NASCAR's Mark Martin
2007 Season Articles - September & October
Mark Martin Race Report – Bank of America 500
Martin Finishes 16th in Bank of America 500
October 14, 2007CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2007) – Mark Martin called it a "tough night" after posting a 16th-place finish in Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
The U.S. Army driver was in position for a possible top-10 finish when the race went into overtime with a green-white-checkered finish. Martin was running in 13th place for the final restart and it appeared that his 01 Chevrolet had the speed to pick up a few more spots on the 1.5-mile oval.
"I had a good run on the No. 84 (AJ Allmendinger) and it looked like were going to get a good finish," explained Martin. "But he was able to close the door on me pretty quickly and I picked up some damage to the fender. After that we just had to take it home the best we could."
Martin started the race 12th and hovered in and around the top 15 for the majority of the race. He did run as high as third after a two-tire stop on Lap 159 of 337.
"Basically we had about a 15th-place car," said Martin. "But no one can say we didn't battle right to the end. Our U.S. Army pit crew hung in there and did another tremendous job. The Army spirit of never giving up is very strong on this team."
The 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. team is ranked 14th in owner points. Martin, who has missed 10 of the 31 Cup races due to a part-time schedule, is 25th in driver points.
The next stop for the Army team will be Sunday (Oct. 21) at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Aric Almirola will pilot the 01 Chevy at the historic short track.
Martin follows through on promise, enjoys time away
By Joe Menzer
NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2007CONCORD, N.C. -- Throughout his storied career as a Nextel Cup driver, Mark Martin has thrived on consistency.
So it should be no surprise that he remained consistent with his plan for this season.
With six races left in the 2007 Cup season, Martin can't believe it's almost over. And he's saying exactly the same thing now that he said back in the spring -- that he's having the time of his life, running a part-time schedule that ultimately prevented any chance he might have had of crashing the Chase for the Nextel Cup party currently under way.
After finishing second in dramatic fashion in the season-opening Daytona 500 and then taking the points lead in the second week by finishing fifth at Fontana, he kept telling everyone that the points lead didn't matter to him. Almost day after day for the next three weeks as he continued to hold it, he was asked if he really was going to stick to his plan of running a total of 26 races -- 24 points events, the Bud Shootout and the Nextel All-Star Challenge.
And every time he was asked, he surrendered the same answer. Yes.
Yet a seemingly large segment of the racing world population did not appear to believe him until, as scheduled, he sat out races at Bristol and Martinsville after leaving Atlanta with the points lead following the fourth race of the season there.
"It was funny to me at the time because I just let you guys [in the media] keep asking me about it," the 48-year-old Martin said Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he was preparing to run in this Saturday night's Bank of America 500. "It was interesting. I never had a second thought about my decision from the first race to leading the points leaving Atlanta and not going to Bristol [the following week].
"It's exactly what I wanted to do, and it was the best decision of my life. I'm the happiest I've ever been, and I couldn't have a better life right now."
Despite sitting out a total of 10 races thus far, Martin still sits 26th in driver points -- and the No. 01 Chevrolet ride he now shares with rookie Aric Almirola is 14th in owner points.
But much of what was out of Martin's control this season has been a roller-coaster ride for him. He began the season employed by Ginn Racing and sharing his ride with rookie Regan Smith. But in late July, Ginn Racing basically was folded into Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Martin's world changed.
He says now that, for him personally, it changed for the better.
"I've really enjoyed working with the U.S. Army team," said Martin, who will share the No. 8 DEI car being vacated by Dale Earnhardt Jr., with Almirola next season. "Making the move to a new group, working with Chevy, all the changes have all been positive for me. Being able to be a part of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated is a real honor for me.
"It opens up a new challenge. There are things there that I will be able to do probably for a long time, based on my amount of experience that I have and all the youth that is there at the company at this time. They are great, fabulous people. They have talent in all aspects of the company -- and they have welcomed me with open arms. ... I'm living a dream."
He said he loves working with young drivers such as Almirola.
"Aric's got it. He's got talent, he's got incredible desire," Martin said. "He does have more patience than a lot of young people. That's appreciated. From my standpoint, I appreciate the patience that he has. The dedication and the desire are there. We just have to continue to get him more experience.
"Impatience is a real hard thing to deal with and to work with. Impatience is waste of time. It's a diversion. If you're impatient, you're worrying about things you can't control. If you stay focused on the things that you can control and accept the fact that it may take a little more time than you wish it would, then you keep your eye on the target."
It is Martin's way. He never wavered when it came to keeping his eye on his target this year -- and the bull's eye was the time he planned to spend away from the racetrack with his family, including wife, Arlene, and his teenage son, Matt. He also has four older stepdaughters.
Asked the best part about running his part-time schedule this year, which he intends to duplicate next season, Martin did not hesitate one iota before answering.
