience. That’s an advantage. The disadvantage is that you know better than to do some of the things that you might have gotten away with as a younger one, so it’s different.”
HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE YOUR SKILLS NOW TO 12 YEARS AGO?
“I could get it done better 12 years ago.” WHY IS THAT? “I didn’t even know I could wreck (laughter). Now I know it’s a possibility. Things are different. Everybody matures at a different rate and maybe I was a slow one in getting there, but things change. In order to be a fierce competitor, you have to have an incredible fire and desire and drive and be willing to make every possible sacrifice and compromise in your life to be able to get out there and get it done and that’s what I’ve done and that’s what I still do. That’s why I’m looking forward to opening the next chapter.”
WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT DESIRE TO KEEP GOING?
“I didn’t know if I was gonna be able to find it. I swear I didn’t. I went to Daytona. I kept putting everybody off in December. I put them off in January with those questions and I was really concerned that I wouldn’t be able to find it, but I went out in Daytona and did my job. I had a great car and a great team and it really felt good and felt right. When I slip down in the seat of the 6 car, it feels like your favorite spot on the couch or the recliner. It’s the right place for me. We went to California and we had an awesome car and effort and the momentum has just sort of built from there. Now I’m in the middle of this thing and I’m looking around and saying, ‘This is what 32 years of all that hard work and desire have got me.’ Jack Roush and the AAA team are giving me everything that I could have ever dreamed of having. As of right now, this is the best it’s ever been. That can change Sunday, but as of right now this is the best it’s ever been. I’m committed. My family is committed. Arlene and Matt and everyone is behind me and we’re committed to fighting this thing right down to the last day in November.”
DID YOU HEAR WHAT DENNY HAMLIN SAID AFTER MARTINSVILLE? SHOULD A ROOKIE BE ABLE TO SPEAK OUT THAT WAY?
“It shouldn’t matter if you’re a rookie or not and Denny shouldn’t be treated on the race track differently from me. Denny and I have had a conversation since and I made it clear to Denny that everything that I’ve done to him on the race track I would have done to Rusty Wallace, who I respect as much or more than anyone in the garage, or Dale Jarrett. My point was, ‘Don’t bring up the rookie thing again,’ because he’s done a fabulous job. He’s been incredibly competitive and respectful and fair on the race track and the rub that we have had came from he and I not knowing each other’s style.”
HE SAID HE’S LEARNED FROM YOU AND THAT YOUR STYLES ARE DIFFERENT.
“My style is different. What happened was that it was forced too soon. We didn’t have an opportunity to race around each other long enough or gradual enough. He’s up there fighting for a top spot. He and I are fighting for top spots right away in his Cup career and you’ll have that. It’s just an accelerated learning curve and he’s having to learn everyone’s at the same time – not just one or two. For most of us out there, we have to learn one or two new guys a year – not 40. Denny’s having to learn 40 and trying to assimilate that over the course of 10 races. I have the greatest respect for Denny. For anyone who can be incredibly competitive and not cause a lot of problems at the same time, they deserve the ultimate respect and, of course, he fills that bill.”
YOU’VE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS OVER THE NUMBER OF CAUTIONS. HOW CAN THAT BE ADDRESSED SO THERE’S MORE GREEN FLAG RACING?
“I can’t be sure that the fans really want to see that much more green flag racing because everytime you get a green flag run somebody blurts out, ‘boring.’ So I don’t know about that. I just like the old school racing. I like it to be about the race and not the entertainment and if it happens to be entertaining than so be it. I’m more toward that style. The more cautions you have the more wrecks you’re gonna have, that’s for sure. That’s in NASCAR’s ballpark, but if I was up there controlling that thing I’d leave the green flag out when gloves are on the race track and drink bottles and spring rubbers and several other items. It would be tough luck if you ran over it and it flew up in the air or something. A lot of that stuff really isn’t that dangerous.”
DO THE RACES FEEL TOO MUCH STOP AND GO TO YOU?
“Ever since the accident with Kasey Kahne at Dover, where there was a smoking car and Kasey spun leading the race, it’s all changed since then. That was old school NASCAR because they didn’t see a problem so they didn’t throw a flag. Unfortunately, that one time cost Kasey Kahne his first win. Since then they have always erred way on the safe side. Once in a while that’s gonna be a good thing, but a lot of times it brings out cautions that you wouldn’t necessarily have had.”
DO YOU FEEL IT’S A STOP AND GO ISSUE?
“I hate racing like that. I raced 20 years where you worked really hard on long runs. There were green flag stops. If you got beat for 20 laps, the last 40 you could wear them out. To me, that’s racing because the definition of racing was something that I learned from experience and now these kids don’t know the difference but I do. It’s different now than it was then. It’s 10 laps and a caution, 10 laps and a caution, 10 laps and a caution. That’s a whole different thing and it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. I’m not that good at 10 laps at a time.”
YOU MENTIONED TALKING WITH DENNY. HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY AS FAR AS DRIVERS ADDRESSING ISSUES WITH OTHERS?
“I don’t really see any change in that. The only real difference now and then is that it was rarely covered and now it’s covered. There are cameras and all that stuff, but for the most part, it’s not much different than it used to be.”
YOU HEARD STORIES IN THE PAST OF GUYS TAKING SWINGS AT EACH OTHER.
“Well, we had a black eye at the airport last year and a shove at Bristol, so I don’t know if that’s a whole lot different than Cale and Donnie at Daytona or Darrell Waltrip saying, ‘Meet me at the Kmart parking lot,’ or whatever he said. It’s all the same.”
Mark Martin
NASCAR-CUP > Texas, 2006-04-07 (Texas Motor Speedway): Friday qualifying
Image by AutostockMark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - Nextel - Texas
MARK MARTIN – No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion (Qualified 3rd) – WHAT WAS PAT YELLING TO YOU ON THE RADIO?
“He didn’t want me to wreck it. After qualifying that good it’s a really bad deal to wreck on the second lap, so I was laughing at him when I came in because instead of giving me my lap time like usual he just blurted out, ‘That’s second,’ going into turn one. I was done anyway. I felt pretty good about my lap. The AAA Fusion is really good in qualifying trim. We still have a couple of hours tomorrow to get it really wired in. We did a little race trim, but we’ve still got a little work to do to get it ready for 500 miles.”
