Mark Anthony Martin is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stock car driverStock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
currently competing in the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series. As of 2012, Martin will drive for Michael Waltrip Racing, moving on from successful organizations such as
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
and Roush Fenway Racing. He has the second most wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with 49. He has also finished second in the Sprint Cup Series standings five times and has been described by
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
as "The best driver to never win a championship."
Early racing career
Mark began his racing career as a young man on the dirt tracks of Arkansas. With great failure, he moved on to asphalt racing and joined the ASA racing series. During his ASA career, Mark raced against
Dick TrickleRichard "Dick" Trickle is a retired American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle has competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle has logged...
,
Jim SauterJim Sauter is a former NASCAR race car driver from Necedah, Wisconsin.-Racing career:Sauter started racing in 1964 in a modified at Raceway Park in Savage, Minnesota. He moved up to late models the following year. Sauter moved to Wisconsin, and his career took off after he won the North Star 500...
,
Joe ShearJoe Shear was an American racecar driver from Clinton, Wisconsin. He won an estimated 350 races in his career, including four of his last five races. Fred Nielsen, Shear's car owner from 1975 to 1984 and 1986 to 1994, said that his team won 250 races and he estimates that Shear won 600 races...
and
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
. Mark went on to earn Rookie of the Year in 1977. Mark rounded out his ASA career winning twenty-two races and four championships (1978, 1979, 1980, and 1986).
Early NASCAR career
Mark Martin ran for various owners from 1981 to 1986. In 1981, he qualified for 5 races while driving for Bud Reindeer including
pole positionThe term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
s at Nashville Speedway USA and
RichmondRichmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
. He had his first top-ten finish, with a seventh place finish at Richmond; his first top-five finish happened when he finished third at
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. Martin continued racing for Reeder for all 30 races in 1982. He finished 14th in season points, with eight top-ten finishes, highlighted by fifth place results at Dover and
Riverside International RacewayRiverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...
.
Roush Racing
he gave NASCAR racing another shot by running in the
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nationwide Series. After a win at
Dover International SpeedwayDover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
in
Dover, DelawareThe city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, he was spotted by car owner
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
. In 1988, Martin began a long relationship with Roush that continued for 19 years, driving the
#6 car which was most notably sponsored by Valvoline and Viagra.
Overall, Martin has 40 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins and has finished second in the Sprint Cup Series point standings five times (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2009). While racing for Roush in 1990, Mark Martin came his closest to winning a championship. A 46-point penalty at Richmond, for using an illegal (but non-performance enhancing) carburetor spacer, caused him to lose to
Dale EarnhardtRalph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
by 26 points in the final standings.
Martin has also won five
IROCInternational Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
titles (1994, 1996, 1997 1998 and 2005) in addition to 13 races, both records for that series.
Martin announced he would cut back from Sprint Cup Series racing after the 2005 season, dubbing the season the "Salute to You" tour as a thank you to his fans. In June 2005, it was announced that
Jamie McMurrayJames Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
would replace Martin in the
#6 car in 2007. This, however, left Roush without a driver for the
#6 car in 2006. Martin later agreed to come back and drive for the 2006 season. Ultimately, it was announced that McMurray would be released from his contract at
Chip Ganassi RacingEarnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
one year early and would take over for
Kurt BuschKurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
, who was dismissed from the Roush organization prior to the end of the 2005 season.
David RaganDavid Ragan, , is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season...
was announced as Martin's replacement in the
#6 for 2007.
Ginn Racing / DEI
On October 6, 2006, it was announced that Martin would instead split time with current
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
driver
Regan SmithRegan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
in the Ginn Racing
#01
U.S. ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
in 2007. Roush Racing announced that due to team limits imposed by NASCAR, they could not field a team for Martin for all 20 races he wanted to run in 2007, forcing Martin to move on, at least in the Nextel Cup Series. However, Martin drove two races for Roush Fenway Racing in the Busch Series, and also drove in three races for
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
, sharing the
#5 with
Kyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
.
Martin finished second in the
2007 Daytona 500The 2007 Daytona 500 was the first race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season, taking place on February 18, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Kevin Harvick won the race by .02 second over Mark Martin in the closest finish since the first race at Daytona...
, only 0.020 seconds behind
Kevin HarvickKevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
. Martin led going into the final lap before Harvick stormed from seventh to win on the outside. There has been much controversy over whether or not the caution flag should have come out as a result of a large multi-car crash behind them, which could have affected the outcome of the race. Normally, the caution flag is shown as soon as a car or more make contact with the wall.
2007 was Martin's first season to start with three consecutive top-five finishes. Martin is the only part-time driver in NASCAR history to not win the opening race but still be leading the points standings. It is also the first time he has had three consecutive top-five finishes since 2002. Martin is also the oldest driver in the modern era to lead the Nextel Cup points for more than one week. Martin led the Nextel Cup points from the second race of the season, the
Auto Club 500The Auto Club 400 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May, and until 2010, the race was run at a length of 500 miles. When the NASCAR Realignment of 2005 was made, the race...
