NASCAR's Mark Martin
2008 Season Articles - October & November
Making the Best of a Bad Situation: Martin/Almirola Are a Success
By Heath Heidemann
Bleacher Report
November 16, 2008The summer of 2007 will live in the memories of any Dale Earnhardt Incorporated fan for years to come.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat before the media and announced his departure from the company his father had built, vacating the sponsor and car that he had made famous.
As fans fled from DEI in droves, most couldn't help but laugh at the thought of someone else even TRYING to fill the seat of the now vacant number eight.
Doing what was probably the best move that they could have possibly done, DEI named Mark Martin to be the driver for a majority of the 2008 season in the car.
There was no other person in NASCAR that could have taken that seat and not be severely criticized or scrutinized.
DEI also named Aric Almirola to run the races that Mark Martin would not drive, but were smart in this move too. They would have Martin run the first four races, enough to take the edge off of the new drivers of the car.
Martin ran the car for 24 of the races, finishing with four top fives, and eleven top tens. Almirola ran the rest of the schedule, finishing in the top ten only once, but committing just one DNF (did not finish).
The combined effort of the two drivers net a fourteenth place finish in owner points or the team, the best team in Dale Earnhardt Incorporated's stable. They also finished two positions better than the 2007 season, when Dale Junior finished in sixteenth. Mark Martin now moves on from the company to join Hendrick Motorsports. He leaves the car in the capable hands of Almirola. Sponsor U.S. Army also leaves the team, and a merger with Chip Ganassi is well underway.
Despite all of the changes on the horizon, they can look back on the season as a success.
The transition of power couldn't have been executed any better.
Mark Martin May Be The Big Story in Nascar for 2009
By Larry Burton
Bleacher Report
November 13, 2008This year's big stories were Kurt Bush and Jimmie Johnson winning. You also had lots of stories about Gordon not winning a race for the first time in years. It seems microphones and cameras were pointed at everyone but Mark Martin.
He was a part-timer, an over the hill almost was. He wasn't in the chase, wasn't a winner this year and just wasn't very interesting. At least that's how Mark Martin felt.
"Well, it's just how it's covered today," Martin said recently. "I obviously was in the Chase every year that they had it and I'm not really used to qualifying second or third and not having anybody ask me any questions -- or finishing in the top five two weeks in a row and not even being interviewed after the race.
"It seems different than the way I remembered it. But maybe next year will be different, you know? It's OK. It is what it is."
Next year will be different? That is an understatement. Running a part time schedule that included 11 less starts than full time drivers, he still finished 27th in points.
Given access the a Rick Hendrick car and a full time schedule, not only will Martin make the chase, but will have perhaps his best and last shot at finally winning a title.
Hardly any driver is more respected and very few have the experience that this 49 year old brings to the track. With Hendrick team mates at Daytona, where it's so important to have good drafting and pushing partners, it would not be surprising to see Martin start off with a bang.
He came so close in the 2007 Daytona 500 just being nosed out in the end by Kevin Harvick, a Hendrick car may be just the little edge he's been needing.
One thing is for sure though. Mark Martin will be a story you can't ignore in 2009. I think that might just please Mark just fine.
Speed to be parked in favour of Mark Martin
TSN.ca Staff
November 11, 2008Team Red Bull are pulling out all the stops to ensure they finish the season in the top-35 in owners points, which will guarantee them a spot on the starting grid in 2009.
While the preliminary entry list for this weekend's NASCAR finale in Miami lists Scott Speed as the driver of the No. 84 Red Bull Toyota, reports say veteran Mark Martin will be behind the wheel when practice and qualifying begin later this week.
Martin started his final race for DEI Inc. in Phoenix last weekend. He is scheduled to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2009 and his deal with Team Red Bull is for the Miami race only. The team are committed to retaining Speed for the 2009 season.