YOU WERE TALKING TO BRUTON SMITH. ARE YOU TRYING TO PUMP UP THAT DEALERSHIP IN ARKANSAS?
“We’ve got sell these Fusions and those F-150s.”
HOW WOULD IT BE TO BE THE FIRST TWO-TIME WINNER HERE?
“It would be really cool. We were pretty close last time here and had a great battle with Carl Edwards. We’ve just got such a great team together this year and our AAA Fusion has just been working good. We’re off to the best start I’ve ever had. Maybe this is the Cinderella year for us.”
MARK MARTIN PRESS CONFERENCE
“My car was really, really good in qualifying. We spent some time in race trim at the beginning of practice. We had a good baseline from last fall’s race. We had a great race with Carl Edwards and we’re gonna try to improve on that just a little bit. We came up with some good ideas to try tomorrow to maybe improve on that just a little. Then we switched to qualifying trim and made a few runs and the last run was really good. It was 12th fastest or on the board – or 11th – so we made one or two minor adjustments and just really got a lap. It was sweet. I’m having a good weekend.”
DENNY HAMLIN HAD SOME WORDS AFTER MARTINSVILLE. HAS DRIVING STYLES CHANGED A LOT?
“I think Denny was frustrated after the race and said some things that drew more attention than he might have wanted. We certainly did have a couple of minor scrapes on the race track, but your point is there. The sport is changing and there is no changing it. The Cup racing of the future is gonna be slam bang quite a bit more than what we saw in the past. There’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot of competition and once several drivers start racing like that, then it makes everyone have to raise or lower to that level, whichever way you would want to call it.”
DOES A LOT OF ATLANTA TRANSLATE TO TEXAS?
“That’s a good question. I never really related Atlanta to here, but I think the teams that excel at California, Vegas and Atlanta will tend to excel here, so, in a sense, yes. But, really, we don’t relate our Atlanta setup to here. Basically what we did is we had a great run last fall here, a great race with Carl Edwards, and we brought that very setup and spent a little time looking for areas that we might improve that from and we have some ideas for tomorrow to just noodle around in it a little bit. Basically, if we have the same right-rear spring as Atlanta, which we don’t, but if we did it would be not because we ran and ran good at Atlanta, but because we ran well here last fall.”
SO IT DOESN’T TRANSLATE?
“In a way it does. The teams that excel there will probably excel here, but with a more than slightly different setup. The race track is quite different and I feel like the shock package will be different and I feel like your springs will certainly be different than Atlanta to some degree.”
YOU HAVE MORE TRUCK RACES AND YOUR MUSEUM IS OPENING. YOU’RE A BUSY GUY.
“I have reached the point where that’s too much, but the additional truck races was an important tool for me. The seven races were all I wanted to do. Ford and our sponsors all got really excited with the success that we had. They came back and wanted me to do a lot more – more than seven more – and I used that as a tool to get my deal in place for ’07 and ’08. I said, ‘There won’t be more unless, and then if you do commit to ’07 and ’08, then I’ll do seven and look at the possibility of others.’ We do have seven Busch races on the schedule – two Pennzoil and five Ameriquest – and that clouds the issue slightly. I put my foot down on a tripleheader weekend, which I’m doing here, but IROC is not quite as intense as doing Truck, Cup and Busch all in one weekend. I tried that in Atlanta in November. I won’t do that again and I won’t do many more of these triples like this. It’s way too much, but the other thing you said, I’m so excited about our grand opening next week. The most fun event I had in 2005 was our Ford Fan Day last year in Batesville because I had all day for two days to hang out with my fans. It wasn’t just signing autographs. I signed autographs a lot, but there’s times when I’ve got to take a break and I got to go through the crowd, hang out with them and take a look at their photo albums from the races – pictures I had never seen before. There’s a lot of really important stuff that goes on there, and it’s gonna be a blast. We really have a lot of interactive racing things to do for our fans and I’m incredibly proud of the place. I’m really looking forward to next weekend.”
DID THE FORD EXECUTIVES SAY YOU WERE THEIR HOPE FOR THE TRUCK CHAMPIONSHIP? THE ONE GLADIATOR AGAINST TOYOTA?
“Not directly, although Roush Racing is gonna try to win the owner’s championship with the 6 truck. David Ragan is gonna drive it when I don’t drive it and David Ragan is gonna do a fabulous job so he’s gonna go after the owner’s championship. But Ford certainly did get excited at the prospect of having some competition for the Toyotas. The Truck Series is different. There’s more fierce manufacturer competition in the Truck Series, in my opinion, than in Cup. That kind of makes it cool that the manufacturers take a lot of interest.”
DO YOU SEE MATT MAYBE TAKING OVER FOR YOU IN THE TRUCK SOME DAY?
“Jack Roush once told me in some kind of words that if Matt wanted to race that he could race with Roush Racing. I don’t know what Matt’s gonna do. He’s 14 and I would really be disappointed right now if he had his whole life mapped out in front of him. It’s hard to say. Maybe by the time I’m ready to slip out of that seat, which I hope to be in for quite some time, maybe he would be ready for that, but he’s 14 and we’ve got a lot of things. His education is primary. Racing is certainly not even secondary. It’s probably third on the list right now, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
DID YOU LEAVE TWO TENTHS OUT THERE, WHICH WAS THE DIFFERENCE FROM KASEY?
“No, I’d kill myself. Maybe to get J.J. Maybe five-one hundredths was doable without killing myself, but two-tenths? No, out of the question. You could give me another chance at it and I wouldn’t even try to go that fast. We’re real proud of our run. Qualifying is not our real strong suit so that really bodes well for our AAA team. I know I’ve told most of you, but I didn’t expect 2006 to be the time of my life, but I am having the time of my life and I know that just a few years down the road I’m gonna look back and say, ‘Man, those were the good old days.’”
THOUGHTS ON WINNING RACES
“I think it’s possible, based on how we’re running, that we could win a number of races, but I guard myself. What I really keep my focus on is the effort and not worry about what the results might be, but just keep my eye on the ball. I am having the time of my life. I certainly want to exit 2006 with the competitors looking at me and saying, ‘God, that guy was still at the top of his game.’ I’m having too much fun.”