"Quality time with my wife and son. That's by far been the best. It's just been so good," Martin said. "This year has passed without a whole lot of pressure. I'm not saying there hasn't been any pressure; there has been huge pressure for me. But it's been a drop in the bucket compared to what I've dealt with the past 15 years.
"It passed really fast. It's incredible that it's gone this fast. Instead of dragging out and being a grind, it's been a great year for me. I am so lucky to be driving this car, and working with these people, and doing what I love so much -- when I want to do it."
Asked what the best activity he has been able to do with his son that he couldn't do in previous years, Martin smiled and replied: "Nothing special. Just being able to hang out and take him to the baseball field, or just be there in the same house with him, so that if he did have a question or if he did want to do something with me, I was available. That was huge for me."
Matt also races, but not so much at the moment.
"He's raced three times this year," Martin said. "He's doing what I'm doing -- racing when he wants to. And that's not much right now."
Not when he can hang out with his father instead.
Mark Martin Media Visit – Charlotte
GM Racing
October 11, 2007Mark Martin, No. 01 U.S. Army Monte Carlo SS, met with members of the media at Lowe's Motor Speedway and discussed relationships with the older drivers, his schedule for next year, what he's learned about Dale Earnhardt, Jr. international racing stars coming into the series and whether or not they can be competitive, whether or not Montoya could make the top12 next year, whether or not the Chase reflects the best driver from the regular season, whether Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson will win the Chase, talking to Aric Almirola and what he may bring to the team, on being impatient, how this year has been for him, starting the season leading the points, the best thing he's been able to do with his spare time, the races he did and did not want to go to, how he spends time with his son, whether or not his son races, if he watches the races that he doesn't go to and his impression of the recent Talladega race.
Select quotes from driver interview:
DO YOU HAVE A SET SCHEDULE FOR NEXT YEAR?
"Yeah, you can pretty much copy this one, the '07 for '08. But Kevin can get it for you if you don't have that. It's basically the same schedule, same races. Same 26 races - two All-Star events and 24 point races."
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THIS YEAR HAS GONE FOR YOU?
"This has been the best year of my life by far. I can't believe that the season is winding down. It's the first one that I can remember in forever that I have felt that way and it's because I've had a chance to have a break and because I've been so happy. It's certainly been the best year of my life. I've really enjoyed working with the U.S. Army team and making the move to a new group. Working with Chevy, all the changes have been all positive for me. Being able to be a part of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. is a real honor for me. It's a challenge. It opens up a new challenge. There are things there that I will be able to do probably for a long time based on my amount of experience that I have and all the youth that is there in the company at this time. They have great, fabulous people and talent in all aspects of the company and they welcome me with open arms. The wealth of experience I have, to bring to that. I'm living a dream."
DO YOU WATCH THE RACES YOU DON'T ATTEND?
"Every one. Every practice, every qualifying, every pre-race show, the race. I'm a race fan."
Mark Martin Preview - Bank of America 500
DEI
October 10, 2007MARTIN LOOKS TO BEST THE BEAST
After taking a week's hiatus, Mark Martin returns to the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Considered one of his favorite tracks on the circuit, Martin will look to add to his rich heritage at the 1.5-mile oval.
MARTIN AT LOWE'S
Martin has four wins at Lowe's, including one in the 600. In addition, he has won twice at Lowe's in the All-Star event. His 17 top-five finishes are the most of any active driver as are his 21 top 10's. In addition he boasts six Busch wins and two IROC wins.
MARTIN AT CHARLOTTE
Starts: 44 (20)
Wins: 4 (3)
Top 5's: 17 (10)
Top 10's: 21 (12)
Poles: 2 (1)
Highest finish: 1st (4 times)
First time:5/3/82 (27th)
Last time: 5/27/07 (11th)
Last year: 10/14/06 (30th)WORTHY NOTE
Martin has a better average finish in 2007 (12.4) than 10 of the 12 drivers in the Chase.
MARTIN - LAST YEAR AT LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY
0ctober 14, 2006
Started 7th, Finished 30thMark Martin was truly in his element for most of the race Saturday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Running at his favorite race track, Martin started seventh and had run virtually the entire race inside the top 10. He took over the Nextel Cup points lead on lap 175 and he passed the No. 8 four laps later to move into the top five for the first time of the race. Martin just completed a green-flag pit stop on lap 239 when, moments later, his promising night came to a crashing halt, when rookie J.J. Yeley made a careless move attempting to enter the pits. Martin attempted to clear Yeley’s No. 18 car low, but Yeley cut him off, sending him crashing into the wall head on. A testament to NASCAR’s safety initiatives, Martin was able to climb out of the car unharmed, even standing on the side of the car and saluting the cheering fans in turn four.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING - LOWE'S MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Martin has led 1,168 laps at LMS, the most of any active driver. He has an average finish of 15.6 and an average running position of 11.3778. He has made 199 quality passes in the last two seasons at LMS and his driver rating of 95.8 is the third best at the track.