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil
GM Racing
November 9, 2008MARK MARTIN, NO. 8 U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS -- Finished 14th:
"First of all I want to say just how proud I am to have worked with the guys on this U.S. Army Team," said Martin after the race. "We had a really strong car today. We might not have had the car to win it, but we had a top five car for sure. We didn't' get the finish that we wanted, but like they have all year these guys hung in there and battled back and I'm very proud to have driven their car this season. It's been a pleasure to work with (crew chief) Tony Gibson and everyone on this No. 8 team. This really has been the most fun that I've had in my career," added Martin. "To be able to run a part-time schedule with a championship caliber team has been a great privilege this season. I just have to thank everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for everything. I also want to thank the U.S. Army for all the support of the past two years. It has been a real honor to represent the U.S. Army for the past two seasons. I've had a great time this season and I'm not ready to quit just yet."
Martin Closes Out DEI Tenure with Stellar Come-From-Behind 14th-Place Finish in Arizona
Savvy Veteran Posts 5th top-15 finish in 24 starts
DEIAVONDALE, Ariz. (Nov. 9, 2008) -- Mark Martin closed out his tenure with Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet by battling back from a lap down to finish 4th in Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.
Martin, who had a strong car at the start of the Sprint Cup race,lost his top-10 running position when a pit-road miscue put him a lap down on Lap 99 of 313. He would spend virtually the remainder of the event fighting his way back to the lead lap.
"First of all I want to say just how proud I am to have worked with the guys on this U.S. Army team," said Martin. "We had a really strong car today. We might not have had the car to win it, but we had a top-five car for sure. We didn't get the finish that we wanted, but like they have done all year these guys hung in there and fought hard.I'm very proud to have driven their car this season. It's been a pleasure to work with (crew chief) Tony Gibson and everyone on this No. 8 team."
"This really has been the most fun that I've had in my career," added Martin. "To be able to run a part-time schedule with a championship caliber team has been a great privilege. I just have to thank everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc. for everything. I also want to thank the U.S. Army for all the support of the past two years. It has been a real honor to represent our brave Soldiers who protect our freedom."
Martin started 10th and made his way to fourth place early in the race.But during a Lap 99 pit stop his day took a turn for the worse. A loose lug nut on the left-front forced him to return to pit road. The unscheduled stop, under green-flag conditions, relegated him to 38th place, almost two laps down.
The savvy veteran patiently worked his way through the field, breaking into the top 20 on Lap 277 and returning to the lead lap on Lap 289.
Once back on the lead lap, Martin wasted little time moving through traffic on the one-mile oval. He was running in 4th position on Lap 300 and held on during a hectic green-white-checkered run to the finish 14th. The result was Martin's 15th top-15 finish in 24 starts this season.
The No. 8 DEI team remains in 14th place in the Sprint Cup owner points.
Aric Almirola will drive the Army Chevy Impala SS in Sunday's (Nov. 16) season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes- Dickies 500
GM RacingMARK MARTIN, NO. 8 U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS, FINISHED 12TH
"That was just a great effort by this U.S. Army Team today. The car wasn't that good and we needed a little more speed, but I'm extremely proud about how we battled back to finish 12th. We had excellent pit stops and that really helped to save the day."
Martin, No. 8 U.S. Army Team Fight to 12th-place Finish in Texas
DEIFORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 2, 2008) -- Mark Martin and the No. 8 U.S. Army team battled to a 12th-place finish in Sunday's Dickies 500 Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Martin held on for the solid finish after taking two tires on the final pit stop with 14 laps remaining.
"That was just a great effort by this U.S. Army team today," said Martin. "The car wasn't that good and we needed a little more speed, but I'm extremely proud how we battled back to finish 12th.We had excellent pit stops and that really helped to save the day."
Martin started the race 20th after a disappointing qualifying lap on Friday. He quickly moved inside the field's top-10 on Lap 64 of 334 but struggled with a loose handling car early in the race. He dropped back to 18th by Lap 100, but then recovered and moved inside the top-15 on Lap 118, where he would virtually run the remainder of the race.
Race winner Carl Edwards put Martin a lap down on Lap 231, despite the fact that Martin's No. 8 Chevy was running in 14th position. However, the Army team stayed patient and eventually earned its way back on the lead lap.
