NASCAR's Mark Martin
2010 Season Articles - March & April
NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Richmond International Raceway and discussed Alan Gustafson contract extension, Darlington, young drivers and other topics.
DOES ALAN GUSTAFSON CONTRACT EXTENSION IMPACT YOUR FUTURE AT ALL? "It doesn't. You know, Alan is a lifer at Hendrick Motorsports. I'm certain of that, I'm just sure of that. I know Alan and I know how he feels and I know Rick and I know how he feels. So, the paperwork is just paperwork."
JIMMIE (JOHNSON) AND JEFF (GORDON) ARE HAVING A LITTLE TIFF, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT? "I don't make a lot of it. I understand why the media is making something of it because they need something fun and exciting to dig on. But, it is all about two guys who are fighting for wins. It wouldn't matter if they are teammates or not. There would be, from time-to-time there is going to be a little bit of conflict. They will handle it fine. Jeff has been a potential winner the last three races and hadn't managed to be fortunate enough to pull it off. They keep running like that, they will get their win."
A RACING PHILOSOPHY QUESTION, WHY IS IT THAT AT SHORT TRACKS IT IS THE ACCEPTED PRACTICE TO KNOCK A GUY OUT OF THE WAY TO WIN BUT YOU DON'T GET THAT HERE? "I don't know. I only know that for me, the respect and the magnitude makes a difference. When you are doing something for fun versus when you are doing it and everything is on the line. Everything. From corporate America all the way down to hundreds of people that work on your race cars. You just have to respect all of that rather than being out having a little fun where really it doesn't matter as much. That may or may not be right, that is just my thought on it."
DO YOU BELIEVE IN LUCK, THAT YOU MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK? "You know, meteorites do hit the Earth. It would be unlucky if one hit you. Right? You couldn't say you make your own luck. There are certain things that you don't have control over and you can call it what you want. But things that you don't have control over, you don't have control over. Sometimes a lot of those things get you and sometimes none of those things get you for good periods of time. So call it what you want."
WHAT DID IT MEAN FOR YOU TO HAVE THE RUN YOU HAD AT DARLINGTON LAST YEAR AT THAT TRACK IN PARTICULAR? "It didn't mean to me in particular about Darlington, I just like winning. I don't care if it is one of the toughest race tracks or races or whatever. Man, you don't get to chose these things, you just go take the ones you can get and be happy. That's kind of how I felt about it. I don't feel particularly more proud of winning Darlington than I did Michigan or Phoenix or Chicago or any of the others."
SO YOU DON'T HAVE A GREATER SENSE OF PRIDE KNOWING THAT IT IS A LITTLE TOUGHER TO WIN THERE? "No, I mean if it was the only race I won in my career, I only got to win one, Darlington might be kind of up on top of the list but I would still feel the same way. I don't care where it is as long as I get to win one. That is how I feel about it. It was cool to win there. It had been so long since we'd won the Southern 500 that most people didn't know I had won one. It is kind of cool."
WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOUR TEAM TO WIN THAT ONE AND SET THE MOMENTUM IN MOTION? "Well that was our second win in a short span so it was really really nice. It was a great team effort by Alan and everybody on the No. 5 team and it was cool. It was good."
WHY DO TEMPERS FLARE SO MUCH MORE ON LOCAL SHORT TRACKS? "There are a lot of things involved there. First you have to consider that wasn't live national television. It wasn't necessarily completely reliant on corporate America. There's a lot of things that go in to that. The feelings aren't any different; it is just how you deal with them. On a more professional level as you move up in your profession, you usually learn how to handle things in a more professional manner. Something that is a little bit more appropriate for the circumstances. Circumstances of coverage and the impact that it has on sponsors and people. Everything."
DO THESE LITTLE CONTROVERSIES LIKE THIS ONE BETWEEN GORDON AND JOHNSON A BENEFIT TO NASCAR? "They are a benefit to the sport itself because it stirs up interest and fan...it gets their blood pumping. I don't know how to just say it. It spurs emotion in the fans."
DOES IT MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING FOR THEM TO WATCH ON TV OR AT THE RACES? "I'm sure you are more interested. That is part of it. You won't have that all the time. But, from time-to-time you have that. That is part of the sport. It is part of what we do."
HOW DO YOU WANT YOUNG UPCOMING DRIVERS TO RACE YOU? "I expect them to respect the people that have been there before and to learn from them and to earn their respect of veterans through hard work, determination and skill."
DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RACE YOU JUST AS HARD AS ANYBODY ELSE? "They have the right to race you hard. There is a difference between racing you hard and stupid. There is a difference in that. I wouldn't expect them to race less hard, I would just hope they would race smart and sometimes it is hard to race real smart when you haven't been in that situation before. So you have to understand that you learn as you go and that Cup racing is different than racing on lower levels of the sport and it takes time to really get that and get it. Everybody is new at this that comes in at some point in time. I don't know who or what any young drivers are talking about when they say they are being disrespected or treated wrong. I don't see that. I just see the need for more time so that you get it. You understand how this thing flows. Everybody was new at this. Tony Stewart was new at this. Jeff Gordon was new at this. Jimmie Johnson was new at this. Everybody was new at this that was in the sport right now at one time and it took them time to really get it. To understand how this racing is versus maybe how the racing was that they did before they came here."
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE RACING SMART VERSUS RACING STUPID? "I don't know. I'm not that analytical. I'm just a race car driver. I don't want to be put in jeopardy by someone thinking that they are racing you hard when they put themselves in jeopardy which also puts you in jeopardy. Race hard man, that is what you are supposed to do. Everybody is supposed to do that. You just have to race smart. You have to respect and understand that it takes a while to understand where the edge is and how you deal with that edge all the time. We race 100% of the time on the edge out there on the race track because the veterans know where that edge is and how to flirt with that. When you have less experience, you don't know that edge and you go over it some and everyone in the sport understands that and has compassion for those guys. But, you still need to try...when I came in; I tried to err on the safe side of things until I got the hang of it."
Alan Gustafson Friday Media Visit – Richmond
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Richmond International Raceway and discussed his signed a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LAUGH? "(LAUGHS) Win a lot of races and live until I am 130, that is my goal."
WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF TERM OF YOUR CONTRACT? "Four years."
IS IT YOU UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS WITH THE NO. 5 CAR? "What it is for is for is it for Hendrick Motorsports. I am going to work at Hendrick Motorsports. As far I am concerned, I am going to retire there so that is what I am going to. Whatever it takes for us to be successful, that is what I want to do. Beyond that, no matter what it is, where I need to fill, what role I need to fill to help make this team the most successful, that is what I will do."
DOES THAT MEAN SWEEPING FLOORS? "I might be sweeping floors; I am pretty good at it. I am a good landscaper too. I can make that place look good."
HOW HAPPY ARE YOU TO GET THIS BEHIND YOU? "Extremely. I love this company, I love working for Hendrick Motorsports. I love Rick Hendrick, everything he has done for me and my career. To continue that on in the future is everything I wanted. Like I said, I want to retire here, that is really my goal professionally to be able to contribute to Hendrick Motorsports and make it a top-notch successful organization that it is and take it in to the future. It is a great opportunity for me and I am really blessed to have it."
WHAT WOULD YOU LOVE TO DO? "I am doing what I love to do. I truly love what I do. I love Hendrick Motorsports more than I love crew chiefing. Whatever it takes for that company to succeed. I love going to work there every day. I love the people. I love my boss, it is a great situation so, whatever that is, is fine by me. It is something I am really happy about and I really feel blessed to do and be able to wake up and go to work in a place that you really believe in and you stand behind. To work for a great boss like I've got, it is just a dream come true."
ARE SAYING IT IS POSSIBLE YOU WON'T BE ON THE NO. 5? "I believe No. 5. I have been here for 11 years. It is something I have put a lot of effort into. It is something I take a lot of pride in that team. I have been with those guys for a long time. I want to be with them for a long time in the future. But, who knows where it is going to go or where the future goes. I don't know. All I am saying is I am going to do whatever I have to do to help keep this company successful. Whatever that is, I don't know. I don't think any of us can sit here and project the future. My goal right now is to win a championship with the No. 5. That is what I started out to do. That is what I have always said from day one. Those are my goals. If I don't that, I feel like I have fallen short. I have a good opportunity to do it and I am going to push hard to do that. When that happens, hopefully that will happen, when that happens, who knows what goes on there. Right now that is what I am focused on doing."
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT KASEY KAHNE? "I love Kasey. I think he is a great driver. I don't know him all that well but I love the way he races on the race track. I think he is a great fit for our organization. I think he is a great fit for the No. 5. I think he has the potential to go win a lot of championships and a lot of races. I think it would be a great opportunity to work with him. He can put Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 5 in a good position to carry on what Mark has helped us build. I think he is a great fit, he is a great person, a great race car driver so I think that all will work out well."
ARE THE PROVISIONS IN YOUR CONTRACT THAT MIGHT SEND YOU TO STEWART-HAAS OR DOES IT KEEP YOU AT HENDRICK? "To be honest with you, I didn't read it. I just signed it, so I don't know. I am not worried about that. Mr. Hendrick has always been...I didn't read it, but you know me, I didn't study it, I didn't go through all that stuff. Mr. Hendrick has always been above and beyond, he has gone above and beyond for me, so, I am not concerned about it. I haven't even thought about it to be honest with you."