PART TIME SCHEDULE, FULL-TIME RESULTS
This will be Martin's 21st start in 2007. Despite having taken 10 races off this season, Martin is still 26th in the Nextel Cup driver standings. Martin has a better average finish (12.4) than 10 of the 12 drivers in the "Chase for the Nextel Cup."
NO PRESSURE
This marks the first year since its inception that Mark Martin is not racing in the "Chase for the Nextel Cup." Martin was one of only three drivers to make the Chase in each of its first three seasons. Martin walked away from point racing in March, while leading the Nextel Cup point standings. He will take part in six of the final 10 races that make up the 'Chase.' Martin has finished fourth (Dover) and 12th (Kansas) in the two Chase races he has taken part of in 2007.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN ON LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY
"I love racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. It is probably my favorite track on the entire circuit. In my opinion, it's the greatest place to race in the world. I can remember the first time that I ever went there in 1982 and thinking- 'wow' - this is just like a small quarter-mile track somewhere, except it's huge, but you could race just like that. Usually when we go there, I go out and take one lap and radio my team that, 'I love this place.'
"I'm really looking forward to going back there with Ryan Pemberton and the guys on this No. 01 U.S. Army Team. We had a great run there in the spring in the All-Star race and then another strong run in the 600. The track really just suits my driving style and it really plays to my strong points as a race car driver. I've had a lot of great moments there over the years and I would love nothing more than to add to those memories there this weekend with another strong run and hopefully we can contend for a win. These guys on this team have been through so much this season and I'd love nothing more than to help take them to victory lane at Charlotte."
MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS
Martin has four wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the 2002 Coke 600.
Martin has 21 top-10 finishes at Lowe's - the most of any active driver.
Martin's 17 top-five finishes at Lowe's are the most of any active driver.
Martin has led 1,168 laps at Lowe's, the most of any active driver.
Martin has won six Busch races at Lowe's and two All-Star events (1998 and 2005).
Martin won both IROC races at Lowe's in '96 and '97.
Martin finished third at Lowe's this year in the All-Star race and 11th in the 600.
Martin's 12.4 average finish in 2007 is better than 10 of the 12 drivers in the 'Chase' for the Nextel Cup and better than all but two of the full-time drivers on the circuit.
Mark Martin Race Report – LifeLock 400
Martin, Army Team Overcome Early Struggles in Kansas
DEIKANSAS CITY, Kan. (Sept. 30, 2007) -- In a bizarro day at Kansas Speedway Mark Martin and the U.S. Army team posted a 12th-place finish.
Sunday's Nextel Cup race, which was scheduled for 267 laps and 400 miles turned out to be 210 laps and 315 miles. The culprit for the shortened event was a couple of mid-afternoon Kansas storms that halted the race for nearly three hours.NASCAR eventually called the LifeLock 400for darkness shortly after 7 p.m. CT.
"It was a strange day, but we hung in there," said Army crew chief Ryan Pemberton. "Mark drove a strong race and the pit crew was once again on top of its game."
After spending Friday and Saturday searching for speed and battling handling issues with the 01 Chevrolet, Martin and the Army team dug deep and came through with another solid finish.
"These guys are just incredible," said Martin, who started 40th. "We were all over the place in qualifying and practice but they just wouldn't give up on the car. Once the race started I was able to do things with the Army Chevy that I had not been able to do all weekend. It really was a great team effort and our guys battled like our soldiers -- they refused to give up."
Driving the Dale Earnhardt Inc-owned Chevrolet, Martin wasted little time moving through the field. He picked up 10 positions by Lap 12. The 01 team then made a huge leap to 20th place a few laps later after a quick two-tire stop under caution.
Martin continued to run strong and was positioned in the top 15 for the majority of the race, including a high of seventh.
"We were awful on Friday and had a terrible lap in qualifying," noted Martin. "And just when things looked really bad, these guys dug in and gave it all they had. It's unbelievable what they were able to do with this race car this weekend. It's a testament to the type of team we have here."
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit – Kansas
GM Racing
September 28, 2007WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CAR?
"We just can't get through turn three and four at all, not even at all. I don't look for it to be any better qualifying. Maybe we'll figure something out tomorrow but we have not made a lap through there yet that was anything near the ballpark of where we need it to be. I'm trying to help them dissect it. It's so troublesome down there I can't get it all figured out at once."
DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? YOU USED TO BE GOOD AT TRACKS LIKE THIS.
"We certainly didn't expect this. We expected to run well; this car's been good for us and this just doesn't make any sense. We've had speed everywhere at tracks like this and we just don't have it today.