"We had a really great effort on pit road today," noted crew chief Tony Gibson. "All of the stops were fast and the guys on this U.S. Army team really made the most of the hand they were dealt. Now it's time we turn our attention to Phoenix and hopefully get a little redemption for what happened there in the spring."
During the April race at Phoenix, Martin led 68 laps and was the class of the field, before settling for a fourth-place finish when the team came up short on fuel mileage.
The No. 8team heads to Phoenix 4th in the owner point standings. The Phoenix (race Nov. 9) will be Martin's final start in the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet and his last race for Dale Earnhardt Inc. Co-driver Aric Almirola will pilot the team's car in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16.
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit
GM Racing
October 31, 2008YOU HAD A STRONG RUN HERE IN THE SPRING, DID YOU BRING THAT CAR BACK FOR THIS RACE?
"It is a newer generation car than what we had here at the first race. We raced this car at Charlotte. I'm sure it has some other history. It's a mid-summer new car that DEI has put together for me. It's been really fast and it was really good at Charlotte. Set-up wise, believe it or not, we're working off the platform that we had here at the first race and are going to try to improve on that. We've been racing a lot of different parts and pieces and front ends and all that stuff. It's a better race car than the one we brought to the last race because it's sort of a new generation of Dale Earnhardt Inc. Those guys have given me fabulous race cars. I've had the time of my life driving for DEI and working with Tony Gibson and the Army team. It's been a really special year. With this race Sunday, with two races to go (Ft. Worth and Phoenix), we'd love to get a win with those guys."
SOME PEOPLE FEEL THAT THE CHASE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AND THE QUALIFYING PROCEDURE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
"I don't really feel like the qualifying procedure needs to be changed. You're hearing about it because we had a one in a 50-year deal here this year with a rash of rainout qualifyings. As far as I know and as far as I can come up with, I think the system that's in place is probably the best system I could think of for rainout qualifying. They do everything that they can to get qualifying in, obviously. Sometimes they try harder than I might if I was in charge. So I certainly think that whole process is very sound and solid.
"I wasn't the world's biggest supporter of the Chase format with they came out with it because I was a traditionalist, and felt that if you built up a lead throughout the season that you ought to be able to hang onto it. But, it did turn out to be great for the sport. And I became a fan of it and I am a big supporter of it. The one thing I did say was if you're going to do that, and start over with 10 races to go, and that's all about excitement and it's not really about anything else but generating excitement for the fans, then just make it 12, 11, 10, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. But I haven't seen a computer model of how that would work. But don't put the guys; then you can't run 43rd. It seems like it would keep the point system tighter, but I would have to see a computer model of that to see how that would truly work. But for me, being in the Chase, the biggest thing to dig out of is if you have a 43rd place finish and the other guys do what they might do, and finish in the Top 10. That's awfully incredible to overcome. And it seemed like it might be easier to overcome that and so if it's all about that, then I'd be for a system something like what I said where you could only lose 10 or 11 points in a race."
HOW HAS IT CHANGED YOU TO HAVE A SPONSORSHIP FROM THE U.S. ARMY?
"I'm a little bit ashamed to say that I'm 49 years old and I still look at myself and think I'm a kid or a teenager, or something in my logic. I think we take things for granted. The older we get, maybe the less we take things for granted. But I certainly took for granted our men and women in uniform and the sacrifices they make whether it's when I visit Walter Reid and see those guys and women with great attitudes and I think I've had a bad day when my car runs bad. I look at them and so many of them have great attitudes and they're short a limb or two. That, in itself, has sort of changed my perspective. I wish I could hold onto that, you know, as strong as the day I left Walter Reid, but sometimes when it's out of sight you forget that. I've seen so many inspiring men and women that were so committed at such a young age, it made me really proud of our young people. I'd have to say that those are the things I hope I hold onto as I move forward in life that I remember to consider and really think about that. That's why this program is really special to me. I have an idea of what it would be like to get some hand-written love and respect when I was somewhere other than home for the holidays and committed to supporting our freedom and freedom around the world."