IS YOUR GOAL TO STAY WITH THE NO. 5? "My goal is to stay with Hendrick Motorsports and that is what I am going to do. That is what I want to do. I don't know what Mark's (Martin) plans are for the future so I couldn't say anything about that. But unless Rick Hendrick sells these cars, then I would say this is where I will be."
DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT YOU HAVE WORKED WITH SEVERAL DRIVERS UNLIKE OTHER CREW CHIEFS WHO HAVE HAD LONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR DRIVERS AT HENDRICK? "I don't know that switching drivers, if I were to step back six years ago when I started crew chiefing and say I want to work with this many different drivers, I don't think that was goal. I think if things had worked out perfectly according to plan, that you want that relationship where you are with the same guy for multiple years and you race your career and it makes things maybe a little bit easier. But the opportunities I have had have been great. They have helped me become who I am. I am a better crew chief for it today. I am a better person for it today. Like I say, I don't know that was the perfect outline, but I wouldn't change anything. I think it has all worked out great for me. Mark Martin is a perfect example of that. Being able to work with him. Six years ago, I would have never thought I would have had that opportunity. It has been the greatest years of my career working with Mark and I think it is awesome and I wouldn't trade that for anything."
WHAT KIND OF MANAGEMENT GUY DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD MAKE? "I don't know. I think you have to ask Mr. Hendrick that, he would probably be a better judge of that than me. I just try to do the best I can in whatever position I'm in. Whatever that is, that is what I will do. You just fill your role. I think that is important. People don't put enough emphasis on people who fill their roles to the best of their ability. That is what makes great teams great is guys that fill in wherever they have got to. I want to be one of those guys. I don't want to be a guy that Mr. Hendrick says "what am I going to do with him." I want to be the guy that can help Mr. Hendrick and take some stuff off of his mind and he knows I will do whatever it takes to succeed."
WITH YOUR SUCCESS, DID YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE LEVERAGE THIS TIME? WHAT DID YOU LEARN THIS TIME? "I know you are going to think I am pulling your leg, but it is no different than it has been in the past. I'm not a person looking to say 'hey this is what my contract says, this is that or you have to do this or you have to do that'. I am there to do a job and I do that job to the best of my ability. If there comes a day when management doesn't feel I am suited for that job, regardless of what that contract says, that's fine. I don't look at it that way. I have 100% confidence in the organization. Like I said, Mr. Hendrick has been unbelievable to me, my career, my family. Everything I have ever done with him has been beyond my wildest expectations. I have no reason to believe any other reason and I won't. We have a great personal relationship and I'm sure it will be above my expectations just like it always is."
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CREW CHIEF THE NO. 88? "If that what Mr. Hendrick and the management at Hendrick Motorsports deems to be the best fit for the company, yes."
GM Racing Preview – Crown Royal presents the Health Calhoun 400
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET 6TH IN STANDINGS
"Richmond is a favorite of the fans as well as the drivers. It's big enough that you can get out there and put a lot of cars out there. It's also got great racing room on it the way the transitions and the banking and just the way it runs. You can run multiple lines around the race track and it's some of the best racing that we do all year. It's fun. It's just fun to race there. The last three weeks have been huge for this race team. We haven't always had the best car, but we've done the best with what we had and that made the difference. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) has made all the right calls in all of these races. And to finish in the top five at Talladega, that's just huge. It felt like a win for me. We're on a roll, and we just gotta keep it going."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Crown Royal presents the Health Calhoun 400
RICHMOND WINNER: In 48 career Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Martin has earned one win, 17 top-five finishes and 27 top-10s. He went to Victory Lane on Feb. 25, 1990, after starting sixth and leading 16 laps. Martin's average finish of 11.8 at Richmond is his fourth-best at any oval track on the circuit.
POLE SITTER: Martin's next Sprint Cup pole position will be the 50th of his career and will place him eighth on the all-time pole winner's list. Martin earned his second career Cup pole at RIR on Sept. 13, 1981 -- his first start at the Virginia short track. Since then, he has scored three additional poles there, including one last September. Martin's average Richmond starting position of 9.9 is tied with Atlanta as his second-best for any oval track on the circuit. He ranks higher at only Pocono Raceway with an 8.7 average starting position.
POINT STANDINGS: The No. 5 team earned its third consecutive top-10 finish when Martin crossed the line fifth at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last Sunday. The finish advanced the team to sixth in the standings, just nine points behind fifth and 169 points behind leader and teammate Jimmie Johnson.
MOST RECENTLY AT RIR: Martin earned back-to-back top-five finishes at Richmond last season. The No. 5 team started seventh and finished fifth in May. In September, Martin started from the pole and finished fourth.
CLOSER: Martin has gained more positions during the last 10 percent of laps in the last 10 races at RIR than any other Sprint Cup competitor. On average, Martin gains 3.6 positions in the final 40 laps at each RIR race.
THE NO. 5 AT RICHMOND: Under the leadership of crew chief Alan Gustafson, the No. 5 team has posted seven top-five finishes in 10 starts at Richmond. Gustafson earned five straight top-fives in his first five starts at the Virginia short track as crew chief, including runner-up finishes in September 2006 and May 2007.
RICHMOND CHASSIS: Gustafson has chosen Chassis No. 5-561 for Saturday's event at Richmond. Martin drove this car at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway during the short track's last two Cup races, collecting a 21st-place finish earlier this year and an eighth-place finish last October.
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY.): "I think it's a favorite of the fans as well as the drivers. Richmond is big enough that you can put a lot of cars out there. It's got great racing room on it, the way the transitions are from straightaway to corner and the banking as well.. You can run multiple lines around the racetrack and it's some of the best racing that we do all year. It's just fun to race there."
MARTIN (ON THE TEAM'S PERFORMANCE DURING THE LAST THREE WEEKS.): "The last three weeks have been huge for this race team. We haven't always had the best car, but we've done the best with what we had and that made the difference. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) has made all the right calls in all of these races. And to finish in the top five at Talladega, that's just huge. It felt like a win for me. We're on a roll, and we just gotta keep it going."
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON THE TEAM'S SUCCESS AT RICHMOND.): "Richmond is one of our better tracks. The No. 5 team has had a good history of performing well there with a lot of different drivers. It just seems to be a place that we're able to understand well and produce good finishes. It's a great track to race and a place that, if your car is good, you can pass and make your way to the front so that helps, too."
GUSTAFSON (ON THE TEAM'S PERFORMANCE DURING THE LAST THREE WEEKS.): "The past three weeks have been great points races for us. I think having that streak of success gives us a solid foundation to build from going back to those tracks in the Chase (for the Sprint Cup). Making it through Talladega in one piece definitely lightened the work load in the shop, which is a big bonus."
GUSTAFSON (ON MOMENTUM.): "I definitely believe in momentum and the confidence and decisiveness it brings to the team. When the momentum and confidence is there, it allows you to react quicker and have the confidence to know your decisions will pay off. The past three weeks have been huge in building momentum for this team. We took a great car to Talladega and had a great finish, which was a huge relief for us. At Texas and Phoenix, we struggled a bit, but turned the struggle into good finishes. It's nice to know that we, as a team, can make the best out of good and bad situations. It's huge."
M6M: I was unable to find Aaron's 499 post race comments from Mark Martin. He went MIA....again. As a fan, that is disappointing. Mark started 10th and finished 5th. He is now 6th in the standings.
Mark Martin Media Visit - Aaron’s 499
NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET met with media and discussed the upcoming races at Richmond and Charlotte, restrictor plate racing at Talladega, how racing has changed during his career in the sport, and more.
GIVE US YOUR OUTLOOK FOR SUNDAY'S RACE IN TALLADEGA "You know, I'm trying not to think about it (laughs). The last several years I've been here, I don't think it pays to even think about it. We'll just go out here and do the thing and not worry about it and not be concerned about it. The last time I came here I was sure that I wouldn't be in a wreck; but I think I turned over (laughter). First time ever in my career. I certainly don't want to turn over again. I'm not going to think about it. I'm just going to go out here and see what happens. The racing has changed so much here over the years that it certainly doesn't really matter. Everybody's car is fast enough. Back in the day, only about 20 percent of the field was fast enough to be a contender. Nowadays, everybody is fast enough. It just all matters what goes down at the end. So I don't really care so much how my car runs. I just want to be lucky."
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT RICHMOND? WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE? IS IT SORT OF LIKE A SHORT TRACK AND A BIG TRACK? "I think it's a favorite of the fans as well as the drivers. It's big enough that you can get out there and put a lot of cars out there. It's also got great racing room on it the way the transitions and the banking and just the way it runs. You can run multiple lines around the race track and it's some of the best racing that we do all year. It's fun. It's just fun to race there."