WHERE ARE YOU FINDING THIS ENTHUSIASM?
“If you noticed, I couldn’t give you answers at Daytona. I was really concerned. I hadn’t found it. I had a real empty place inside. I just really wasn’t ready, but we got through Daytona and I was pleased. We certainly could have done better, but we certainly could have done worse. Then we went right on to California and we picked up where we left off last year and it’s really been good. I think the competitive fire is there and the confidence is there that I have a car. The thing that scared me the most about my career was in 2003 I didn’t have the car to drive and I really looked bad and I felt bad. I know that I probably have better cars right now than I had last year and that gives me great confidence in going forward. I know that I can qualify 30th here because I’ve done it, and I also know that I can qualify in the top five like I did today not trying any harder. I think most of the fire you’re seeing in me is really a reflection of the cars that I’m driving and the team that I’m working with, which is really at the top of their game.”
Mark Martin
NASCAR-BUSCH > Texas, 2006-04-06 (Texas Motor Speedway): Thursday happy hour
Image by Michael C. JohnsonMark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes - Busch - Texas
MARK MARTIN-6-Pennzoil Ford Fusion (Qualified 4th)
"To not have any points and to get through tech real late, we put down one a spectacular lap and we'll get us a reasonable starting spot. Our car is just really good and the sun has gone down some and it's time to go."
DO YOU HAVE TO LIFT HERE IN QUALIFYING?
"Yeah. I doubt if they were flat-footed all the way around either. They get a little carried away telling their stories."
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FOR THE RACE ON SATURDAY?
"There's too much to think about. So far, we've had our hands full here today. A new car that has never been on the race track, no points, late getting through tech and several issues about the car, we're not thinking about the race yet."
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart Finally Solves
Texas Motor Speedway With Crown Royal IROC Win
IROC - NewsFORT WORTH, Texas, April 7, 2006 – Reigning NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart entered Race Two of the Crown Royal International Race of Champions (IROC) Friday night winless in three series – Nextel Cup, Busch and IRL IndyCar – in 13 starts at Texas Motor Speedway.
After missing a mandatory practice earlier in the week, Stewart and Truex, Jr. were forced to start at the rear of the field, as dictated by Crown Royal IROC series rules. However, Stewart and Truex, Jr., both climbed through the field and both led the race. Stewart, the Indiana native passed NASCAR Busch Series champion Martin Truex, Jr. on the outside with five laps remaining with drafting help from Ryan Newman to clinch his third-career IROC race.
Nextel Cup driver Ryan Newman finished second, Truex, Jr. was third, followed by five-time IROC Series winner Mark Martin and 2004 series titlist Matt Kenseth, who rounded out the top five.
Stewart, whose previous IROC victories came at Daytona in 2002 and Michigan in 2001, was elated with the victory. “This was a good start to the weekend,” said Stewart, who climbed the fence in celebration. “What were there, 60- 70,000 fans out there? They were all chanting for me to climb the fence. I did it; you have to give them what they want.”
About starting last Stewart said, “We had scheduling conflicts that prevented us from getting any practice, but I had complete confidence in the Crown Royal IROC crew, they do an excellent job at preparing the IROC cars, and the car performed exactly the way they told me it would.”
Grand American Road racer Max Angelelli turned in a strong showing in his IROC debut, climbing as high as second before settling for sixth.
“I was real happy,” said the Italian, who is splitting driving duties (two races each) with South African Wayne Taylor and matched his result at the season-opening race at Daytona. “It was a bit intimidating to be all together with these big names.”
There was plenty of side-by-side racing and three-wide action throughout the entire race, which marked the third consecutive year the Crown Royal IROC Series has raced at Texas Motor Speedway. “It was the best Crown Royal IROC race I’ve been a part of,” said Newman. “It was a lot fun. It was pretty constructive racing. A lot of banging and bumping.”
Rounding out the bottom-half of the top 10 included: IRL IndyCar driver Scott Sharp (seventh), ARCA RE/MAX Series driver Frank Kimmel (eighth), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Ted Musgrave (ninth) and road racing specialist Max Papis, whose day ended when he slide up high into Sharp with eight laps to go.
World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser (11th) got tagged by Papis in the incident with Sharp and flipped over for the second consecutive race (Daytona), but returned right-side up; Kinser was uninjured. IRL IndyCar Series winner Sam Hornish, Jr.’s night ended when his transmission broke on the mandatory restart on lap 47, and finished last.
Texas was the second of four events in the Crown Royal IROC Series, whose overall series’ champion wins $1 million. Kenseth captured the first leg with his victory at Daytona in February and remains the points leader (43 points) when the series returns there on June 29 with its first road-course race in 14 years. The finale is scheduled for Atlanta on October 28.
Stewart (34), Newman (25), Truex, Jr. (24) and Kimmel (23) comprise the top-five points leaders.
RACE STATISTICS
Time of Race: 1:10:59
Average Speed of Race Winner; 84.959 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.145
Lead Changes: 11 among 5 drivers
Caution Periods: 3 including mndatory yellowLap Leaders: 1-25 Martin, 26-31 Kenseth, 32-34 Martin, 35-36 Stewart, 37-38 Kenseth, 39-47 Stewart, 48 Newman, 49-54 Martin, 55-59 Truex Jr., 60 Kenseth, 61-62 Truex Jr., 63-67 Stewart
Martin glad he came back for another Cup season
By Stephen Hawkins
AP Sports Writer
April 8, 2006FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Mark Martin initially was reluctant about returning for another Nextel Cup season. He wasn't certain he had the desire to do it again.
But he's sure glad now that Jack Roush persuaded him to stay.
``When I slip down in the seat of the 6 car, it feels like your favorite spot on the couch or the recliner,'' Martin said. Friday. ``It's the right place for me.''
After some unexpected changes that kept him from stepping away after last season as planned, the 47-year-old Martin has four top-10 finishes in six Cup races this year. He's second in the standings, the only driver over 35 in the top 10.