"It's the same car I had at Indy and a couple other times. It's run well for us; I don't know. We are on an island by ourselves. We can't look at what our teammates have. It would be awesome if we could just put in what one of them have but we're totally different - daylight and dark. That makes it tough."
Mark Martin Preview – LifeLock 400
DEI
September 26, 2007MARTIN SHOOTS FOR SECOND WIN AT KANSAS
After a strong run at Dover, Mark Martin and the No. 01 U.S. Army team head to Kansas, the site of Martin's last Nextel Cup victory in 2005. Martin finished fourth last week at Dover and his 01 Chevrolet was in contention for the win late in the race.
MARTIN AT KANSAS
This will mark the seventh time that Martin and the Nextel Cup circuit have visited Kansas Speedway. Martin has finished in the top three in his last two races at Kansas, including his 35th Nextel Cup win there in 2007 where he turned in a dominating performance, leading 139 laps en route to the victory. He finished third there a year ago. Martin finished sixth in the inaugural event in 2001. Martin has a 12.5 average finish at Kansas, and will look for his second win in three seasons.
Starts: 6
Wins: 1
Top 5's: 2
Top 10's: 3
Poles: 0
Highest finish: 1st (2005)
First time: 9/30/01 (6th)
Last year: 10/1/06 (3rd)MARTIN - LAST YEAR AT KANSAS
Oct. 1, 2006
Kansas Speedway
Started19th, Finished 3rdMark Martin and crew chief Pat Tryson gambled big in the Banquet 400 at Kansas and the payoff was huge, with Martin finishing third in the race and moving from sixth to third in the Nextel Cup point standings. Martin pitted for the last time taking four tires and fuel on lap 196 of the 267-lap event. Martin returned to the field in 14th position, but was able to conserve fuel during the rare long green flag run to end the race; surviving for the third-place finish while the majority of the field either ran out or were forced to pit for gas late in the race.
WORTHY NOTE
Martin's 35th Nextel Cup win came at Kansas in 2005.
PART TIME SCHEDULE, FULL-TIME RESULTS
This will be Martin's 20th start in 2007. Despite having taken nine races off this season, Martin is still 24th in the Nextel Cup driver standings. He has finished inside the top 10 in 52.6 percent (10) of his starts in 2007; a better average than half of the drivers in the "Chase" for the Nextel Cup. Martin has finished in the top five in 26.3 of his starts, better than five of the current drivers who make up the Nextel Cup top 12.
NO PRESSURE
This mark's the first year since its inception that Mark Martin is not racing in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Martin was one of only three drivers to make the Chase in each of its first three seasons. Martin walked away from point racing in March, while leading the Nextel Cup point standings. He will take part in six of the final 10 races that make up the 'Chase.' In Martin's first 'Chase' event not in the championship race, the veteran flexed his muscle, finishing in the top five, while leading 22 laps and threatening to win late at Dover.
QUOTING MARK ON KANSAS SPEEDWAY
"We are excited about going to Kansas this weekend. We were finally able to have a breakthrough run in the COT at Dover and now we are back to the traditional car this weekend. We've been pretty good in those races this year and Kansas is a really good track for me. We were able to get the win there a couple of years ago and I know that this race team has won there before as well, so it should make for a pretty good combination for us.
"I keep saying it, but (crew chief) Ryan Pemberton and this U.S. Army team continue to impress me each week. They have been through so much with the merger and all that has happened this season, and yet they keep battling back. We had a great car and great DEI horsepower last week at Dover and we could have won that race if things would have fell into place a little better there at the end. This weekend we get to go to Kansas without all the pressure of point racing. We should be able to let it all hang out and just sit back and go for it. I won there two years ago taking two tires early and we finished third there last year on a fuel gamble late. It should be interesting this year to see what strategy plays out."
FAST FACTS – MARTIN AT KANSAS
Martin won the Cup race at Kansas in 2005, leading 139 laps en route to the dominating victory.
Martin finished sixth at the inaugural Kansas Cup race in 2001.
Martin has finished in the top three in the last two races at Kansas, including a third-place run last season.
Martin has a 12.5 average finish in five races at Kansas.
Martin has finished inside the top 10 in 52.6 of his starts this season; better than six of the 12 racers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
Martin has finished in the top-five in 26.3 of his starts in 2007.
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes – Dodge Dealers 400
GM Racing
September 23, 2007MARK MARTIN, NO. 01 U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS - Finished 4th:
"We needed a long run there at the end. If we could have gotten 40 or 50 laps at the end we might have had a shot at it, but Carl (Edwards) was just spectacular on those restarts. We never did get a chance to get at it. I thought we had a great effort today and had a shot to win.
"I want to thank DEI for great horsepower -- I abused the engine quite a bit and over-revved it on a couple of those restarts at the end. I was trying to go for it. I want to thank my team. This merger -- it's been incredibly tough on these guys and they haven't let up. They give me good race cars and today we had an awesome car.