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ALL-STAR RACE, DO YOU APPROACH THAT ONE DIFFERENTLY? "The approach is different because the race is different because the length is different and the format is different. I don't approach it differently because of any other thing other than it takes different things to be in position there than it would a 600-mile race. You have a different mindset and a different way that you approach that kind of race. The only thing about this race, which it still matters to me the same, is that it doesn't have points. But if I don't do well in it, it bothers me the same as if I don't do well in a points race. But there is something to all that. At the end of the day you can tell yourself, well, it was all in or nothing. You might look at that race as all or nothing. I don't. I ran third there I think in the No. 8 car and enjoyed that. It was right there. I was almost able to contend for the win. So, I still take pride in racing for a position there and getting the most out of your effort. But a lot of drivers do have a little bit of that weighing in on them. It's a non-points event. It's sort of a winner take all. There is still pride left in being a contender if you don't take it all."
AS YOU GET OLDER, DO YOU FIND YOURSELF MEASURING YOUR SUCCESS MORE AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF AND LESS AGAINST WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO? IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU GOT A 3RD PLACE IN WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A 10TH PLACE CAR, WILL THAT GIVE YOU AS MUCH SATISFACTION AS MAYBE A WIN MIGHT HAVE SOME YEARS AGO? "That's a good point. It probably does more now than it did back in the day. It felt like a little bit more like it was all or nothing; a little bit. I just think that even more than that, the more experience you get, which only can come with time or age, that the more realistic at least I have become. I see and understand things better now than I did 20 years ago. And I appreciate things certainly more than I did 20 years ago, without question. So if I take a 10th place car and run third with it, I probably appreciate it more today than I did 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I would have focused on why my car was a 10th place car. Why is it not a first-place car; and let that bother me where I might today think we did a good job today. Oh, by the way, we need to get better. But I wouldn't solely focus on why was our car so bad today? (laughs).
"I think I understand things better now. For me, when I look at a performance today versus 20 or 25 years ago, I didn't know what I could do 25 years ago for sure. And everything looked different through those eyes than things look today. They look different through these eyes because these eyes have been maybe cleared up. I feel like I see things clearer now. I saw things clear back then but that was tunnel vision. I think I see a broader picture of things today."
DO YOU FEEL THE SAME ABOUT DAYTONA AS YOU DO TALLADEGA? OR, IS IT JUST THIS TRACK IN PARTICULAR? "Well, when they repave Daytona it's going to fall closer into this category, which is coming somewhere down the line inevitably. The cars have just gotten faster and faster here so we've had to restrict them more and more here. And that's a fact of life. You have to restrict them. We have to keep down at the speed that we need to to keep the fans safe. And as you restrict them, the race changes and it becomes less and less like it used to be and more and more like a parade or whatever. I've raced for a long, long time. I didn't start parading early in my career. I started parading late in my career. This race track is so huge and so smooth and so good and the cars are restricted to the point to where the race is so much different that it's not like the kind of racing that you do where you go and you try to figure out how to make the fastest car....
"I remember coming here in the nineties and I was disappointed if I qualified 30th because I thought I probably couldn't win with a car that slow. Well, you qualify 30th here and you are absolutely guaranteed to have a chance to win if you're lucky, you know. So it changes things. And I don't know how to explain that to you more than that. It changes things and I kind of like the ingenuity into working on the car to make it go faster than other people's, having the latitude to do that, and then being in a situation where you can out-fox people. We won this race; I don't know what year, '97 or whatever year it was. Well, we ran real, real high rebound shocks. The garage qualified on them, but no one would race them. And our car was slow in practice and I'd had it. So I said, 'Put them qualifying shocks on there.' And it was fast and we just took a chance and race them and just killed everybody. I felt so proud of that because we figured out how to beat people with speed with our car. I don't know how to do that anymore. The race is great to watch, but from a racer's standpoint I'd rather be able to sit in that garage and me and Alan (Gustafson) and say, we'll let's do that to the car. And no one else (would) have the balls to do that and it would be so much better that you won the race. That's a thrill."
THE NFL DRAFT IS HERE YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THOSE BIG CONTRACTS THOSE PLAYERS ARE GOING TO SIGN WITH THOSE TEAMS. WHY DO YOU THINK NASCAR DRIVERS AND TEAMS ARE MUCH QUIETER ABOUT THEIR DEALS? "Things are so much different. First of all, like it costs so much money, and incredible amount of money to operate a race team so that a driver can race; especially to race and have a chance to win. So that just moves the pay scale so differently. I don't think you can compare. I don't think race car drivers get paid anywhere near what athletes like that get and sometimes I don't understand how they can get paid so much money. But it is what it is. This is a different sport than that kind of sport."
BUT THINGS SEEM SO MUCH CLOSER TO THE VEST AND NOBODY WANTS TO STEP OUT AND SAY WHAT HIS PACKAGE IS "I don't know how those guys let their stuff get out but I think it's pretty common. You really don't want to tell us what you make. You know what I'm saying. I think it's fairly much nature to not go around with a flashing light saying how much you make at your job. I see a NASCAR driver the same as anyone else in their job.
"That's just a private matter. And it's not private in those sports and I don't understand why but then I don't pay any attention to those sports either."
CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF THE GROWTH THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THOSE CONTRACTS? "Yeah, it's amazing. In the '80's I made about 10 percent of where it went at its peak. And I also think it's on its way back down to be honest with you. Obviously we all feel the crunch. Everybody's feeling the crunch. We have to shrink a little bit. So I think that race drivers' pay is going to be seeing shrinkage as well as everybody else's. That's how it is."
ON YOUR FUTURE, HAS ANYBODY GIVEN YOU A PHONE CALL OR MADE YOU OFFERS FOR 2012? ANYBODY IN THE GARAGE AREA WOULD WANT TO HIRE MARK MARTIN. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ANY MORE ABOUT THAT? "Yeah, that did stir up some stuff just letting that little out did stir some things up. I'm just having the time of my life since 2007 when I decided to get out and do something different. And it's all in fun. The most important thing is getting to go to the race track and work with Alan (Gustafson) and those guys on the No. 5 team; they're incredible. And we'll so that for a good while yet. We'll see. I do want to stay involved in racing.
"There was a time prior to 2007 when I thought maybe I would like to go crawl under a rock or something. (But) this is my life. I've done it for over 35 years and the people in the sport. This is my life. I'm going to be around for a while and it's a long time away and we'll see what happens."
A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WON THE ALL-STAR RACE AND WE ASKED THE NORMAL QUESTION ABOUT THE WORLD'S SHORTEST RACE TO THE WORLD'S LONGEST RACE AND YOU SAID THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENCE ANYMORE. IT'S GOING TO BE 600 MILES OF RACES THE SAME STYLE. IT WAS TRUE THEN, BUT IT'S NOT TRUE NOW. WHAT HAS CHANGED? "I don't know. It's amazing how things do change and cycle around. The racing on the race track has changed in ways. In some ways we don't wreck the cars as much as we did four years ago. But then on the other hand, some crazy things do happen. The racing has changed so much and part of that is because 40 cars are almost all the same speed. And now when the green flag comes out on the start or any restart, you have to fight for your position just like you would at the end of the race. And so from a drivers' standpoint, it's more intense than it's ever been since I started driving in my whole career. Lap one and every single restart is like a green-white-checkered. You have to fight for your position because if you let one guy get by you, then you get going better you will regret it because it's really hard to pass them because you're not four-tenths of a second faster, you're four one-hundredths of a second faster and that's not enough to drive around the guy. So, this is evolution just like everything else and NASCAR has evolved to 40 cars that are so close in measure that the racing has changed and I don't see it ever changing back to a more comfortable style of racing."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Aaron’s 499
TALLADEGA WINNER: Martin is a two-time winner at Talladega Superspeedway. In April 1995, he started third and took the win over now-teammate Jeff Gordon.
Two years later, Martin started 18th and beat Dale Earnhardt Sr. across the line. Martin also has 10 top-five finishes and 22 top-10s at the 2.66-mile track.
POINT STANDINGS: With a sixth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway on Monday, Martin and the No. 5 GoDaddy.com team advanced to 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship standings. Martin is just 34 points outside the top five.
HENDRICK HISTORY: For the first time in the organization's history, Hendrick Motorsports has four drivers ranked in the top 10 in the Sprint Cup championship standings. After Monday's race at Texas, Jimmie Johnson leads the group in first, while Jeff Gordon is fifth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is seventh and Martin is 10th. Hendrick Motorsports expanded to a four-car team in 2002.
POLE SITTER: Martin's next Sprint Cup Series pole position will be the 50th of his career and will place him eighth on the all-time pole winner's list. Martin has started from the top spot twice at Talladega, both times in 1989.
SUPERSPEEDWAY HISTORY: Martin has made 94 career superspeedway starts in Sprint Cup competition at Talladega and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The veteran driver has earned a combined two wins -- both at Talladega -- 19 top-five finishes and 39 top-10s. He has completed 15,005 laps between the two tracks and has led 575 of those.
SEASON-TO-DATE LOOP STATS: Although 10th in points, Martin is ninth in average running position amongst all Cup competitors after eight races this season. He also holds the third-best average mid-race running position during that timeframe.
NO. 5 TEAM AT TALLADEGA: In 10 races under the leadership of crew chief Alan Gustafson, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team has earned one top-10 finish -- a seventh-place result in April 2008 -- at Talladega Superspeedway.
SUPERSPEEDWAY CHASSIS: Gustafson has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-561 for Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway. This chassis never has been raced or tested.