``For a guy who wants to slow down, Mark Martin hasn't lost his desire or his edge,'' said Jimmie Johnson, the points leader by 59. ``He's winning and competing. He's really respected in our sport.''
Martin qualified third for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, a 1 1/2 -mile track where he and the Roush team have had plenty of success.
Five Roush drivers have won in the 10 Cup races in Texas, former driver Jeff Burton (1997) and Martin (1998) winning the first two at the track where there has never been a repeat winner. Martin has four top-five finishes, including second behind teammate Carl Edwards last November in the first fall race at Texas.
``That guy is a driving machine. He's unbelievable,'' said Kyle Busch, the 20-year-old who's fourth in the standings.
``If he's in the this sport, he's going to be up front,'' said Texas polesitter Kasey Kahne. ``He's going to be a guy you have to beat. That's just the way it is.''
Kahne won his second pole of the year with a lap of 190.315 mph, ahead of rookie J.J. Yeley and Martin. Kahne's other pole came last month at Atlanta, a similar 1 1/2 -mile track where he also won the race.
Martin has been in NASCAR's top series since 1981. He has 35 victories and has finished second in the season standings four times, and 11 other times was also in the top 10.
He went into last season expecting it to be his last in the No. 6 Ford for Roush, the owner he has driven for since 1988.
``Well, it's a lot harder work when you get my age to get it done. But we're working real hard to get it done, and I'm having the time of my life,'' Martin said. ``As of right now, this is the best it's ever been.''
Jamie McMurray had already been signed by Roush last year as the intended replacement for Martin, but McMurray ended up replacing Kurt Busch instead. And Roush talked Martin into staying for another season.
Martin led 19 laps and finished 12th at the season-opening Daytona 500. Martin then had four straight top 10s, finishing second in Atlanta, before being 13th last week at Martinsville.
``This is the time of my life. I really never dreamed that it would be,'' Martin said. ``But I'm sure that in a couple of years down the road, I'll be able to look back at 2006 and say that was the good old days.''
Martin began this weekend with a fourth-place finish in Friday night's IROC race. He makes his first Busch start of the season in Saturday's O'Reilly 300 after qualifying fourth.
While there hasn't been a repeat Cup winner at Texas, Martin has won three of his five Busch races at the track (1997, 1999 and 2000).
Regardless of what happens the rest of this season, Martin insists he will not extend his Cup career again. Busch driver Todd Kluever is scheduled to take over the No. 6 next year.
But don't mention retirement to Martin. He'll still be driving.
Martin is in the process of completing a two-year contract to run NASCAR Craftsman Truck schedules for Roush in 2007 and 2008. And he's not ready to rule out select races in other series.
``I hate crying wolf and never say never,'' Martin said. ``My primary racing is going to be the truck series for the championship.''
That's next year. For now, Martin can concentrate on chasing that elusive Cup title.
NASCAR.COM - Age aside, Martin having time of his life this year
By Mark Spoor
April 7, 2006JUSTIN, Texas -- Even though Mark Martin is clearly running like a youngster in the Nextel Cup Series these days, he admits that as the clock continues to tick, he's starting to feel his age.
"I'm old," he said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway where he qualified third for Sunday's Samsung/RadioShack 500 (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX). "It's a lot harder work when you get my age to get it done."
In reality, the 47-year-old Martin is at least 12 years older than any of the other nine drivers currently in the Nextel Cup Series top 10. For his part, Martin says he was a much different racer a dozen years ago.
"I didn't even know I could wreck," Martin said with a smile. "Now I know it's a possibility. Things are different. Everybody matures at a different rate and maybe I was a slow one in getting there."
Still, Martin said no matter what your age, with the hope to run with the top dogs in the Nextel Cup Series comes an increase in commitment.
"In order to be a fierce competitor, you have to have an incredible fire and desire and drive and be willing to make every possible sacrifice and compromise in your life to be able to get out there," he said, "and that's what I've done and that's what I still do."
However, as the short Nextel Cup offseason clicked off over the winter and the season-opening Daytona 500 approached, Martin wasn't sure he had that desire, or that he'd ever get it back.
"I didn't know if I was gonna be able to find it. I swear I didn't," he said. "I kept putting everybody off in December. I put them off in January with those questions and I was really concerned that I wouldn't be able to find it, but I went out in Daytona and did my job."
And that's when everything changed.
"When I slip down in the seat of the 6 car, it feels like your favorite spot on the couch or the recliner. It's the right place for me," he said.
"I didn't expect 2006 to be the time of my life, but I'm having the time of my life and I know that in just a couple of years I'm gonna look back on 2006 and say 'Man, those were the good old days.'"
His record this season seems to prove that. Through six events, his worst finish came last weekend at Martinsville when he crossed the line 13th. The finish still bumped him to second in the point standings. That Martin's stats will slump Sunday at Texas is unlikely. He won in 1998 and has five top-10 finishes in 10 Cup starts there.
"We love this racetrack," Martin said. "We had a great run the last time we were here [second] and hopefully we can come back and do the same.
"I think the competitive fire is there and the confidence. I know that I probably have better cars right now than I even had last year and that gives me great confidence going forward.
"I think most of the fire that you're seeing in me is really a reflection of the cars that I'm driving and the team that I'm working with that's really at the top of their game."
Martin happy to leave Martinsville behind
By Aaron Bell - Motorsport.com
April 7, 2006You could say that Mark Martin has a love-hate relationship with Martinsville.
Make that a hate-hate relationship. Despite his success at the Virginia half-mile, Martin despises racing there.
"I don't think that it's any secret that Martinsville is not my favorite track," Martin said before last week's race. "In fact, it's a track that I've always hated with a passion. Martinsville has always been a real challenge for me, because in the end, it just doesn't fit with my driving style. But all that really doesn't matter, as it's the next track on the schedule and the most important one that we go to this week, so it's up to us to be on our A-Game."
Martin did bring his A-Game last week. After struggling in qualifying, he got tangled up in an early race incident, but battled back for a 13th place finish that vaulted him to second in the point standings behind Jimmie Johnson.
"(Crew chief) Pat (Tryson) and the team continue to do a great job with the cars and I'm really impressed how nobody gave up last Sunday and we were able to get a solid finish out of what could have been a rough day," said Martin, who is in his final season of Nextel Cup racing. "We've survived the short tracks and now we get a chance to go back to an intermediate track and hopefully do what we do best."