"We needed long runs there at the end, if we could have got 40 or 50 laps there at the end, we might have had a shot. But Carl (Edwards, race winner), he was just spectacular those first four or five laps on the restarts and we never did have a chance to get at him there. The guys did a great job, it is really awesome, to represent the Army and I thought we had effort today and possibly could have had a shot today."
Mark Martin Race Report – Dodge Dealers 400
Martin Finishes 4th in Dover; Best COT Result for 01 Team
DEI
September 23, 2007DOVER, Del. (Sept. 23, 2007) -- Mark Martin was in position to win Sunday's Nextel Cup race, but the U.S. Army driver settled for an impressive fourth-place finish at Dover International Speedway.
For most of the closing 50 laps at the Monster Mile, Martin was running in second place, chasing Carl Edwards, who eventually went on to win the event. Martin said after he climbed out of his Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet that the number of cautions and red flags at the end didn't help his cause for a trip to Victory Lane.
For the record, the final 44 laps saw the yellow flag fly six times for 28 laps. There were also two red flags during this period that amounted to approximately 17 minutes of delay.
"We needed a long run there at the end," said Martin, who was credited with leading 22 laps during the NASCAR event. "If we could have gotten 40 or 50 (green flag) laps at the end we might have had a shot at it, but Carl (Edwards) was just spectacular on those restarts. We never did get a chance to get at it. I thought we had a great effort today and had a shot to win."
The result was the best Car of Tomorrow finish for the 01 Army team. The team's previous best COT finish was seventh at the June Dover race.
"I want to thank DEI for great horsepower," stated Martin. "I abused the engine quite a bit today and over-revved it on a couple of those restarts at the end. I was trying to go for it."
"I also want to thank my team," added Martin. "This merger has been incredibly tough on these guys and they haven't let up. We had an awesome car. We've been working so hard with the COT setup and today we started to see some big gains. This was a big boost for the future success of this team."
Martin started 31st after a sub-par qualifying effort Friday. But when the green flag dropped to start the 400-lap, 400-mile race, he patiently picked off positions on the all-concrete surface.
The crew made some great adjustments and I had a fast car," said Martin. "It was sure fun challenging for the win. This is what it's all about -- a legitimate shot at winning a race."
Martin moved into the top 10 just past the halfway mark and stayed there until the checkered flag waved. He led from Laps 288 to 309. On the final restart (Lap 397), Martin was still in second, but was passed in the remaining laps by Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"Overall, it was a solid day of racing for our 01 team," offered Martin. "We fought to the end and I hope we made our soldiers proud. It's so awesome to represent the U.S. Army."
The result was Martin's 20th top-five and 27th top-10 finish in 43 starts at Dover. It was also his fifth top five and 10th top 10 in 19 starts this season.
The 01 DEI team is ranked 14th in Nextel Cup owner points. Despite missing nine races due to his part-time 2007 schedule, Martin is 24th in driver points.
The next stop for Martin and the Army team will be Sunday (Sept. 30) at Kansas Speedway.
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit - Dover
GM Racing
September 21, 2007Mark Martin, No. 01 U.S. Army Impala SS met with media and talked about ongoing changes at DEI
"I'm excited about where DEI is headed with the whole shop and all the things that have to do with competition. This merger has opened up opportunity to analyze every facet of it to see if it can be improved and that's great. It means that all the processes that were being done by Ginn Racing are up for review and all the processes at DEI are up for review. We're working to combine all of that and taking the best of all of it and putting it together. It's been an enormous about of work to get through this merger. Maybe we have 40 percent behind us, which is exciting, because we've got some of it behind us and a lot in front of us. For me, I think it's an exciting time. Some of the most difficult parts of it are behind us now and the exciting stuff, like making better race cars and making better processes are all in front of us. I'm excited about all of that.
"It's still going to be next year before we see really the product. For now, what we have to do is support Martin (Truex Jr.) and Dale Jr. and the No. 8 team with everything that we can because those two really work closely together. And to give Martin his best shot at this championship, our focus is really to help them maintain what they're doing and not change their program or process, and at the same time, work on the No. 01 and the No. 15 and start working the merger back, sort of, behind those scenes The No. 8 and the No. 1 are still over at the DEI shop and the No. 15 and the No. 01 are really in the new shop. We're already molding it all together and starting the process.
ON MAKING ALL THESE CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE SEASON
"It's been real painful to try to do this in the middle of the race season. But to have us already started with the No. 15 and the No. 01 in the building and starting to the process and getting a lot of the difficulties behind us is probably a plus for the other two teams. And for now, we just need to leave that unhampered with so they have no disruption in their quest for a championship. At the same time, everybody is working at the new shop and we've got some of it behind us. A lot of it is still in front of us."
ARE YOU SPENDING MORE TIME AT THE SHOP NOW?