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY.): "Well, last year I came into this track with the mindset that, 'This is going to be a good race. The odds are with us on this one. Not every race can go wrong for us here.' I was wrong. We ended up on our roof, which was the worst outcome I've ever had (at Talladega). So, I just come in with no feelings either way. Is it my favorite place to come to? No. But feeling one way or the other isn't going to change anything. I just want to finish the race. And finish in a good position. No wrecking. That would be a good outcome."
MARTIN (ON BEING UPSIDE DOWN LAST NOVEMBER AT TALLADEGA.): "There may have been another time in my career that I was upside down, but if there was I don't remember it. I always thought I would never live through going upside down. Not because of the wreck but because I thought I would have a heart attack from sheer fear! (LAUGHS) Truth be told, it happened so fast that I didn't even realize I was upside down until I was back on my tires."
MARTIN (ON LUCK.): "We had winning cars at Martinsville (Va.) and Bristol (Tenn.) and ended up with finishes that were way lower than we deserved. Then we get to Phoenix and Texas and struggled with the handling all night long. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) made great calls at the end of both of those races and we ended up with top-10 finishes. I'm not a fan of the word 'luck,' but I know it comes into play. And I need one more week of being lucky. That's what matters at Talladega. Luck. And I just need to be lucky again on Sunday."
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON THE TEAM'S LAST TWO FINISHES.): "The last two weeks have been huge for this race team. Like last year, we had three races in a row that really cost us in points. A late-race wreck in Atlanta, another one at Bristol and then the pit road penalty in Martinsville. That just killed our momentum and left us digging out of a hole we didn't need or want. I watched all the guys on the team really dig in. We have adopted this never-give-up attitude, and it's really shown the last two races. We couldn't afford another bad day, especially in points. So combating our issues and getting two top-10s was a must for us."
GUSTAFSON (ON BEING PREPARED FOR TALLADEGA.): "Talladega is so tough because anything can happen there. The key to being completely prepared is knowing what you can and cannot control. We just have to keep ourselves out of as many compromising situations as possible. That's not always possible. But that's the mindset going in. You have to keep control of what you can."
GUSTAFSON (ON LUCK.): "I'm not a believer in luck at all. There is a lot of work and effort that gets you to one given spot or place in time. I understand where some things or events may look like luck played a role, but usually it's the way you handle the circumstance and opportunities that are given to you. If you take those opportunities and handle them better than the competition, then you get the better outcome. It's not luck. It's making the best out of every possible situation."
GM Racing Preview – Mark Martin - Aaron’s 499
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET 10TH IN STANDINGS:
"I was happier than how we started at the test. I don't know what the final outcome with what the size of the rear spoiler will be. Certainly as we cut down on the spoiler it got better, and the situations got better on the race track. I didn't talk to nearly everybody, but the guys that I did talk to all liked the smaller spoilers and hopefully we'll have something like that. As far as the drivability you couldn't even tell the difference in the drivability when you took the spoiler down. There is so much incredible difference with the smooth, new asphalt. They learned something through the years about the asphalt mixture. It used to be in five years that the asphalt was old and worn out after a repave, and today five years afterwards it's lighter in color, but it doesn't feel older or worn out at all. Like at Charlotte, we kept saying that Charlotte would get back to the way it used to be. I don't think Charlotte will ever get back exactly to where it used to be because I don't think the asphalt itself will open up and be like rocks like sticking up. It is closed up a lot more; it is smoother and the surface is not open. It's a different mixture that they're using everywhere. Darlington has it as well."
M6M note: Mark started 30th and finished 6th at Texas. He is now 10th in the standings.
No Mark Martin post race quotes were found. Mark must have gone missing after the race or didn't want to talk to anyone.
OK fans, get cracking. Use your cranium. Create fake questions and answers! LOL
Thank you.
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit – Texas Motor Speedway
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET met with media and discussed Kasey Kahne signing with HMS, his future involvement in the sport, and more.
ON KASEY KAHNE SIGNING WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
"I'm excited, man. This is the absolute best scenario. I'm really, really excited. I'm so psyched about it and so relieved that we can go on and work on racing and not worry about Hendrick Motorsports and my team and everything else and what the future is. We know its set. It's a perfect scenario. Kasey Kahne is a really right fit for this organization."
ARE YOU STILL SET THROUGH 2011?
"You know that. I don't know why you had to ask that."
WOULD YOU CONSIDER GETTING OUT OF THE CAR BEFORE 2011?
"If I did, I wouldn't be driving it. So, no; I'm not sure why you don't understand. It's not clear to me why you don't understand. Those guys wanted me to drive it for 2012. It was a little bit stretched to do one full-time season. I gave them three. It's been the gift of my career that Hendrick Motorsports has given me. One of my biggest concerns has been who is going to be the successor so that I didn't knock them out of getting the very best A-number-one fit. That's why I started talking to Kasey Kahne before anybody, in September of last year; because I do have some real good buddies: Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth. But since they wouldn't talk to me seriously and had to keep making jokes and cutting up, I mean, Kasey Kahne was the guy. And the timing wasn't exactly right but I wanted to make sure that he considered it because it's the perfect scenario for Kasey Kahne and it's the perfect scenario for Hendrick Motorsports. I figure three years is enough.
"I would appreciate it if no one would right anything about me retiring, because I'm not going to retire. I'm going to race in 2012. And so don't even talk about it. I'm racing in 2012. There will be an opportunity for me I'm sure, that will be exciting and fun and that I can help people. I feel like I've done that. I feel like I did that in the No. 01 at DEI and I feel like I've helped the No. 5 team realize that they can win races and contend for a championship. And so I'll find another opportunity that's exciting to me and I don't want to commit to that now. I want to make sure that Hendrick is set and they are set. It's such an incredibly perfect scenario."
WILL YOU BE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE NO. 5 IN 2011?
"I'm going to race in 2012."
I'M ASKING YOU IN BLACK AND WHITE, ARE YOU GOING TO BE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET?
"Of course."
IS YOUR LEGACY THEN, TO LEAVE A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM FOR SOMEONE ELSE; THAT THAT MIGHT BE YOUR LEGACY LOOKING FORWARD? YOU CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS THAT YOU LEAVE SOME THAT YOU CAN LOOK BACK AND BE PROUD OF REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS?
"It was really, really important to me to make sure that Hendrick Motorsports had someone better than me to come in behind me. And I'm more comfortable now than I was a month ago because I didn't know what that was going to be; although I knew I was going to drive through 2011. I didn't know how that was going to work out with the timing because my choice for the guy that succeeded me here; the timing wasn't exactly right. They were going to be open in '11 and I was going to exit in '12. So, this has fixed that. I'm happy about that. I've had the time of my life and I don't understand how people want to put a negative spin on this. This is actually the most exciting thing that could ever happen to Kasey Kahne, to Mark Martin, to Hendrick Motorsports, and all of us. This is perfect. I don't know why everybody is digging for something negative."
DID YOU SPEAK TO JEFF BURTON AND MATT KENSETH ABOUT THIS?
"Yes, I did. They both just laughed and joked around. They just kept joking around. They're my friends. They're my best number-one friends, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, and I love them to death. I confide in them and Jeff wants to be my agent for 2012 and has discussed, a number of times, even again yesterday, about that. So you've got to ask him what his plans are for me because he's got some really far-fetched plans that I'm not even going to tell you about. But I will be racing in 2012; I just don't know exactly what that will be; won't worry about that. It'll be a fun and exciting new opportunity to help some people and to do something that really gets me going, you know? And until then I'm going to race my guts out here in the No. 5 car. I love (crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) and I love Hendrick Motorsports and I think they're set in the best possible scenario for the future.
"I don't know what I'll do in 2012. I have absolutely no idea and I won't be able to answer that question possibly until late next year. I don't know. I'm going to do whatever I want to. And I'm not even going to know what I want to do for a while and I'm not going to know the scenarios that might be there. But I've been in the sport long enough to know and have the confidence to know that really interesting opportunities come up and they will and they'll be fun and exciting and I'll explore driving and other things as well. I love this sport and I'm going to be in this sport for a long time. I'm going to drive for a long time. And I might get involved in other capacities as well. For the first time ever, I would consider an opportunity like Tony Stewart had. I don't want to be an owner, but if I can be an owner like Tony Stewart maybe I want it."
IN YOUR MIND, WHAT WOULD BE THE IDEAL SITUATION IN 2011 FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AND KASEY KAHNE?
"That's up to them. Everything is set for '12. That's what I was worried about. Everything is set for '12. You need to talk to them about '11; I don't know.
WHY IS KASEY KAHNE SUCH A PERFECT FIT FOR THIS TEAM?
"He's obviously incredibly talented. He's incredibly marketable. And his personality will fit. And personalities are very important. His personality will fit with Rick Hendrick, with Doug Duchardt, with the crew chiefs, with the drivers, with the marketing, and with the whole thing. Kasey Kahne's the total package. If you want to know the truth, I can't believe that Rick Hendrick scored this deal. It is so perfect."
YOU SAID YOU TALKED TO KASEY. WERE YOU A PART OF IT?