This week, the series moves to Fort Worth, Texas and a track that Martin is much more comfortable with. He won the second Cup race at the 1.5 mile speedway and admits that he is much happier about going to Fort Worth.
"I am excited about going to Texas anytime," said Martin, who finished second behind Roush Racing teammate Carl Edwards at the Texas race last November. "Texas is a great track. It's the type of place that suits my driving style. I've always done pretty well on the 1.5 mile tracks and Texas has been pretty good for us in that mix."
Martin hopes to pick up his first win of the season in Sunday's Samsung 500 (1:30 p.m. Eastern on FOX).
"Last fall we competed for the win late in the race and we are really looking forward to going back there and seeing what we can do this weekend."
Martin is also making his season debut in the Busch Series this week in Texas. He is the career wins leader in that series and won three of the first four Busch Series races at Texas Motor Speedway.
In fact, the entire Roush team has been dominant at Texas since the speedway opened in 1997. In addition to Martin's Cup win and three Busch wins, Edwards, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth (Cup and Busch) and Jeff Burton have all visited victory lane in Roush cars. Biffle also won in the Truck series race in 2000.
"Mark Martin certainly sets the standard," said team owner Jack Roush. "He's really good on mile-and-a-half race tracks. And of course Jeff Burton was good here. He won in the 99 car the first time in the inaugural event."
"It's pretty phenomenal," Martin said in November. "The race track has changed a lot and the cars have changed a lot and it doesn't even seem like the same race. When did we win here, '98? It doesn't even seem like the same race, it doesn't seem like the same race track, we certainly don't run the same setups by any means, but success is there."
Martin finished second at the 1.5 mile Atlanta Motor Speedway three weeks ago. It was his first top-five finish of the season and he expects to use that momentum to run up front again this week.
"We are very excited about going back to a bigger track and hopefully we'll be able to take up where we left off at Atlanta," said Tryson, who has been Martin's crew chief since 2003. "We are running the same car that we used to finish second at Atlanta, so if we can just tweak that and put together a solid effort on pit road, then we should really be in good shape this weekend at Texas, where I know Mark really loves the racing."
2006 Mark Martin Track Notes - Saturday - April 8, 2006
O'Reilly 300 / Texas Motor Speedway
#6 AAA Ford Fusion
April 6, 2006DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. 6 Pennzoil Platinum Ford Fusion
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2005 EVENT WINNER: Kasey Kahne
MARK MARTIN 2005 EVENT: Start 5th, Finish 31st
FORT WORTH, TX (April 16, 2005) – Mark Martin and the No. 9 Pennzoil Platinum Team went into Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 Busch race with a mission: win three in a row to start the season. Early on it looked as if they would find their mark. Martin powered the Pennzoil Ford running the majority of the race in no worse than third place and taking the lead by lap 93. The team looked up to the challenge, but a broken pipe on the brake fan forced Martin to loose two consecutive right front tires and the team was forced to retire to the garage with only 13 laps remaining and settle for a 31st place finish.
THE CAR
Chassis: RK-356
MARK MARTIN BUSCH SERIES AT TEXAS
Races - 5
Wins - 3
Top 5 - 3
Top 10 - 3
Poles - 0
Money Cumulative - $226,510MARTIN FAST FACTS - TEXAS
- Martin has won three of the five Busch races he's ran at Texas.
- Martin has won two of is last three Busch races at Texas.
- Martin won the inaugural Busch race at Texas in 1997.
- This will be Martin’s first start in the Busch Series this season.
- Martin will be going for a record-extending 48th Busch win at Texas
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF MIKE BEAM ON TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Mark Martin:
"I am excited about going to Texas anytime. It is a great track. I also have a strong fan base there since it is the closest track to my home in Arkansas. I have a lot of personal fans there from when I was younger. It is always a fun place to go."
Mike Beam:
"We are looking forward to Texas, it will be our first outing with the new Pennzoil Fusion. Plus, Texas is such a great track and to be representing Pennzoil there being that they are from Houston, TX is really exciting. Hopefully we will have a great day!"
2006 Mark Martin Track Notes - Sunday - April 9, 2006
Samsung/RadioShack 500 / Texas Motor Speedway
#6 AAA Ford Fusion
April 5, 2006DRIVER: Mark Martin
TEAM: No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
OWNER: Jack Roush
CREW CHIEF: Pat Tryson
2005 EVENT WINNER: Greg Biffle
MARK MARTIN 2005 EVENT: Start 16th, Finish 20th
Martin and the No. 6 Team waged an up and down battle for much of the race, but in the end they found themselves victims of an ill-handling car as Martin left Texas with a 20th-place finish. In yet another stellar performance the No. 6 team turned in the 13.40-second effort after a caution on lap 40, that put Martin back out in fourth place and looking like a race contender. However the excitement would be short lived as the handling problems soon kicked in. Martin and the team would battle for the remainder of the race, but after brushing the wall late in the race they would be forced to settle for the 20th-place finish.
MARTIN SECOND IN THE POINTS HEADING INTO TEXAS
Martin moves into Texas second in the Nextel Cup point standing and coming off a 13th-place finish at Martinsville. Having survived back-to-back short track races at Bristol and Martinsville, Martin will look to settle back in at Texas, where his style of driving is best suited.
THE CAR
Chassis Number: (No. RK-314) The team will run RK-314 this weekend at Texas. RK-314 finished second in its last run at Atlanta three weeks ago.It finished second at Texas last fall.
MARTIN AT TEXAS
Martin has posted five top-10 finishes in 10 starts at Texas. In addition he has one victory and four top fives. Martin finished 38th at the inaugural race at Texas in 1997 after mechanical issues, but returned the next year to post a victory there. He won the inaugural Busch race there in 1997. He finished second there last fall and 20th a year ago after brushing against the wall late with a loose race car.
Starts: 10 (9)
Wins: 1 (1)
Top 5's: 4 (3)
Top 10's: 5 (4)
Poles: 3 (1)
Highest finish: 1st (twice)
First time: 4/6/97 (38th)
Last time: 11/6/05 (2nd)
4/17/05 (20th)MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Martin posted a Cup win at Texas in the second race there in 1998.