, through the fourth race of the season, the Kobalt Tools 500. Martin sat out the
Food City 500The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Irwin Tools Night Race, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
, becoming the first driver since
Cale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
to sit out a race as the points leader.
On July 25, 2007,
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
announced it had acquired Ginn Racing. Mark Martin would join
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
, Martin Truex, Jr., and
Paul MenardPaul Menard is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #27 Menards Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing and runs part-time for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is the son of Menards founder John Menard, Jr., whose company is his sponsor...
as a driver for DEI starting at the
2007 Allstate 400 at the BrickyardThe 2007 Allstate 400 at The Brickyard was the twentieth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season and the first race under the ESPN/ABC section of the TV coverage. It was held on July 29, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana....
. He would share the
#01 car with
Regan SmithRegan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
for the rest of the season.
On September 8, 2007, it was announced that Martin would share the
#8 car with
Aric AlmirolaAric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
in the
2008 Sprint Cup SeriesThe 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
with sponsorship from the
U.S. ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Martin made his 700th career start at the
2008 Auto Club 500The 2008 Auto Club 500 was the second race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and started on February 24, 2008 at Auto Club Speedway of Southern California in Fontana, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The race was telecast on Fox starting at 3:30 PM US EST/12:30 PM PST, with MRN and Sirius...
.
On March 1, 2008, Mark Martin won the 2008 Sam's Town 300 driving the
#5 Delphi Chevrolet for
JR MotorsportsJR Motorsports is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, co-owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, cousin and former crew chief Tony Eury, Jr., and the owner of his Cup ride Rick Hendrick. It currently fields the No...
. It was Martin's 48th career Nationwide Series victory and JR Motorsports' 1st win.
Martin finished out 2008 with 11 top-10's in 21 starts.
During the weekend of the
2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350The 2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was the sixteenth race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and the first of two scheduled road course races on the 2008 schedule...
, ESPN reported that Mark Martin was leaving
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
following the
2008 seasonThe 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
. It was announced that
Aric AlmirolaAric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
who shared the
#8 car with Mark Martin would drive the car full-time in 2009.
Hendrick Motorsports
On July 4, 2008, Hendrick Motorsports owner
Rick HendrickJoseph Riddick Hendrick III , better known as Rick Hendrick, is the current owner of the American NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Marrow Program. He attended Park View High School in South Hill, Virginia, and began his career in auto...
and Martin announced that he would replace
Casey MearsCasey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
in the
#5 car for the 2009 season, running a full-time schedule for the first time since 2006. Martin signed a two-year contract with Hendrick, with a full-time schedule for 2009 and 2010. Martin grabbed his first pole since 2001, at the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta, and followed up with back-to-back poles in the following week at Bristol.
On April 18, 2009, Martin became the fourth driver to win a Cup race in NASCAR after turning 50, winning the
2009The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008...
Subway Fresh Fit 500 from the pole position. The other three were
Bobby AllisonRobert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
,
Morgan ShepherdClay Morgan Shepherd has been a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver since 1977. He has also raced in the Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. He is a born again Christian who serves as a lay minister to the racing community...
(twice), and
Harry GantHarry Phil Gant is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the #33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit during the 1980s and 1990s.-Nicknames:...
(8 times, last in 1992). His win snapped a 97-race winless streak going back to 2005. After the victory, he did a Polish Victory Lap as a tribute to his late friend
Alan KulwickiAlan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
, at the place where Kulwicki did his first Polish Victory Lap. At Darlington, it was announced after the Richmond race that Martin would drive full time again in 2010; Martin would go on to win the
Southern 500The Showtime Southern 500 is the annual spring NASCAR Sprint Cup race held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina, USA, and is the second such event at Darlington to bear the name. It began in 1957 as a race in the Convertible Division, known as the Rebel 300. In 1966, the race was...
. It was his first multiple-win season since 1999. In the 2009 LifeLock 400, Martin won his third race of the season when
Jimmie Johnson Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....
and
Greg BiffleGregory Jack "Greg" Biffle is a NASCAR driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-90s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former announcer Benny Parsons...
ran out of fuel in the last two laps. Martin added a series-leading fourth win at the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland in July, holding off a charging
Jeff GordonJeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
. Because he and teammate Gordon also finished 1–2 at the LifeLock 400 at Michigan in June, LifeLock will pay a $1 million bonus to a family in Colorado. Despite his series-leading four wins, due to some early season troubles, including two engine failures, a blown tire, and getting caught up in multi-car wrecks at Talladega and Daytona, Martin had struggled to get into the top 12, moving up two spots to 11th place with the win at
Chicagoland SpeedwayChicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
. Martin also got his fifth pole of the 2009 season at
Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
for the
Sharpie 500The Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. It is one of two Sprint Cup races held at Bristol, the other being the Food City 500, but it is by far the more popular of the two...
.
After being on the Chase bubble for most of the season, Martin qualified for the 2009 Chase, as he was in sixth place in the standings following the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Because he led the Chase drivers in wins, with four, the Chase reseeding process moved him up five places and made him the points leader.