"I initiated it before ever talking to Rick Hendrick because I didn't want Rick to know that I was as concerned as I was about it. So I talked to Kasey two or three times last year starting back around September and then I didn't get involved after that. And to be real honest, I didn't know the last month that it had gotten to this level. So I'm thrilled. It's so exciting."
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS SPORT THAT KEEPS DRAWING YOU BACK?
"I love it with all my heart. And I love it. If you compare all the other things that I could do with my time, there's no comparison. It is like a 10 and a zero. There is nothing else I have found in my life that I can throw my passion toward and occupy my time that I enjoy as much and that I am any good at. You know I'm really not all that good at anything else or maybe I would like it more. I have had the time of my life racing in the No. 5 car.
"I am more relaxed now than I was two weeks ago knowing that Hendrick Motorsports has got the ideal scenario in place for going forward. I didn't want them to wait around for me so this time next year to decide if I was willing to continue going forward. I was willing to give up the ride to make sure they were set and I'll do something else really fun and fresh and new. It is the perfect scenario."
IS IT HARD FOR YOU TO EVEN FATHOM NOT DOING SOMETHING HERE?
"That is why I am more open than I ever have been to other things in racing that would accompany driving. I'll drive and I might drive and be consulting or I might be an owner driver, transition into an owner if there was another scenario as wonderful as Tony Stewart's. Certainly not going the hard route. It is hard enough just doing that. I think Tony's scenario was great. I have a lot of great friends in the sport. Really really great friends, from owners, people like Jack Roush and Jay Frye and just a lot of great friends in this sport. There are going to be plenty of things for me to do and be involved in the sport.
"But, for me to consider going away from NASCAR and crawling under a rock for the rest of my life, that's no longer in the equation. I love what I do and I love this sport. You know since '07 that has just grown and rebuilt and I recognize that now and it's a part of everything that I am made of. It is part of the fabric."
TALK ABOUT YOUR SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ALAN GUSTAFSON.
"Yes. I knew where Alan was. I wouldn't go out and do something that wouldn't fit. I didn't do this, but I did initiate it with Kasey (Kahne) and Kasey laughed at me to. But he didn't laugh at me as much as other buddies did. Then I hinted to Rick (Hendrick) that is there was some way that could be done where Kasey could be available for 2012, then the next thing I know, the deal was done. I did not know the negotiations were going on, I told him he needed to go do that in my opinion."
WHEN YOU LOOK AHEAD AT YOUR FUTURE, DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE THERE WILL BE A BIDDING WAR FOR YOU?
"You must be pretty high on me. I don't know, I used to think the answer to that was definitely know, but I do believe now that through the experiences I've had since '07, I believe there will be some fun and exciting opportunities for me and I don't need to worry about them. I just need to continue to dig in here with my team, live for the day. That is what I wanted to do and I can do that now knowing that my predecessor (successor?) is my number one pick and I think the number one fit for the organization. Now I can just be comfortable and live in the day.
"It is not something I've done very much in my life and I've been doing it more and more ever since I got in this car. I love Alan and I think that they respect the fact that I cared enough to try to make sure this happened and I didn't want to wait until this time next year to decide whether or not I would continue. So, I just said, ok, I'll find something else to do in the sport and I will be damn grateful for the three years. I have already had the best of my career last year. I feel pretty comfortable in saying three of the best years of my career Hendrick Motorsports has delivered to me and I am damn grateful for it. I'll find something else fresh, new and exciting to do."
IS THIS A LITTLE BIT BITTERSWEET FOR YOU KNOWING HOW MUCH YOU ENJOY WORKING WITH ALAN?
"I have to be honest with you. I feel so fortunate to have a whole year and a half yet in front of me to work with Alan and this team that I'm not really bittersweet about it. I'm so grateful for the opportunity. It's been the gift of my career to realize this and to be able to do this and be successful. It's also exciting to do new things and I love and embrace the excitement of 2012 and whatever that may bring. As long as everybody understands I'll be driving."
JEFF BURTON SAID YOU ARE IRREPLACEABLE. IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU WANT TO GO THE DISTANCE IS BECAUSE YOU DO FEEL IN YOUR HEART YOU ARE THE BEST DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE NO. 5 TO GIVE ALAN AND YOUR CREW A SHOT AT WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
"That is not an accurate statement. They want me in the car. That's why I want to continue is because they want me in the car."
THAT IS QUITE A COMPLIMENT FROM BURTON.
"It is. It is a compliment to me that they want me in the car. I hope that everyone appreciates the fact that I was willing to say here is the end to stop. Here is where we can stop this. Let's make sure that my predecessor (successor?) is better than me. That is important to me. I'm doing that for them because they do something for me. They wanted me to stay. They wanted me to stay and stay and stay and stay and stay. I was a little uncomfortable with that. I'll say again in case you didn't get it. One full-time season was a stretch for me in the beginning. I gave them three. That is enough. We can put an end-stop on it and say that that was three wonderful years that everybody enjoyed and they are set going forward from that. It is really simple. It is not as complicated as people try to make it. It is just about that simple. I feel confident because they want me in that car. And they wanted me to go beyond '11. But I wanted to make sure they were set and I wasn't comfortable in waiting until I knew what I wanted to do about '12 or whatever. I wanted them to get set for the predecessor (successor?) that would be better than me."
Kasey Kahne to join Hendrick Motorsports
CONCORD, N.C. (April 14, 2010) – Beginning with the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 5 Chevrolets of Hendrick Motorsports after signing a long-term contract with the organization.
Mark Martin, 51, the current driver of Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 team, will complete the 2010 and 2011 seasons. When Kahne takes over in 2012, he will join teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Hendrick's four-car stable.
"In Kasey, we saw an opportunity to cement a big piece of our future," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "He possesses incredible talent and a tremendous dedication to his craft, and we know he'll be a great fit within our company.
"Kasey has earned the respect of his future teammates by the way he's handled himself on and off the racetrack, and we know he'll be a contributor to the success of Hendrick Motorsports for many years to come. To have someone of his caliber join our team is an unbelievable opportunity for us."
Kahne, who turned 30 on April 10, is an 11-time Sprint Cup race winner. Now in the midst of his seventh full-time season at NASCAR's elite level, the Enumclaw, Wash., native also has earned 16 pole positions, 43 top-five finishes and 79 top-10s on the tour.
"I have a comfort level with Mr. Hendrick, my future teammates and the culture of the organization," said Kahne, whose contract with Hendrick Motorsports will run through the 2015 Sprint Cup season. "For me, it's the right fit on every level, and I think it gives me a great chance to win races and compete for championships.
"Determining the next step in my career has been an important process, and I'm excited and relieved to have the decision made and announced. Now it's my responsibility to put all of my energy into winning races and having a successful 2010 with my current team and our sponsors."
Although 2012 and beyond has been solidified, Kahne is not scheduled to drive a Hendrick Motorsports entry in 2011 due to NASCAR's four-car limit. While who he will race for has not yet been determined, Kahne intends to drive a full Sprint Cup Series schedule next season.
"If this opportunity was going to happen, I knew having some unanswered questions would be part of the scenario at this stage," Kahne acknowledged. "Hendrick Motorsports has a commitment to Mark Martin that they want to fulfill, and that's important. It's part of what attracts me to the team."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Samsung Mobile 500
ONCE A COWBOY: Martin wore the famed cowboy hat in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway on April 5, 1998. Martin started seventh and led 37 laps, earning his second of seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins that season.
POLE SITTER: Martin’s next Sprint Cup Series pole position will be the 50th of his career and will place him eighth on the all-time pole winner’s list. Texas Motor Speedway is one of only six active tracks where Martin has not started from the top spot.
MARTIN AT TEXAS: Along with his 1998 victory at Texas, Martin has earned six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in 18 career starts. He’s led a total of 172 laps at the Lone Star track and has a 13.2 average finish.
LOOP STATS: In the last 10 races at Texas Motor Speedway, Martin has spent almost 67 percent of the time (2,228 laps of 3,350 total) inside the top 15. That ranks the NASCAR veteran fifth among all Cup competitors during that same time span.
LAST YEAR AT TEXAS: Martin and the No. 5 team posted back-to-back top-10 finishes at Texas last year. In April, Martin overcame a 23rd-place starting position to finish sixth. Later that year, Martin started seventh and finished fourth.
NO. 5 TEAM AT TEXAS: Since 2005, the No. 5 team has earned three top-five finishes and four top-10s at Texas under the guidance of crew chief Alan Gustafson.
POINT STANDINGS: With a top-five finish at Phoenix International Raceway last week, the No. 5 team advanced four positions to 13th in the Sprint Cup standings. Martin is just 11 points behind 12th place.
WINNING CHASSIS: Gustafson has chosen Chassis No. 5-527 for Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the same chassis that Martin drove to Victory Lane at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway last May and at Chicagoland Speedway last July.
HENDRICK AT TEXAS: In 18 races (73 starts) at Texas Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports has recorded three wins, 18 top-five finishes and 27 top-10s and led 982 laps.
QUOTES
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY.): “This track means a lot to me. It’s fairly close to Batesville (Ark.), my hometown, so a lot of my fans seem to come out for the Texas races. It helps, too, that I love intermediate racetracks. Hendrick Motorsports is really good on intermediate tracks, too. All of that together makes Texas a pretty special place for me. I’m really looking forward to getting back there.”