YOU'VE BEEN CHASING CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND NOW JIMMIE JOHNSON IS CLOSE TO GETTING HIS THIRD. TALK ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS TO NOT GET ONE WHEN JOHNSON SEEMS TO BE WINNING WITH EASE
"I've had the opportunity to spend a little time inside the walls of Hendrick Motorsports and once again, I'm a little shamed of myself that I didn't know this already, but Jimmie Johnson makes it look so easy that we don't realize that he's not just a lucky guy who gets to drive Chad's car that's the best car on the race track. That's a little bit shallow of me to have thought that. The more I find out about Jimmie Johnson, the more I understand why he is experiencing the success that he does and that's kind of cool. It's nice to learn things and I've certainly learned from being inside those walls, that Jimmie Johnson is incredibly committed. It reminds me of some young men from many years ago. But Jimmie is willing to do whatever it takes to gain an advantage on the competition, whether it's mental or physical or mechanical. I think that's really cool. I've also learned along the way and have a renewed respect for the incredible talent that Jeff Gordon has because a lot of the success that Jeff Gordon has experienced over the years came because of his incredible talent and not because he drove the best race car in the garage as well. I guess you live and learn and I'm sure I've got a lot more to learn, but those are two things that I've really noticed over the past 12 months or so that I've been involved with Hendrick Motorsports."
WE'VE HEARD YOU MIGHT RUN THE LAST RACE AT HOMESTEAD FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS. WHAT THE LATEST ON THAT?
"Phoenix will be my final race with DEI in the No. 8 car and I'll be on the couch for Homestead, watching the race with a remote control. That'll be my last chance to charge my batteries as I head into what will be a very, very exciting year of my life. I'm really excited about it but I won't be driving at Homestead and as far as I know I won't be even visiting."
IF JIMMIE JOHNSON CLINCHES THE TITLE IN PHOENIX, WITH THE ECONOMY THE WAY IT IS, COULD THAT BE A DEVASTATING AFFECT GOING INTO HOMESTEAD?
"I don't think we will. Although Jimmie is my future teammate, I certainly think it would be awesome if Jeff Burton could pull off an upset. Right now Jimmie is in an incredible position to keep that from happening, but I'd sure like to see Jeff Burton get one. But you know, there are certain races; I've had certain race tracks get upset because they had a boring race and talk about reconfiguring the race track to try to make the racing more exciting and I said just hold on. Just wait for next time or the time after because you'll have the most exciting finish you'll ever see just around the corner. It's sort of coincidental. I watched the No. 48 run just like everyone else this year and they ran good, but two races before the Chase, it was like incredible. If you watched and really paid attention, I watched Greg Biffle run just okay, and started off the Chase and it looked like he was going to do what Jimmie and his guys appear like they may do now. So, it's just an incredible job. I'm like everybody else last week. I struggled around in 25th position and after the race I had to put my head down like that to see that scoreboard, and I kept squinting my eyes because and then I just had to ask. Did the No. 48 run second? I finished 22nd, and I ran one whole fuel run not further than from here to the wall behind him. At that time I didn't think they were running any better than we were. So, that's how incredible those guys are and when it's meant to be, it's meant to be. They get one more great race under their belt and it's going to be meant to be again this year.
"One of the things that I take some issue with about this whole thing is to me, the points thing has been overplayed for 15 years. It is about the race. It's nothing about points to me. I don't race points. And I still come with every ounce of enthusiasm and I still have some fans out there that pull for me. So, I think the fans that go to Homestead area interested in seeing a race in person, honestly. I think the strategy to make more out of the racing series by making the points more important and paying more money and building more momentum and more media has worked; but at the end of the day, of many of us, it's more about the race than it is about the points."
Mark Martin Nationwide Race Preview - O'Reilly Challenge
October 29, 2008MARTIN AT TEXAS
In eight previous NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Mark Martin has scored three wins, four top-five finishes, four top-10s and has led 82 laps. He started from the pole position once - Nov. 4, 2006 - and averages a starting spot of 6.6 and a finish of 11.9.