"I don't go every day, but I do go to the shop regularly. But I was at the shop Tuesday and at the shop a couple of weeks ago. I'm getting up there regularly. It's been more work than anybody than anybody could every probably know for Max Siegel and John Story and for everyone involved. There has been a lot more to it than meets the eye."
“I won my first ever Busch and NASCAR race (Dover) there in 1987”
September 20, 2007This will be Mark Martin’s 43rd career cup start at Dover, where he has won four times. The four wins tie for the most ever at the track. Considered one of his favorite tracks on the circuit, Martin has 26 top-10 and 19 top-five finishes at the Monster Mile. The 19 top fives are the most of any driver. In addition, Martin earned his first ever career Busch Series win at Dover in 1987.
Martin was fast at Dover from the start, running fifth in the Mason-Dixon 500 in his first ever start at the one-mile track on 5/16/82. Martin started the event seventh, the first of his 26 top-10 starts at the track. Martin finished seventh there in the spring, his 26th top-10 finish at the 1-mile oval.
Martin has four poles at Dover and started in the top 10 in 26 of his first 38 races there and is the only driver to have won in all three of NASCAR’s major racing divisions at Dover. He has four wins in the Cup car, one in the Busch race in 1987 and one in the Craftsman Truck there last season.
This will be Martin’s sixth race in the COT this season and his second in the COT at Dover. Martin’s best finish in a COT came in the spring race at Dover, where he finished seventh. Martin has an average starting position of 21.2 in the COT and an average finishing position of 14.2. Martin and the team struggled to a 21st-place finish in the Car of Tomorrow two weeks ago at Richmond. This will be Martin’s final COT race of 2007. Next season Martin and NASCAR will run the COT in all 36 events.
“Dover is a track that I always loved and we always ran well there. I should have won there so many times and it just seemed like something would go wrong. Finally it all fell into place and we’ve had a lot of success there over the years. I won my first ever Busch and NASCAR race there in 1987. We’ve won in the Cup car there four times and we got a Craftsman Truck Series win there last year. It’s just the style of track that really suits my style of driving and it can be a lot of fun to race there.
“We had a good run there in the spring and that was actually our best finish in a COT race this season. I know that this team has been through a lot and we’ve struggled some in the last couple of races, so nothing would be better medicine for that than to come back to Dover and put together another solid run. These guys are as good of a race team as there is, and I know that Ryan Pemberton and the U. S. Army Team will bounce back this weekend, and I know that we’ll have a good car that will be competitive on the race track.”
Martin has four wins at Dover, with the last coming in the spring of 2004. Martin holds the track record at Dover (Cup), winning on 9/21/97 in 3:00:50 (132.717 mph avg). Martin holds the Truck track record with 120.00 mph at Dover last year. Martin’s 19 top-five finishes are the most of any active driver at Dover. Martin has 26 top-10 finishes at Dover, including four top fours in the last six races. Martin finished fifth in his first Cup race at Dover on 5/16/82. Martin has finished in the top 10 in almost 60 percent of his races at Dover. Martin finished one-two in both Dover races in 2004, three-four there in 2005. Martin earned the first of his record 47 Busch Series wins at Dover in 1987 Martin is the only driver to have won in all three of NASCAR’s major series at Dover.
Mark Martin Post Race Report - Richmond
Martin, U.S. Army Team Finish 21st in Richmond
DEI RacingRICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 8, 2007) - Mark Martin finished 21st in Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
Martin and the U.S. Army team struggled early and could not find the proper rhythm in the Nextel Cup event.
"I'm proud of this U.S. Army team," said Martin. "We had a tough night, but they hung in there to the end. The track was a lot different than it was in practice on Friday and we just never could get the car rolling like we needed."
Martin started 19th and had handling issues from the opening of the race. The Army crew made adjustments to the car during the 300-mile event, but was unable to find the necessary blend of speed and handling.
Thought he Army Chevy moved into the top 15 after the race's ninth caution on Lap 262 of 400, it could not maintain the position on the .75-mile circuit.
"The guys did an excellent job in the pits all night and we were able to get the best finish we could," added Martin. "This team will continue to work hard during the final 10 races and we look forward to bringing home some solid finishes for our soldiers."
Martin will step out of the car next week, before returning to action Sept. 23 in Dover, Del. Regan Smith will take the steering wheel of the 01 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevy next weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes – Richmond
GM Racing
September 9, 2007MARK MARKIN, NO. 01 U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS
"I'm excited about being back with the Army. And that No. 8 has huge tradition. It means a lot to Dale Earnhardt Inc. and I'll do my very best to work hard and drive it with integrity."