MARTIN (ON BRINGING BACK CHASSIS NO. 5-527.): “It is a confidence boost knowing we’re bringing back a car that has been so successful. When we raced this car at Chicago, it was lightening fast. Incredible. Nearly every time we’ve raced this particular car it’s been good right off the truck. I’m hoping for the same thing this weekend—lead practice, get the pole and win the race. I’d be so happy to do that for Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and all the guys on this (No.) 5 team.”
MARTIN (ON RUNNING THE HENDRICKCARS.COM SCHEME AGAIN.): “Well, we didn’t really give them the result that we wanted to in their last race at Atlanta. We were going to get a good top-10 but got wrapped up in that big crash in the final laps. This time, we’re going to finish the deal for them and give them a good finish. The boss man (Rick Hendrick) over there is pretty important to us, too! (LAUGHS). We gotta keep him happy!”
MARTIN (ON THE SPOILER AFFECTING THE RACING SO FAR.): “I haven’t felt a change from the wing to the spoiler at all. This weekend, in Texas, is probably where we’ll feel it the most so far. But, in all honesty, it’s just like everything else. Tire changes affect us. The weather affects us. The track’s surface affects us. Same thing with the spoiler. It’s a change, but it’s just another thing we adjust to.”
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON THE EFFECT OF THE SPOILER AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY.): “You really can’t judge much about the spoiler from a half-mile and a mile track. I do think Texas will be more indicative of what the spoiler is going to do to the cars and how it will affect racing. We’ll know a lot more after practice on Friday.”
GUSTAFSON (ON INTERMEDIATE TRACK RACING.): “I’m anxious to get back on an intermediate track. I feel that that is where we’ve put the most focus and emphasis from last season to this season. We really let go of some points last year at Charlotte (N.C.) in the fall, and that is where I really think we were hurt the most. During the Charlotte test, we focused a lot on speed and getting the best handle out of the race car. Hopefully that shows when we unload off the truck Friday.”
Mark Martin - 2010 Texas: Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview - Samsung Mobile 500
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET 13TH IN STANDINGS
“This track means a lot to me. It’s fairly close to Batesville, my hometown, so a lot of my fans seem to come out for the Texas races. It helps, too, that I love intermediate race tracks. Hendrick Motorsports is really good on intermediate tracks, too. All of that together makes Texas a pretty special place for me. I’m really looking forward to getting back there.”
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes – Subway Fresh Fit 600
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET -- FINISHED 4TH
"We didn't qualify very good and we struggled around in 18th. And as the sun went down, the track came to us and Alan and the guys made great adjustments and we moved up from 18th to 12th to 10th and I think at the end we had a very competitive car. And then the two tires worked out for us. So, we got a top five out of it. That's what you need to do when you don't run good. We ran real good the last two weeks. We need to finish good when we don't run good."
Mark Martin - GM Racing Preview – Subway Fresh Fit 600
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET 17TH IN STANDINGS
"Phoenix has been a great racetrack for me since I first started going there. I like the short track style, and I love night racing, so I look forward to this one, for sure. I thought I was going to get a win there in 2008, and of course we did last year, which was just awesome. We had a great car there last fall, too, so I'm looking forward to getting back out there. I remember being nervous for that race we won at Phoenix in 2009. But that's only because I knew how good our car was. We had a winning car from the time we rolled off the truck last year. The guys knew it, too, and I was so concerned with not disappointing them. We had a great race. Perfect pit stops. Very few adjustments all night long. The caution came out late, and I thought, 'You've got to be kidding me!' We had to fight off Tony (Stewart) at the end, and he's never easy to keep behind you. When we finally won, it was such a mix of relief and gratitude. It was an amazing night. One of those wins that I'm sure I'll never forget. Absolutely incredible."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview – Subway Fresh Fit 600
DEFENDING WINNER: Martin, driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, returns to Phoenix International Raceway as the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner. Last April, Martin qualified on the pole position and led 157 laps of the 312-lap race on his way to Victory Lane. The win was Martin's first at Hendrick Motorsports and his first of five last season.
POLE SITTER: Martin's next Sprint Cup Series pole will be the 50th of his career and will place him eighth on the all-time pole winner's list. Martin earned his first career Phoenix International Raceway pole last April.
MARTIN AT PHOENIX: Martin is a two-time Cup race winner at Phoenix. Along with his win last year, he went to Victory Lane there in October 1993 after leading all but 100 laps. Martin has earned 11 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s in 26 Cup starts at the one-mile desert oval.
BEST AVERAGE FINISH: Martin's average finish of 8.8 at Phoenix International Raceway is his best average finish at any oval track on the Sprint Cup schedule. Only Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International has been kinder to Martin, who owns a 7.8 average finish on the road course.
LOOP STATS: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Martin has the third-best average finish in the last 10 Phoenix races with a score of 9.2. He also possesses the third-best driver rating with a score of 103.8 out of a possible 150. In those 10 races, Martin's average running position -- 10.669 -- is the fourth-best in the Cup Series.
LAST YEAR AT PHOENIX: Martin posted top-five finishes in both 2009 Sprint Cup events at PIR. After taking the checkers in April, he returned to finish fourth in the desert in November.
NO. 5 TEAM AT PHOENIX: Since 2005 and under the leadership of crew chief Alan Gustafson, the No. 5 GoDaddy.com team has earned two wins, two pole positions, three top-five finishes and five top-10s at Phoenix. The team has led 235 laps in 10 races at the one-mile track.
THREE WINS FOR THE NO. 5: Phoenix International Raceway is a special place for the No. 5 team, which earned the first win at the track for Hendrick Motorsports on Oct. 30, 1994, with Terry Labonte behind the wheel. Under the direction of Gustafson, the No. 5 team earned its second victory there on Nov. 13, 2005, with driver Kyle Busch and another in April 18, 2009 with Martin.
POINT STANDINGS: Martin and the No. 5 GoDaddy.com team currently rank 17th in the Sprint Cup Series standings. A year ago at this time, Martin was 27th.
CHASSIS CHOICE: Gustafson has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-588 for this Saturday's race at Phoenix International Raceway. This is a new chassis that never has been raced or tested.
HENDRICK AT PHOENIX: Hendrick Motorsports, which has the most Cup wins all-time at Phoenix, has swept the last six Cup events there on the strength of Jimmie Johnson (three wins), Jeff Gordon (two) and Martin (one). Overall, Hendrick Motorsports has scored eight wins, 25 top-five finishes and 47 top-10s in 27 events (95 starts) at PIR.
QUOTES
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON HIS 2009 VICTORY AT PHOENIX.): "I remember being nervous for that race. But that's only because I knew how good our car was. We had a winning car from the time we rolled off the truck last year. The guys knew it, too, and I was so concerned with not disappointing them. We had a great race. Perfect pit stops. Very few adjustments all night long. The caution came out late, and I thought, 'You've got to be kidding me!' We had to fight off Tony (Stewart) at the end, and he's never easy to keep behind you. When we finally won, it was such a mix of relief and gratitude. It was an amazing night. One of those wins that I'm sure I'll never forget. Absolutely incredible."
MARTIN (ON WHY PHOENIX HAS BEEN SUCH A SUCCESSFUL TRACK FOR HIM.): "Phoenix has been a great racetrack for me since I first started going there. I like the short track style, and I love night racing, so I look forward to this one, for sure. I thought I was going to get a win there in 2008, and of course we did last year, which was just awesome. We had a great car there last fall, too, so I'm looking forward to getting back out there."
MARTIN (ON THE SUCCESS OF HIS RECENT FAN DAYS IN BATESVILLE, ARK.): "This year's fan days were incredible. We had about 5,000 fans from all over the country come to Batesville. We had so much fun, and I think the fans really did, too. Darrell (Waltrip) and Tony (Stewart) were amazing. It was Darrell's first time coming, and he and I got to share some really good stories with the fans; the old stories. Ones that I had forgotten about! (LAUGHS.) I gotta thank Chevrolet, CARQUEST, Go Daddy, the National Guard and the National Hot Rod Association for their help. Tony and Darrell, too. It was a great time. The event gets bigger and better every year. We're already making plans for next year's."
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON THE TEAM'S 2009 VICTORY AT PHOENIX.): "We started from the pole and had a really good race car. Had some good battles with the No. 2 (car) during the race. That team is one that stands out that was really good. The No. 14 was good, too. We had to fight through those guys. We had a pit stop sequence change that got us a little far back in traffic. We got concerned when we lost the track position and clean air. We were worried if we'd be able to make it back up there. But Mark was able to drive back through there and take the lead again. It was a great night. In the end we had a little drama with the late caution coming out. We had to make that pit call and fortunately it was the right one. We went on and were able to win the race. Last year we really needed that. It was great timing. We had not gotten the finishes we had deserved up to that point. It was nice to finally get one."
GUSTAFSON (ON PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY ADDING LAPS TO THE RACE.): "I don't think the added laps will affect the setup or anything with the car. But obviously race strategy is going to change due to the length of the race being different. You have to have your car good for a tire run, regardless. Depending on how the pit stops fall, it could require another one, which will change things up, too."