IN THE SERIES
Martin, who ran his first full Nationwide season in 1987, is the winningest driver in series history with 48 wins. In 229 races, Martin also has recorded 30 poles, 109 top-five finishes and 146 top-10s. His average start is 10th, and his average finish is 12.5. In a 2006 NASCAR poll of both fans and media, Martin ranked No. 1 among the “25 Greatest NASCAR Nationwide Series Drivers.” Martin made his debut in the series on Aug. 13, 1982.
JR MOTORSPORTS WINS
Martin gave JR Motorsports its first win after leading 81 laps in the No. 5 Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1. Since then, JR Motorsports has scored three more wins—Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag twice this season in the No. 88 Chevy, while Ron Fellows drove the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevy to Victory Lane at Montreal in July.
NATIONWIDE SERIES LINEUP
This weekend marks the fifth and final time in 2008 that Martin will pilot the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. In four starts this season, Martin has scored one win, two top-five finishes and two top-10s. He also has led 81 laps and recorded an average starting position of 10.8 and an average finish of 16.5.
JR MOTORSPORTS CHASSIS
Crew chief Cam Strader has chosen JR Motorsports Chassis No. 299 for this weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Texas. Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the car to a seventh-place finish at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 25 and to a 15th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8. Rookie Landon Cassill posted a 19th-place finish with the car at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on March 22. The chassis, which was a backup car for most of last year, last won in May 2005 when the No. 5 Chevy finished first in the CARQUEST 300 Nationwide Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
UP NEXT FOR THE NO. 5
Cassill will pilot the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet on Nov. 8 at Phoenix International Raceway. Earnhardt will pilot the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet on Nov. 15 at Homestead-Miami Speedway—the final Nationwide Series race of the year.
MARK MARTIN QUOTES
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET ON HIS BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME
“Halloween was always a fun time growing up. The one costume that really stands out to me was when I used to dress up as a cowboy when I was a kid.”
MARTIN ON TEXAS
“Texas is a great racetrack. I have always run well there in the Nationwide and Cup cars, and I am really looking forward to getting to that race. What makes Texas a good track for me is the fact that there is a lot of room on that track. We’ve won three times in the Nationwide Series at Texas and once in the Cup car. It’s big and fast, and there is plenty of room to pass. Those are the type of tracks that really tend to suit my driving style the most. The tracks where you can make the car go really fast through the corners, you are going to have a really, really fun day.”
MARTIN ON TEXAS BEING HIS FINAL NATIONWIDE SERIES EVENT FOR JR MOTORSPORTS IN 2008
“Racing for JR Motorsports has been a real honor for me. Not only racing for Dale Jr., but for all the people that work there. They have all treated me like gold, and I really appreciate that. Also, going to Victory Lane in Las Vegas with Dale Jr. and (car owner) Mr. (Rick) Hendrick has been the high point of my year so far.”
NASCAR.COM - Martin's consistency proof he's a 2009 Cup contender - Oct 13, 2008
Tough Day for Martin, No. 8 U.S. Army Team in Atlanta
Team battles to 22nd-place finish
DEIHAMPTON, Ga. -- (October 26) Mark Martin and the No. 8 U.S. Army Team had a tough outing in Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The team struggled to find grip with its Chevrolet Impala SS and fell as far back as 35th, before rallying for a 22nd-place finish.
“We just weren’t very good today,” said a matter-of-fact Martin after the race. “The car would start out strong on a run, but we would just lose the rear tire as the run went on. I’ll give Tony (Gibson, crew chief) and these guys credit for never giving up -- they were like our soldiers. We threw everything that we had at it today, but nothing really seemed to get the car going."
“If you race long enough, you’ll have days like this,” added Martin. “We haven’t had many of them with this No. 8 team, so we’ll just take that and move on to Texas next weekend. We did what we could do and tried to learn as much as we could from the situation. The guys never gave up and we actually came back and got a respectable finish.
“We still have two more races in this No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevy and I’m still committed to giving everything I have to help put this U.S. Army Team into victory lane this season.”
Martin entered the race having finished in the top 10 in five of their last six races, but the team never seriously threatened after the start of the race. Martin started 14th based on Sprint Cup owner points, after Friday’s qualifying session was rained out. The veteran looked strong early, moving all the way to 11th position by Lap 17 of 325, but the car’s handling would soon fade, with Martin falling back to 21st by Lap 44.