ON THE LAP
"I should have done better job maybe getting the team dialed in. I'm not real satisfied. I feel that we have a better car than that. But I got all out of it right there. You don't get many chances in q-trim when it's an impound race and I really feel like I didn't get us where we needed to be. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the guys. This has been an incredibly difficult time for Ryan and all the guys on the O1 car these past two months trying to merge the engines and the cars and trying to get toward common cars with these guys has been pretty tough on these guys and I really appreciate them sticking in and giving me a good, competitive car even though there have been a lot of distractions."
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit
GM Racing
September 7, 2007No. 01 U.S. Army Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed moving to DEI's No. 8 car (shared with Aric Almirola), Regan Smith's role, fans accepting him in the No. 8, whether or not he had second thoughts about taking the number, how difficult it would be for Dale Junior to make the Chase, on how the season has gone for the No. 01 team, plans for next year, on who his crew chief will be, on how it feels to be locked into the Chase, on how he can help Martin Truex, Jr., on how Kurt Busch has been helped by his crew chief, on not running a full schedule, on drivers coming to NASCAR from other series, on being a spokesman for the Army and keeping in shape for racing.
YOU'LL BE IN THE NO. 8 WITH THE ARMY SPONSORING IT - HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
"I am (excited) Driving for the U.S. Army is a real special opportunity and I think it's one of the most meaningful sponsors in the garage so it's an honor to drive the soldiers' car and I'm happy about it. As well as driving the No. 8 and representing Dale Earnhardt Inc. I spent a lot of years on the race track racing with Dale Sr. and a lot of battles and I know that following that legacy is big shoes to fill. But I think he'd be really pleased with where this company is headed. I know I'm excited about it; I know that we have a good bit of work to do in front of us to get. we're still in the very beginning stages of merging the No. 01 with the other three DEI cars. I think he'd be very pleased with where we're headed."
IT LOOKS LIKE THE FANS WILL PROBABLY ACCEPT YOU DRIVING THE NO. 8. YOUR THOUGHTS:
"I know that there will be a backlash from a certain number of his fans but you have to understand that that number has a lot of meaning to Dale Earnhardt, Inc.and I raced against Dale Sr. in the No. 8 Busch car owned by DEI in 1984. So it's very important to this company and it's part of keeping Dale Earnhardt's legacy alive and I'm sorry for the ones that don't like it but for the ones that do, I appreciate them. I appreciate all the fan support, I talked to Richard Childress and it was very important to me to have the blessing from RCR as well as the rest of the Earnhardt family because it was a very touchy subject. But it's important to the company and I'm proud to be a part of it."
ANY SECOND THOUGHTS?
"I didn't have second thoughts; I had to consider it all the first time around. I talked to Mike Helton about it; talked to Richard Childress about it. Really Richard was the one that really made me feel good about it. He had some really awesome things to say about it and unfortunately, in this business, the numbers pretty much stay with the owners. That's all they have. Whereas Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gets to take his name and superstardom anywhere he wants to go. I drove the No. 6 car for 19 years and I understand how this thing works and the owners need. they build equity in the numbers and it's really an industry standard for the number to stay with the car owners."
IS CREW CHIEF RYAN PEMBERTON STILL GOING TO BE WITH YOU?
"It's going to be the No. 01. Ryan's car. That was a stipulation that went down before the merger. I really wanted to drive Ryan's car. I believe Ryan Pemberton is the best in this garage and I think this team is one of the best in the garage. For what they had done for me in February for the Daytona 500 and every race since then, the way it feels to go to the race track and climb in their car and to see the excitement and enthusiasm on their faces is something really special to me."
YOU ALSO HAVE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY REGAN (SMITH) IS GETTING IN A FOURTH CAR FOR DEI.
"The opportunity to work with Regan has been real special, I feel like we've graduated him to a full-time NEXTEL Cup driver and he's very deserving. He's a talented race car driver."
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Announces 2008 Nextel Cup Driver Lineup
Smith to take the wheel of DEI's fourth entry; Martin and Almirola to take over the No. 8
DEI
September 7, 2007RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 7, 2007) -- Dale Earnhardt, Inc.'s four-car lineup has been settled for the 2008 season, with Regan Smith being the latest driver to join the organization. Smith is the final piece to the driver corps that includes Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard, Mark Martin and Aric Almirola.
"Our lineup is a perfect blend of veteran leadership and youthful promise," said Max Siegel, president of global operations for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. "The addition of Mark Martin’s leadership and his desire to mentor our drivers is huge for us. Paul Menard and Martin Truex Jr. have been with our company for several years and we have confidence and great expectations in both of them, which allows us to further develop our future with two rookie drivers in Regan and Aric."
Martin, a 26-year NASCAR veteran, will take the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet in 2008, which is set to be sponsored again by the U.S. Army. Martin will run a limited schedule similar to the one he ran in 2007, with rookie Aric Almirola driving the balance of the races.
"This has been a great opportunity for me and this team," said Martin. "It's a great honor to drive for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and it's a great honor to drive the No. 8 car for this organization. I raced against Dale Earnhardt for a lot of years and I know what kind of competitor he was on the track. We have a really big legacy to live up to, but I'm confident that we are putting together an organization that he would be proud of."