- Martin has four top fives and three top 10's in eight Cup starts at Texas.
- Martin has won three times in the Busch Series at Texas in only four races.
- Martin has finished inside the top 15 in 10 consecutive races dating back to last season.
- Martin has finished every race of the 2006 season on the lead lap.
- Martin is currently second in the Nextel Cup point standings, his highest mark since 2002.
IN THE POINTS
Martin's hard-fought finish at Martinsville moved him up two places to second in the Nextel Cup point standings, his highest mark since finishing second in 2002.
MR CONSISTENT
Martin has now finished inside the top 15 in 10 consecutive races, dating back to Atlanta last fall. This season he has climbed from 11th to second in the points. Martin has finished in the top 10 in four of the six races this season.
AAA AND MARK MARTIN
Martin is sporting a different look and sponsor this season. As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA boasts more than 48 million members.
ENCORE SALUTE IN '06
Martin had planned 2005 as his final in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series, but when called into action by Jack Roush opted to return for one more go around. Martin's fourth-place finish in the points in '05 proved he is still one of the fastest stars in NASCAR and he plans on using 2006 as an encore performance of his highly popular "Salute To You" Tour, where he will continue to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including the team members, the fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN AND CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON ON TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Mark Martin:
"Texas is a great race track. It's the type of place that suits my driving style. I've always done pretty well on the 1.5-mile tracks and Texas has been pretty good for us in that mix. We won the second race there and we've been pretty good there ever since. Last fall we competed for the win late in the race and we are really looking forward to going back there and seeing what we can do this weekend.
"Pat (Tryson) and the team continue to do a great job with the cars and I'm really impressed how nobody gave up last Sunday and we were able to get a solid finish out of what could have been a rough day at Martinsville. We've survived the short tracks and now we get a chance to go back to an intermediate track - which is our strong point - and hopefully do what we do best."
Pat Tryson:
"We are very excited about going back to a bigger track, and hopefully we'll be able to take up where we left off at Atlanta. We are running the same car that we used to finish second at Atlanta, so if we can just tweak that and put together a solid effort on pit road then we should really be in good shape this weekend at Texas, where I know Mark really loves the racing."
Martin to make first Busch start of season at Texas
April 5, 2006Mark Martin will make his first Busch start of the season this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, where he will look to add to his series-record 47 Busch victories. Martin will debut his No. 6 Pennzoil Platinum Ford Fusion at TMS, where he boasts an incredible three victories in only five Busch starts. In addition, Martin won the 1998 Cup race at the 1.5-mile track. Last season, problems with the car’s suspension forced Martin to a 31st-place finish in the Busch race, his worst Busch finish at the track.
“I’m excited about getting back in the Busch car,” said Martin. “We have Pennzoil back on board for this race and we have got the No. 6 on the car this year as well, so it will be an exciting and familiar look.
Texas is a great track for us and we’ve had a lot of success there in both the Busch and Cup cars, so I can’t think of a better place to get some extra racing in than Texas. Hopefully we’ll be able to go out there and get us another win.”
Martin also needs only one pole to become the all-time leader in Busch poles; he currently has 28 with the last one coming last fall at Richmond. A top-five finish at Texas, would give him 100 total top-five Busch finishes.
Martin ‘retired’ from the Busch Series in 2000 with a series-record 45 wins. He returned for a handful of races in 2004 and added victories 46 and 47 in his first two starts at California and Las Vegas last season.
All in all, Martin has posted 47 victories, 28 poles, 99 top-five and 136 top-10 finishes. He has finished top 10 in 64 percent of his 213 career Busch starts.
Martin will take part in three races this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, starting in Friday’s IROC race, Saturday’s Busch race and Sunday’s Nextel Cup race. The race is the first of seven Busch races Martin has scheduled in 2006. His next Busch start will come in two weeks at Phoenix. All in all, Martin is set to run in 63 races in 2006, his “Salute To You” encore year.
Mark Martin 2006 Busch Series:
April 8, Texas Motor Speedway
April 21, Phoenix International Raceway
May 12, Darlington Raceway
May 27, Lowe’s Motor Speedway
July 8, Chicagoland Speedway
September 2, California Speedway
November 4, Texas Motor SpeedwayRoush Racing is a subsidiary of Livonia, Mich., based Roush Entersprises which operates 13 motorsports teams; five in NASCAR Nextel Cup with drivers Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, six in the Busch Series with Martin, Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Todd Kluever and Danny O‘Quinn Jr., and two in the Craftsman Truck Series with Martin, David Ragan and Erik Darnell.
AAA Ford Fusion No. 6 Will Make Debut at Texas Motor Speedway This Weekend
Veteran Driver Mark Martin Shares Thoughts on Teen Driving During Media Interview
FORT WORTH, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2006--The new AAA-sponsored, No. 6 Ford Fusion piloted by veteran driver Mark Martin, will make its Lone Star debut at the 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 9th, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Martin will be conducting media interviews on Friday, April 7th from 10:45 -- 11:15 AM at the Speedway. Martin, who is the father of a teenaged son, will also share his views on teen driving.
BACKGROUND
From 1995 through 2001, the number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers increased in Texas by about 17 percent. However, during the same time period, the number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers killed in crashes grew by 27 percent. Even worse is the fact that the number of the newest drivers (16-year-olds) who were in fatal crashes, increased by 69 percent during the same time period. (2001 is the latest data available from the Texas Department of Public Safety)
AAA Texas is one of the AAA-affiliated clubs sponsoring the racecar fielded by Roush Racing, back-to-back Nextel Cup champions in 2003-04.
Martin has been the mainstay at Roush Racing, teaming up with Jack Roush in 1988 to help launch Roush's NASCAR operation. Since then, Martin and Roush have become one of the most successful partnerships in the sport. In 18 years on the circuit Martin has scored 35 Nextel Cup victories and captured 41 pole positions, 356 top-10 and 224 top five finishes. He has started 633 Nextel Cup races and currently has a string of 575 straight starts.