Gibson and the team would make several adjustments under caution trying to adjust the car’s handling, but they were unable to find the needed balance of speed and handling to improve the car’s position. Martin dropped back to a low of 35th and was running 30th with 100 laps remaining. However, the veteran driver was able to dig in and pick up eight more places to 22nd before the checkered flag flew.
Martin and the No. 8 team, which remained 14th in Sprint Cup owner points, will return to action Sunday (Nov. 2) at Texas Motor Speedway, where Martin finished eighth in the spring. Martin has one win, five top fives and eight top-10 finishes in 15 starts at the 1.5-mile track.
Martin will also pilot the No. 8 car the following week at Phoenix (Nov. 9), before handing the car over to co-driver Aric Almirola at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 16).
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes - Bank of America 500
GM Racing
October 11, 2008MARK MARTIN, NO. 8 U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS, FINISHED 9TH:
"Our run out there kind of came and went. There were times when we were a top-five car and there were times when we were a 20th place car. We wound up in the top-10, it was good fight by the Army team. We were pretty good the last run but the run before that, we got way behind and it cost us a lot of track position. But we passed a lot of cars on the last run, it was fun."
Martin Brings Home 9th Place Finish at Charlotte
Veteran scores 11th top-10 finish off season
DEICONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 11, 2008) -- Saturday night's Bank of America 500 Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway was an up and down battle for Mark Martin and the U.S. Army/Dale Earnhardt Inc. team. Martin battled with the car's handling for much of the race, running as high as second and as low as 18th.
"Our run out there kind of came and went," said Martin, who finished ninth. "There were times when we werea top-five car and there were times when we were a 20th-place car. We wound up in the top-10, so that is somewhere in the middle. We were once again good Soldiers. We never gave up and fought to the end."
"We were pretty good on the last run and passed a lot of cars," added Martin. But the run before that, we got way behind and it cost us a lot of track position. We were able to get most of it back on that last run, and it was a lot of fun out there."
Martin started the race 14th based on Sprint Cup owner points, as Friday's qualifying session was rained out. When his No. 8 Chevy Impala SS was good, it was almost untouchable, such as the run on Lap 202 of 334when he restarted in third, battled race leader Jeff Gordon for the lead.
However, when the car was bad it was almost impossible for Martin to handle. He restarted in third place on Lap 268, but could hardly control the car and fell all the way back to 12th in 10 laps. Martin was able to end the race with a solid effort, breaking back inside the top 10 on Lap 307 and hanging on for the top-10 finish.
"Fortunately we were able to end the race with a good run," added Martin. "It was kind of an up and down deal all night with the car. Trying to get a gauge on the car's handling was really difficult, and it was a lot like chasing a moving target. But we were able to bring home a strong finish."
Martin has now scored a top-10 finish in 11 of his 21 starts in 2008 and top 20 in 17 of his 21 events.
Co-driver Aric Almirola will pilot the No. 8 car next week at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, with Martin driving the Army Chevy the following three races at Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix. Almirola will close out the season at the finale in Homestead, Fla.
Mark Martin thinks NASCAR tire talk is over-inflated
By Matt Humphrey
Orlando Sentinel
October 9, 2008Mark Martin isn't one to mince words, and he certainly didn't mince words following Goodyear's tire test this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The seasoned Sprint Cup veteran offered up his thoughts on NASCAR's perceived tire woes -- which he, surprisingly, downplayed.
"I didn't realize we had many tire issues," Martin told the media at the Brickyard. "...You know, this car or the old -- or the old car, either one -- the demand that we put on these tires is unbelievable. The limited downforce, the incredible speed, the incredible weight, incredible horsepower, you know, what we ask of them, you know.
"So I really -- I didn't think that we had had that much, you know, that much trouble with the tire, considering."
Much has been written about tire-wear being a major issue during last Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway. It was the third time this season that tires have played a major factor in races.
The Indy race was the most treacherous, with tires turning to dust after 10 laps. As strange as that was, Martin wasn't fazed.