Truex, who is currently 10th in the Nextel Cup Point standings, returns for his third full year behind the wheel of a Nextel Cup entry - again handling the driving duties for the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Menard returns in the No. 15 Menard's Chevrolet for his second full season.
Smith's car number and sponsor will be announced at a later date. He has shared duties in the No. 01 Chevrolet with Martin, making six Nextel Cup starts this season. He will contend for rookie of the year honors in 2008.
The stable of drivers will showcase a powerful mix of experienced and youthful talent. Martin has compiled one of the most successful careers in NASCAR history. Voted one of the 50 greatest NASCAR drivers ever, the veteran has amassed 35 wins and 41 poles in his Nextel Cup career.
Martin Truex Jr. has emerged as one of the premier young talents in NASCAR. A two-time Busch Series Champion, Truex enters this weekend having posted 10 top-10 and five top-five finishes, including a dominating performance in a win earlier this year at Dover.
The two will anchor a group that adds the unlimited potential of Menard, Smith and Almirola. The five DEI drivers that will drive in Nextel Cup in 2008 have combined for 105 NASCAR victories, along with 91 poles and over 670 top-10 finishes in all three of NASCAR’s major series.
Mark Martin Race Preview – Richmond
DEI/Ginn Racing
September 5, 2007MARTIN RETURNS TO THE TRACK AT RICHMOND
After two weekends away from the track, Martin returns as the driver of the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet in this weekend's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway.
RICHMOND DEEP IN HISTORY FOR MARTIN
This will be Martin's 44th start at Richmond, dating back to Sept. 13, 1981 when he earned his second career Cup pole in only his fourth career start. Martin rolled to a seventh-place finish, the first of his 23 career top-10 results at Richmond and the first of his Cup career. He has finished in the top 10 in six of his last 11 at RIR. He finished fifth there last fall and 17th in the spring.
ON THE POLE
Martin has claimed three poles at Richmond -- September 1981, September 1996 and May 2001.
MARK FAST FACTS – RICHMOND
Martin has finished inside the top 10 in six of his last 11 races at Richmond.
Martin earned his first career Cup top-10 finish at Richmond on Sept. 13, 1981 finishing seventh.
Martin sat on the pole at his first career Cup race at Richmond in 1981.
Martin has one win, 23 top-10 and 13 top-five finishes in 43 races at Richmond.
Martin earned his 41st career Cup pole at Richmond in May 2001.
Martin has five Busch wins at Richmond.
This will be Martin's fifth race in the Car of Tomorrow this season.
This will be Martin's 18th Nextel Cup run this season.
LAST YEAR AT RICHMOND
Sept. 9, 2006
Richmond Int'l Speedway
Started 4th, Finished 5thTwo-hundred laps into the night time ‘regular season’ showdown at Richmond International Raceway, Martin found himself in unfamiliar territory; on the outside looking in on the Chase for Nextel Cup. Running in 12th position and with Martin’s No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion fading fast, Martin and his AAA team faced their moment of truth. How they would respond during the next 200 laps would ultimately not only decide their success in the Rock and Roll 400, but their fate for a season. With no room for error, the team made a slight air pressure adjustment on its last stop of the night, dramatically improving the car as Martin was able to drive back through the field for the fifth-place finish.
MARTIN GETS BACK IN THE CAR OF TOMORROW
This will be Martin's fifth race in the COT and his second at Richmond. It will be the first time that Martin has raced the COT on the same track twice. Martin started ninth and finished 17th at Richmond in the COT in May. In the four previous COT races, Martin has an average start of 21.75 and an average finish of 12.5. After Richmond, Martin is scheduled to take part in one more COT race this season -- at Dover. NASCAR will run the COT in all 36 races next season.
QUOTING MARK ON RICHMOND
"We have a long history at Richmond, going all the way back to the early '80's when I first broke into Cup racing. I sat on the pole there the first time we went in 1981. We were able to actually get a top-10 there the first time as well. It has always been a track that was pretty fun to race on and we've had some great battles and quite a bit of success there over the years. I was able to win there in 1990, but I think a lot of people will remember that for the now famous 46 point penalty that we got after the race. That really played an important role in the championship that season. We've also had some really memorable runs there to race our way into the Chase in the last couple of seasons. The second Richmond race has kind of taken on a new significance in the last couple of years.
"This year it sure will be nice to go there without all of that pressure built up on getting into the Chase. We'll be able to just relax and run our race, while the nerves will be high for a lof of the other guys in the field. I've been off for a couple of weeks and we didn't get a whole lot of racing in at Michigan, so I'm really looking forward to getting back out on the track with Ryan (Pemberton) and this No. 01 U.S. Army race them this weekend."