For location, assistance with credentials and to schedule an interview with Martin, please contact 1-800-888-5521 (ext. 6552) or 713-284-6552 by Wednesday (April 5th) by 5:00 PM (Central).
Ageless Wonder
At 47 years old, Mark Martin has never been better
SI.com - Writers - Tom Bowles
April 4, 2006Trivia time!
Who's the only driver to lead more than 75 laps this season and finish every lap of every Nextel Cup race?
Tony Stewart? Not this year. Jimmie Johnson? Not a chance. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.? Not quite. Here's a clue: Avoid the dozens of "young guns" supposedly tearing up the Nextel Cup circuit right now, because you won't find this driver anywhere near them ... that is, unless you're looking around the trailer of the No. 6 car on race weekend, when the youngsters come seeking advice.
The answer, of course, is Mark Martin.
At 47, Martin is in the middle of his second "Salute to You" farewell tour, attempting to leave the Nextel Cup series for the second time after 20 seasons on the circuit. The first attempt didn't go quite so well ... or maybe it went a little too well. Martin made the Chase and wasn't eliminated from the battle for the championship until after the checkered flag fell at Homestead, with only Stewart, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards standing in the way of a Cup title. Martin also scored wins in the Nextel All-Star Challenge and at Kansas.
That exceptional performance had everyone convinced the veteran driver could keep it up for several more seasons, but Martin played down talk of "one more year," continuing to channel all his energy into planning a full schedule in the lower-level, less-hectic Craftsman Truck Series.
Then, Martin's status took an abrupt turn. Out of nowhere, Roush Racing driver Kurt Busch shocked the team, revealing he had signed with rival Penske Racing to replace retiring Rusty Wallace .. .except Busch's contract with Roush didn't expire until the end of 2006. At the same time, Jamie McMurray was signed to replace Martin at Roush ... except McMurray's contract had the same problem.
The confusion left Wallace and Martin with similar options ... stay in their current rides for one more season, giving everyone flexibility to work out the contract issues of the other drivers, or hold firm on their plans to retire. Wallace stayed with his retirement plans, but Martin looked at a different kind of loyalty, saying that if he turned his back on Roush when the team needed him, that it would be for selfish reasons.
Plus, Roush Racing worked the guilt trip angle that Martin shouldn't retire while he was still competitive. The angle worked, of course. Martin agreed to return for 2006, allowing McMurray to replace Busch, and Busch to replace Wallace.
Yet, while McMurray and Busch have suffered through inconsistencies early in the year with their new rides, it's Martin, Roush, and the 6 car -- a combination that has been together since 1988 -- producing the best results.
Martin finds himself second in points (just 59 out of the lead) with one top five, four top 10s and no finishes lower than 13th. He trails Johnson, a driver who's an incredible 17 years his junior. In fact, every other driver in the top 10 is at least a dozen years younger than Martin, with 20-year-old Kyle Busch just six years older than Mark's son Matt.
As if that performance isn't enough, Martin's the current point leader in the series he was supposed to race in this year, the Craftsman Trucks. In four races, he's registered a first, first, second, and fourth, leading by 55 points.
After committing to a full season in Nextel Cup, Martin planned to run just seven of 25 Truck races, but with all his success, he has already added several more, and is being begged by Roush to do a full season, looking to become the first driver to win two major NASCAR championships in the same year. And that's not to mention the handful of Busch and IROC races Martin has left on his slate this season.
He's not only racing one more year in Cup ... he's racing more than ever before. And he's answered the critics who wondered whether he'd be focused enough for one more season.
Meanwhile, other veteran drivers believing they still have several years left have struggled this season. Sterling Marlin, Ken Schrader and Michael Waltrip all find themselves struggling to stay a part of NASCAR's top 35, let alone take part in a battle for the championship.
The only one holding up the banner for the 40-something crowd is the driver who wasn't even supposed to be here. And by the end of the Chase, he might just do something else he isn't supposed to do this year -- win a Cup title.
Tom Bowles is the assistant editor for Frontstretch.com. You can e-mail Tom at tbowles81@yahoo.com.
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - DirecTV 500
Ford Racing: News
April 2, 2006MARK MARTIN -- No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion (Finished 13th)
"We ran hard, we fought back and we never gave up. It looked like giving up wouldn't have been all bad at one time, but nobody on this team did. We fought back almost to a top 10. We were good all day. We had a tough break in qualifying and an extra tough break at the start of the race. That put us so far behind that we had to play catch up all day, but we had a car. That's as good of a car as I've had here, so I have no complaints about our car at all. We had different brake issues and had to run awfully hard. I never had a chance to let her breathe, but we survived the whole day."
Martin, No. 6 AAA Team Fight Back for 13th Place Finish at Martinsville
Martin moves up to second in the Nextel Cup point standings
Mark Martin and the #6 AAA Racing Team
Martinsville Speedway/April 2, 2005MARTINSVILLE, VA. – On a day where almost everything seemed to go wrong early, Mark Martin and the No. 6 AAA Racing Team kept fighting to the end, refusing to give up and overcoming a pair of early accidents to rebound for a 13th place finish. Martin spent much of the day fighting to get back onto the race’s lead lap. The team was able to accomplish that feat with just 45 laps to go in the race. Martin would move on to gain five more positions. The AAA Ford Fusion looked worse for wear at the day’s end, but Martin’s resolve was as strong as ever, as he moved up to second in the Nextel Cup point standings.
“We ran hard, we fought back and we never gave up,” said Martin after the race. “It looked like giving up wouldn’t have been all bad at one time, but nobody on this team did. We fought back almost to a top 10. We were good all day. We had a tough break in qualifying and an extra tough break at the start of the race.
“That put us so far behind that we had to play catch up all day, but we had a car. That’s as good of a car as I’ve had here, so I have no complaints about our car at all. We had different brake issues and had to run awfully hard. I never had a chance to let her breathe, but we survived the whole day.”
On a day that saw 16 cautions, Martin got involved in the action early getting caught up in the day’s first caution on just the second lap of the race. The No. 8 car of Dale Earnhardt Jr. collided with Martin’s No. 6, forcing Martin into the wall and causing a great deal of cosmetic damage to Martin’s car. However, the car was structurally intact and Martin returned to the race in 36 th position after green flag racing resumed on lap eight.