GUSTAFSON (ON HOW THE SPOILER WILL IMPACT THE CARS DIFFERENTLY THAN THE WING DID LAST YEAR.): "The spoiler will definitely have an impact on the cars at Phoenix. We'll have to see just how much that impact is. We've done as much work as we can to minimize that impact, but I do think there's going to be something there. Our car was awesome at Phoenix last year with the wing. I think we're prepared to go out there and run the same with the spoiler, but we'll have to see just how big the changes will be."
GUSTAFSON (ON KEEPING THE TEAM MOTIVATED AFTER A ROCKY START TO THE SEASON.): "It's not hard to keep these guys motivated. We all feel very frustrated and feel like we're in a hole that we didn't want to be in. Indirectly or directly we're all responsible for that. It's very frustrating, but it's also motivating although there's no one who needs motivation. We've had team meetings and discussions about things that we need to clean up and do better, but everyone is extremely motivated to get in there and do it. We need the finishes as well as we've been running, or even better exceeding where we've been running. We've got to put those finishes together. We're extremely capable of doing it. We just have to make sure we don't cause ourselves any issues. A lot of the problems we've had have been self-inflicted. So we need to fix that."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview – Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500
MARTINSVILLE WINNER: Mark Martin is a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. In April 1992, he started 14th and led 33 laps on his way to Victory Lane. In April 2000, he overcame a 21st-place starting position to earn his second Martinsville win.
CARQUEST BACK: CARQUEST Auto Parts, a major sponsor on the No. 5 team since 2005, will be back on the hood of the No. 5 Chevy this weekend at Martinsville. The red, white and blue paint scheme will be featured in a total of eight races this season.
POLE SITTER: Martin's next Sprint Cup pole position will be the 50th of his career and will place him alone in eighth on the all-time pole winner's list (he currently is tied with Bobby Isaac). Martin has started from the front row in 95 of his 763 career Sprint Cup starts.
FIRST TOP-FIVE: Nearly 29 years ago at Martinsville, Martin earned his first career Sprint Cup top-five finish. Martin started fifth and finished third at the paper-clip oval driving the No. 02 entry in 1981, his first year of Cup competition. Martin followed Darrell Waltrip and Harry Gant across the finish line.
MARTIN'S VILLE: In 44 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville, Martin has earned two wins, 11 top-five finishes and 23 top-10s. He's led a total of 319 laps there.
LAST YEAR AT MARTINSVILLE: Martin scored top-10 finishes in both Martinsville Cup races last year, his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. He finished seventh in the spring and followed that with an eighth-place finish in the fall.
NO. 5 TEAM AT MARTINSVILLE: Under the leadership of crew chief Alan Gustafson, the No. 5 team has earned three top-five finishes and eight top-10s at Martinsville. The team has led a total of 127 laps there with Gustafson at the helm.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Driving a No. 5 Chevrolet at Martinsville, Geoff Bodine recorded Hendrick Motorsports' first-ever Cup win on April 29, 1984. Overall, the No. 5 team has earned one win, 12 top-five finishes, 22 top-10s and five pole positions in 52 events at the short track.
HENDRICK AT MARTINSVILLE: Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest active team at Martinsville with 18 victories and trails Petty Enterprises all-time by just one win. Hendrick also leads all teams in laps led with 6,524 at the short track. Hendrick has 18 wins, 55 top-five finishes and 89 top-10s in 52 events (158 starts) at Martinsville Speedway.
POINT STANDINGS: Martin ranks 16th in the Sprint Cup standings after finishing 33rd and 35th in the last two events. The team, which was 31st in points at this time last season, is just 22 points outside the top 12.
CHASSIS CHOICE: Gustafson has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-561 for the race in Martinsville this weekend. Martin drove this chassis to an eighth-place finish at Martinsville last fall.
TESTING: The No. 5 team tested the new Sprint Cup spoiler at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday. It also tested the new package last week at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
FAN APPRECIATION DAYS: Martin will host his sixth annual open house at the Mark Martin Museum in Batesville, Ark., on Thursday, April 1 from noon to 6 p.m. local time and Friday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Martin will sign autographs both days, while Darrell Waltrip will sign at 1 p.m. on Thursday, and Tony Stewart will sign at 3 p.m. on Friday.
MARK MARTIN, DRIVER, NO. 5 CARQUEST/GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (ON THE RETURN OF THE SPOILER.): "I like the spoiler, and I'm really happy NASCAR decided to make that change. With the spoiler, it looks like a race car. It looks like how NASCAR cars looked from back when I started. Aside from that, I think the racing will get better and better, too. I think the addition of the spoiler will make the cars race in packs together better and it will make passing easier, too. I'm really excited to get the spoiler back on the car this weekend."
MARTIN (ON TURNING THE TEAM'S RESULTS AROUND.): "The past two races have been hard pills to swallow. First, at Atlanta, we had a car that wasn't so great in the beginning of the race. The guys on this race team never gave up, really dug in and turned that car around. We went from running about 35th to having a top-seven or eight car. Then we get in a wreck not of our doing. That was a tough one. At Bristol (Tenn.), we had a winning race car. From the get-go, I knew that was a car capable of contending. And again, we end up in the garage area. It's frustrating. It's a part of the sport that you know is there, but you still get frustrated when it happens to you. The good thing is that we have had great race cars. The team has given me a top-five car every weekend this year. That's the point we need to focus on."
MARTIN (ON HIS UPCOMING FAN DAYS.): "This is a really important deal to me. The fans are so, so important to this sport, and to me and my career, too. I'm also really glad that I can bring some of these racers, NASCAR champions, to a small town in Arkansas. This year, my buddy Darrell (Waltrip) is coming out and Tony (Stewart) is coming again. He comes every year. The fans just love him. It's a great time. Both days are really laid back, and I have the opportunity to just talk with the fans about the sport, about the old days, and all that good stuff."
Mark Martin NASCAR Sprint Cup Pre-race Notes and Quotes – Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET 16TH IN STANDINGS:
“Martinsville is not as hard on equipment as it used to be. A lot of the reason why, is a lot of the equipment is bullet proof nearly today. We don’t have as many devastating accidents where it really knocks your fender in or you tear a fender in, you push this in, you mash that. We used to tear the cars up a little bit worse and it would clear out the field. Typically, most of the whole field is still running at the end now and mostly all up to full song. Brakes will hold up now, gears, all the things that we used to have trouble with, a lot of different components on the cars. They are strong enough now to take it.”
Mark Martin Post Race Notes and Quotes – Food City 500
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET (Finished 35th)
Involved in multi-car crash on lap 343 and was sidelined with broken right upper control arm
WHAT HAPPENED FROM YOUR STANDPOINT?
"I needed to go. I hate it for the Godaddy.com guys, they gave me a great car. It was time for me to go. I was going around the outside of him (Greg Biffle) and he just came up. You know, I was on the brakes but we were hung together when I saw he was going to shut me off. It is just a shame. Man, I think we had a car that I really believe could contend to win. I know the No. 2 was leading but we were running easy saving our tires back there, just adjusting our stuff. Mistakes happen, but that is a real bad deal for us. It was just one of those things. I needed to go, I couldn't be waiting around. I was waiting around long enough on them. I had a fast race car and was going around the outside and just got pinned up against the wall."
Mark Martin Post Qualifying Notes and Quotes – Food City 500
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET, QUALIFIED 13th:
"I'm not that proud of that lap. I wish I was real proud of it. When we qualified it was almost 10 degrees hotter, that wasn't a good enough lap. I didn't get anything extra. I got what the car was wanting to give, but you need to get extra. That comes with a little bit of luck and I didn't hit anything extra lucky out there and get anything extra. We'll take that, it wasn't a pole, but ok."
Mark Martin Media Visit – Food City 500
MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVEROLET, met with members of the media at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the Carl Edwards/Brad Keselowski feud, the reintroduction of the spoiler, racing at Bristol, and more.
ON RACING AT BRISTOL
"We really had a blast here last year. I hadn’t come to race for a couple years here, and we came with the 5 car and had a blast in both races. I’m certainly looking forward to it. I hope that we get our car as dialed in as it was last year here."
VETERAN PERSPECTIVE ON MEETING TOMORROW BETWEEN CARL AND BRAD, WHAT TYPE OF MESSAGE DO YOU THINK NASCAR WILL CONVEY TO THOSE TWO?
"‘You guys need to get along.’ That’s the message that they’ll convey to them, and it’s not something that they don’t already know. It’s a procedure that you go through; it’s standard procedure. Those guys already know pretty much what they need to do, and they will just sit down in the presence of NASCAR and be reminded of it."
KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED AT ATLANTA, HOW CLOSELY DO YOU EXPECT NASCAR TO BE WATCHING EVERYONE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON?
"The same as they watch every other week. No different. I think there’s a degree of over-sensationalizing what’s going on there. It was a really bad accident, something that wasn’t intended. Since then, it’s been over-sensationalized because the accident was worse than what was intended."
I KNOW YOU WON FIVE RACES LAST YEAR, BUT LOOKING BACK AT THE 500 LAPS AT BRISTOL AND BATTLING KYLE BUSCH AT THE END, HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF THAT RACE?