It was just another race with unique circumstances.
"I've done this stuff a long, long time, like I said before, and I have all kinds of things, all kinds of stories I can't even remember, you know, of and some I want to forget," Martin said. "So it was not any more bizarre than many other race days that I have had through the years in NASCAR and in late models themselves even before ASA and late models and stuff.
"So, you know, I think we were all sorry, but we -- I felt like that we collectively together made the best race under the conditions that we had possible, and I was actually proud of NASCAR and the competitors for getting through it without someone getting hurt. It was what it was. It was 10-lap sprints, but it was a race and it was unconventional, for sure."
Mark Martin Race Preview - Bank of America 500
DEI
October 7, 2008After taking a week off from Talladega, Martin returns to the No. 8 U.S. Army/DEI Chevrolet this weekend at one of his favorite tracks on the circuit, Lowe's Motor Speedway, where be has won 10 times in NASCAR competition.
WORTHY NOTES
Three of Martin's four wins at Charlotte have been in the fall race.
Martin has finished top-10 in four of his last five starts this season.
MARK MARTIN - FAST FACTS
Martin has four wins at Lowe's Motor Speedway, including the 2002 Coca-Cola 600.
Martin has 21 top-10 and 17 top-five finishes at Lowe's.
Martin has led 1,168 laps at Lowe's, the most of any active driver.
Martin has won six Nationwide Series 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 15th at Lowe's in this season's Coca-Cola 600 and ninth in the All-Star Race at LMS.
The No. 8 U.S. Army Team is ranked 14th in Sprint Cup Owner points.
Martin has totaled four top-five, 10 top-10, 12 top 15 and 16 top 20 finishes in 20 starts in 2008.
Martin has finished top 10 in four of his last five starts with top-fives at Dover and Richmond.
BESTING THE BEAST
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 at the 1.5-mile track. He also boasts six Nationwide Series wins and two IROC victories at Lowe's.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING - LOWE'S
Martin has led 1,168 laps at LMS, the third most ever. He has an average finish of 16.1. In addition, his 21 top-10 and 17 top-five finishes are tops among active drivers and the veteran has scored the sixth most points in the last six races at The Beast.
FALL FEVER
Three of Martin's four Sprint Cup wins at Lowe's have come during the fall race.
ROLLING ALONG
Martin has finished top 10 in four out of his last five starts, including top fives at Richmond and Dover.
FINISHING OUT 2008 STRONG
Martin will make four more starts in the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevy including this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. After that Martin will drive the car at Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix. Rookie Aric Almirola will pilot the car two more times in 2008, with starts at Martinsville and in the season-finale at Homestead-Miami.
ON POINT
Martin and co-driver Almirola currently have the No. 8 U.S. Army Team sitting at 14th in the Sprint Cup owner points; 91 points behind 13th and the first car not in the Chase. Martin is 28th in Sprint Cup driver points, despite missing 10 races thus far in the season. He leads 12 drivers who have started more events in 2008 and seven racers who have started at least eight more events.
QUOTING MARK MARTIN ON LOWE’S
"There is no better track on the circuit than Lowe's Motor Speedway. I absolutely love racing there and it's probably my favorite track that we go to. I can remember the first time that I ever went there in 1981 and thinking 'wow' this is just like a small quarter-mile track somewhere, except it's huge, but you could race just like that. "Normally when we go to Charlotte, I'll take one or two laps and come across the radio and remind my team just how much I love racing there. Quite a few of the newer tracks have tried to copy Lowe's, but for some reason none of them have really had a lot of success in replicating the feel of the place. It's just the perfect track for my style of racing and I always enjoy going there.
"We tested there a couple of weeks with the No. 8 team and the car was really good. I'm looking forward to getting back there and working with the car some more this weekend, to see just how much more speed we can pick up. Tony Gibson (crew chief) and these guys have done a fantastic job all season and it is still my goal to help get these guys into victory lane. I've had some really big victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but I can't think of anything that would be any bigger than taking that No. 8 U.S. Army car to victory lane this Saturday night."