Martin, who started the race 30 th after an early draw in qualifying on Friday, moved his Fusion back to 30 th position by lap 36. He was able to advance to as far as 26 th position by lap 65. However with the long green-flag run, Martin was overtaken by the leader Tony Stewart on lap 86, dropping the No. 6 car off the lead lap for the first time of the season. Martin and the team would spend much of the remainder of the day fighting to get back on the lead lap.
Martin spent several laps fighting for the lucky dog position to get back on the lead lap over the next portion of the race, but he would face an uphill battle as the leaders continued to lap other cars. By lap 139, running in 28 th position, Martin had moved into the position as the first car one lap down. He spent the next several laps holding off the No. 42 car of Casey Mears for the position, before finally getting spun around by Mears on lap 170. Martin would be forced to come into the pits after the accident to change tires, and he would return back to the field in 31st place.
By lap 230 Martin had moved his Ford back to 25 th position, running as the second car one lap down to the leader. Martin would steadily move up the field, running in 21 st place when the day’s 12 caution was issued on lap 364. The No. 12 car of Ryan Newman, who was the first car one lap down, opted to pit so Martin and crew chief Pat Tryson decided to stay out and Martin was running in 19 th place, the first car one lap down when green flag racing resumed on lap 370.
The position was short lived, with Newman re-passing Martin on the next lap. The No. 12 car blew a tire on lap 425, bringing out caution No. 13 and Martin restarted in 18th position on lap 432, again as the first car one lap down to the leader. Martin was able to hold on to the position and when caution was again issued 23 laps later, the AAA Race Team had finally worked its way back onto the lead lap, running in 18th place.
Back on the lead lap, Martin began to steadily work his way through the field. By lap 473 he broke into the top 15 for the first time of the day. He was running in 13th position when the race’s 16th and final caution was called on lap 492 with only eight laps remaining. The caution forced the field to be red-flagged, and Martin restarted in 12th when the field went green with just three laps remaining. Martin fell back to 13th on the restart, but was able to hold onto the position for the remaining three laps, securing the top-15 finish. The finish was Martin’s 10 th straight top-15 finish, dating back to last season.
The team returns to action next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, where Martin boasts one win, four top fives and five top-10 finishes in 10 starts, including a second place finish there last fall. Martin is now in second place in the point standings, his highest mark since 2002. He is currently 59 points behind first-place Jimmie Johnson.
Martin Runs to Top-Five Finish in Martinsville Truck Race
No. 6 Scotts Team runs to fourth top-five of season; keeps points lead
Mark Martin and the #6 Scotts Racing Team
Martinsville Speedway/April 1, 2006MARTINSVILLE, VA. – Mark Martin ran to his fourth top-five finish in as many starts in the Craftsman Truck Series this season, finishing fourth in Saturday’s Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Martin just narrowly missed the pole in Saturday’s qualifying session, and started the race on the outside of the front row. He would run inside the top-five for the majority of the day, bringing home the fourth-place finish.
"Our Scotts Ford F-150 is crumpled up a little bit, but it's not that bad,” said Martin after the race. “It didn't slow us down. I learned some things today, and I didn't expect so many cautions. I hooked my truck up a little too much in practice yesterday. The track was green and it was real hard on left-rear tires. We hooked it down a little harder than it needed to be today.
“Mike (Beam, crew chief) and the guys did a good job with the truck freeing it up, but that's just what we had. The way it turned out, we had a strong truck, but we got behind and we couldn't get to the front."
The race saw a record 16 cautions, with a collaboration of short-green flag runs that made it hard to gain position on the track. Running second, Martin pitted on lap 65 after the day’s third caution, while the leaders stayed out. He returned to the track in seventh, but moved back to second when the leaders pitted under caution on lap 101.
“It didn't play into our hands,” added Martin. “But we had such a great ride here that we still finished fourth, and there's nothing wrong with that. Under different circumstances we might have challenged for a win."
Martin and crew chief Mike Beam would again opt to pit under caution on lap 120 to take four tires and fuel and Martin came back out 25th when the field went green on lap 124. By lap 141 he had wheeled his way to 13th position, before breaking back inside the top 10 after the day’s 10th caution on lap 162.
Martin moved his No. 6 Scotts Ford F-150 back inside the top five on lap 202, before taking over forth position on lap 217. He would be able to hang on to the position for the remaining 33 laps to move to the top-five finish in his first Truck race at Martinsville.
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Kroger 250
Ford Racing: News
April 1, 2006MARK MARTIN-6-Scotts Ford F-150 (Finished 4th)
"Our Scotts Ford F-150 is crumpled up a little bit, but it's not that bad. It didn't slow us down. I learned some things today, and I didn't expect so many cautions. I hooked my truck up a little too much in practice yesterday. The track was green and it was real hard on left-rear tires. We hooked it down a little harder than it needed to be today. Mike (Beam, crew chief) and the guys did a good job with the truck freeing it up, but that's just what we had. The way it turned out, we had a strong truck but we got behind and we couldn't get to the front."
YOU CHASED MATT CRAFTON TO THE FINISH AND HAD A GOOD RACE IN THE CLOSING LAPS FOR THIRD PLACE.
"I moved him around a little bit the last lap, but for third place I didn't want to mess him up. He was doing what I would have done if I was in his seat. It was some good racing. This Craftsman Truck Series is the best racing in NASCAR. It was a lot of fun. I learned some things today, and I didn't expect as many cautions. The track was real green yesterday and we only had one set of tires to practice on and it was eating up the left rears pretty hard. We hooked the thing up really hard and it was a little tight today. Mike and the guys did a good job of freeing it up. We did everything we could, we just couldn't get back to the front. It was just good racing."
COULD YOU HAVE CHALLENGED FOR THE WIN WITH LONGER GREEN-FLAG RUNS?
"Yes, that would have helped us a lot, or some different pit strategy, but you can't count on those things. When we count on having a caution every seven laps, and you get a 70-lap green, that will get you in trouble. It didn't play into our hands, but we had such a great ride here that we still finished fourth, and there's nothing wrong with that. Under different circumstances we might have challenged for a win."