"Well, I was proud of our team and our effort. We led the most laps and we did a great job. The double-file restart there was something that added drama to the race because it rearranged the finish, and that’s what the double-file restart is all about."
YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WAS A BIG CRASH AND GUYS THAT WERE MANY LAPS DOWN FIXED THEIR CAR TO COME BACK OUT, THERE WAS AN OUTCRY FOR THEM TO JUST PARK IT BECAUSE COMING BACK OUT COULD LEAD TO MORE TROUBLE. SEEING WHAT CARL DID 150-LAPS DOWN, DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE RULE TO LET GUYS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN JUST PARK IT AND GO HOME?
"I don’t know. That’s a question for NASCAR, not a question that I would be qualified to give a good answer to. They would be much more qualified to field that question than I would."
WHEN NASCAR SAID HAVE AT IT BOYS, WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU AND DID YOU THINK IT WOULD END UP WITH WHAT WE SAW A COUPLE WEEKS AGO?
"That accident had a result that was unintended and big; you have to keep that in mind. When they said have at it boys, I thought they meant to take care of it when you step out of the car on pit road. That’s what I thought, but it is pretty open and that was their way of bringing in interest and drama and infusing excitement into the sport. For me, it didn’t mean anything changed because I was already having at it, and I’m still having at it in the way that I have at it. I need to restrain myself from trying to dream up things to do that were ugly, so for me it didn’t mean a lot of change. Since that accident turned out to be something of unintended consequences, it ended up being a bigger deal than it might have been."
YOU WERE A TEAMMATE TO CARL EDWARDS, DO YOU THINK THE MEDIA MAY MISUNDERSTAND HIM AND LOOK AT HIM AS AN INTIMIDATING PRESENCE AND DEEM HIM AS GUILTY BEFORE EVER EVEN BEING GIVE A FAIR TRIAL?
"I don’t know. I really don’t want to talk about all that. I’m not Dr. Phil. I don’t know what you think about Carl. I think Carl is a standup guy and a really, really fine young man. I think that he sure didn’t mean for that to happen."
WITH THE ALTERATION OF THE SAFER BARRIER, I KNOW A LOT OF GUYS WERE OUT WALKING THE TRACK TO SEE WHAT THE CHANGES LOOKED LIKE. DO YOU THINK IT IS GOING TO AFFECT ANYTHING ON THE TRACK?
"It will. It will affect where you pick up the throttle. I think you’re going to have to roll a few feet further around the corner before you pick up the throttle or get all of it. It will make a slight difference. We did have a little excess room. About half of what they took we really didn’t need and really didn’t use, so that’s a good thing. We really only gave up about a foot-and-a-half. It is a smaller change than a repave or a lot changes that we’ve experienced through the years. I really don’t expect it to be a major thing, although I do expect to see a few stripes on quarter panels from that standpoint. We will be a little bit more confined at our exit because we were exiting past the barrier before, and so we had some extra room. We’ll tighten it up a little bit, but I don’t think it will be anything major."
GOING INTO THE TALLADEGA TEST, YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE PRETTY WILD AND CRAZY. IT APPEARED THAT THEY WORKED HARD FINDING THE PROPER PACKAGE. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH WHERE YOU ENDED UP AT THE END OF THE DAY?
"I was happier than how we started. I don’t know what the final outcome with what the size of the rear spoiler will be. Certainly as we cut down on the spoiler it got better, and the situations got better on the race track. I didn’t talk to nearly everybody, but the guys that I did talk to all liked the smaller spoilers and hopefully we’ll have something like that. As far as the drivability you couldn’t even tell the difference in the drivability when you took the spoiler down. There is so much incredible difference with the smooth, new asphalt. They learned something through the years about the asphalt mixture. It used to be in five years that the asphalt was old and worn out after a repave, and today five years afterwards it’s lighter in color, but it doesn’t feel older or worn out at all. Like at Charlotte, we kept saying that Charlotte would get back to the way it used to be. I don’t think Charlotte will ever get back exactly to where it used to be because I don’t think the asphalt itself will open up and be like rocks like sticking up. It is closed up a lot more; it is smoother and the surface is not open. It’s a different mixture that they’re using everywhere. Darlington has it as well."
THREE YEARS AGO THEY INTRODUCED THE WING HERE AND NOW THEY’RE GOING TO GET RID OF IT AFTER THIS WEEKEND. WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON IT, WILL YOU MISS IT AT ALL OR DO YOU THINK THE SPOILER WILL BE PREFERABLE?
"The spoiler is preferable. Aesthetics-wise it looks like a racecar, it looks like a stock car, it looks like a NASCAR-car just the way that I remember them going all the way back to the ‘70s. That side of it is great. The racing will continue to get better and [the spoiler] is one small part of that. It will make cars more competitive—they’ll race better, pass better, and run in packs better. Also, kudos to Goodyear for continually making big strides in putting tires on the car that the cars really like."
WE ALL KNOW HOW PHYSICALLY FIT YOU ARE, BUT ARE THERE TIMES AFTER 500 HUNDRED LAPS AROUND HERE THAT YOU JUST FEEL WHIPPED?
"I have in the past, but I didn’t last year. I think that the racetrack being not as rough helped that. It was so brutally rough on top of everything else that caused you to have to fight the race car a lot harder. With this surface and multiple grooves, it is still hard work—and it’s always going to be hard work—but it wasn’t as physically demanding on me."
Mark Martin still feeling 'the magic'
FLORENCE, S.C. -- It was about a year ago that Mark Martin set off on a NASCAR ride like few others in his stellar career.
Five Sprint Cup victories, a runner-up finish to champ Jimmie Johnson in the Chase, and, at 51 years old, a renewed passion for his life's work.
"It was a magical year, last year, for me," Martin said Wednesday. "And I still feel the magic each time I strap into a race car."
Martin has yet to crack Victory Lane this year, but stands seventh in the points as the circuit returns from a week off at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday.
And Martin believes he's got a more polished, savvy team ready to win when it matters most - down the stretch.
Martin certainly made headlines with victories at Phoenix International Raceway and Darlington Raceway last spring. He even beat chase master Johnson to the punch early with a victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the first of the 10 playoff races that determine the champion.
However, Johnson's experience shone through as the No. 48 team took an unprecedented fourth consecutive NASCAR title.
"I hope (this year) that we'll have the hammer when it's time to go," Martin said.
He spent lunchtime talking with about 200 or so fans who signed up for a question-and-answer session with the NASCAR star. He tackled everything from his celebrated workout regimen ("Wednesday was leg day," he offered) to how he meshes with his equally famous fellow Hendrick drivers (Very well, he said. "Dale Jr. really cracks us up.")
Mostly, Martin spoke of his joy for racing.
"I've said several times already today, if there were any beach in the world I'd rather be on than at the racetrack, that's where I'd be," said Martin, grinning broadly.
It wasn't too long ago, that beach chair might've looked pretty good to Martin.
He rose to NASCAR stardom with owner Jack Roush, winning 35 races over 19 seasons. However, much of that time, Martin burned for a championship. Anything less was a disappointment, no matter how much success he had.
And Martin came oh so close - he had 12 top-five series finishes at Roush Racing - but was never able to break through and grew more frustrated about his profession. Bothered by a surgically repaired back that didn't feel right, Martin sought alternatives.
"I drove that (Roush No.) 6 car to win that championship and I think that left me a little hollow," he said.
He became a part-time Sprint Cup racer in 2007 and 2008, planning to ease gradually from the only profession he'd known.
Then something surprising happened. Martin stopped worrying about titles and focused on racing. He felt as fulfilled in the car at 48 years old as he did as a smallish, 15-year-old feeling the dirt under his wheels for the first time.
He reached a deal with his friend, owner Rick Hendrick, to run full time in 2009 and the results were astounding.
Martin won his first race in four years at Phoenix, then proved that wasn't a fluke by outlasting the field at Darlington, winning for the second time at the track "Too Tough To Tame" after breaking through there in 1993.
He's on board with Hendrick through 2011 and can't imagine a day without racing.
Martin says it's not fair to compare his Roush time with last season with Hendrick, "but I'm by far the happiest I've ever been in my life right now."
Martin hoped he'd finally succeed at last month's Daytona 500, a white whale on his standout NASCAR resume. Things looked good when he won the pole for the first time. However, he finished 12th and left 0 for 50 at Sprint Cup's most famous layout.
"Listen," he told the fans, "I was at Daytona for a week and a half and I didn't make one good move the whole time. It was pitiful."
Things have picked up since then. Martin had top-five finishes at California and Las Vegas. He was in line for another good ending at Atlanta when he got caught up in the chaos after Carl Edwards sent Brad Keselowski airborne in a retaliatory bump and finished 33rd.
Even if Martin can't duplicate 2009, he's exactly where he wants to be.
"I know I can't do anything that makes me feel like racing does," he said.
Mark Martin Friday Media Visit – Richmond
GM Racing
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FLORENCE, SC - MARCH 17: Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Hendrickcars.com/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet during a private lunch for Darlington Speedway personnel at the Florence Civic Center on March 17, 2010 in Florence, SC. (Photo by Chris Keane/Getty Images for Darlington Raceway
By Pete Iacobelli
AP Sports Writer
March 17, 2010