On September 18, 2009, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Hendrick Motorsports announced that
Go DaddyGo Daddy is an Internet domain registrar and Web hosting company that also sells e-business related software and services. In 2010, it reached more than 45 million domain names under management. Go Daddy is currently the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the world, and is four times the size of...
would sponsor Martin's No. 5 Chevrolet for 20 races in 2010 and 2011, and that Martin had signed to drive full-time for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series through 2011.
Two days later, he won his fifth race of the year by taking the
Sylvania 300The Sylvania 300 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.The Sylvania 300 has traditionally held in mid-September, however, the race has been rescheduled once in its history...
at New Hampshire in the first race of the Chase. The win broke Martin's tie with
Kyle BuschKyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
for the series wins lead and marked the third time in his career that he had won at least five times in a season (1993 and 1998). Martin extended his lead to 35 points over Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, who were tied for second in the standings.
At the end of the
2009 AMP Energy 500The 2009 AMP Energy 500 was the 33rd race of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and the seventh event of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. It was held on November 1, 2009 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, and is the only race in the Championship Chase to utilize restrictor plates...
, Martin's Chevrolet turned after contact with another car and flipped over one and a half times. It was the second time Martin had ever been upside down in his racing career. Once righted, Martin managed to drive the Chevy across the finish line.
Entering the season finale at
Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
, Martin and Johnson were the only drivers still able to win the 2009 Sprint Cup championship. Martin finished 12th in the race, which was not enough to overcome Johnson's lead. Martin again finished second in the standings, for the fifth time in his career.
In 2010, Mark started the year off strong with his new sponsor
Go DaddyGo Daddy is an Internet domain registrar and Web hosting company that also sells e-business related software and services. In 2010, it reached more than 45 million domain names under management. Go Daddy is currently the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the world, and is four times the size of...
and won the pole for the 52nd
Daytona 500The 2010 Daytona 500 was the 52nd running of "The Great American Race", and it kicked off the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on February 14 at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Fox telecast the race while radio coverage was handled by Sirius XM Radio...
.
In the Bud Shootout, he was running well. However, he was caught up in the "big one" during a green-white-checker finish and finished 21st.
Mark started the Daytona 500 well, leading the majority of the first 30 Laps, but after being stuck in the "Sucker hole", he dropped down as low as 33rd and had to pick his way through the rest of the day. By the finish of the race, Martin ended the day a solid 12th and a good start to the year going to California.
Mark would run well at California and Las Vegas, scoring back-to-back 4th place finishes, and advancing as high as 3rd in the points standings, only 49 points out of the lead. However, "
Lady LuckLady Luck may refer to:* Fortuna, in Roman mythology, goddess of fortune* Tyche, in Greek mythology, goddess of fortune* Lady Luck , a film starring Robert Young and Barbara Hale...
" would turn her back to Martin in the next 3 races.
Mark would get caught up in a wreck at Atlanta and Bristol, finishing 33rd and 35th, respectively. Mark was leading the field and running top-5 during most of the day, until a flat tire at Martinsville would relegate him to a 21st place run. During the stretch of bad luck, Mark fell from 3rd to 17th in the points standings, 214 points behind the leader.
The next three races of the 2010 season would see Martin rally back. With a 4th place finish at Phoenix, 6th place finish at Texas, and a 5th place finish at Talladega, Mark jumped from 17th in the points standings to 6th, 169 points behind the leader.
Mark's bad luck struck again in the following 3 races, as he struggled to get a handle on his race cars. A 25th place finish at Richmond, 16th place finish at Darlington, and 15th place finish at Dover would cause Mark to fall to 11th in the points standings, 293 points behind the leader.
In the Sprint All-Star race, qualifying was rained out. The field was set in the order the drivers drew. Martin started 15th. He finished the first 50-lap segment in 15th. He would use a two-tire pit stop to gain position and would finish the second 20-lap segment in 3rd. He would hold his position in the third 20-lap segment and finish 3rd. Mark would lose a spot during the mandatory 4-tire pit stop before the start of the final 10-lap shootout for the $1 million. However, as the field took the green, Mark would be hit by another car and crash, finishing 17th.
A week later, Mark returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. Mark qualified 11th and struggled much of the race with handling issues. However, during a caution with 20 laps to go, most of the field pitted, and Mark opted to stay out. He restarted 2nd and finished the race in 4th.
Mark Martin had a season best finish of second at the 2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500. Martin crashed with 275 laps to go, but managed to work his way up 15 spots with bent fenders and no rear end. Martin will not ride for Hendrick Motorsports in the 2012, because driver Kasey Kahne will take his ride in the 2012 season.
In
2011The following NASCAR national series are scheduled to be held in 2011:*2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – The top racing series in NASCAR*2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series – The second-highest racing series in NASCAR...
, he began the season with an accident in the
Budweiser ShootoutThe 2011 Budweiser Shootout was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on February 12, 2011 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 75 laps, it was the first exhibition race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season. The race was won by Kurt...
. During the
following raceThe 2011 Daytona 500, the 53rd running of the event, was held on February 20, 2011 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. First race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season, it was won by the Wood Brothers...
, he was involved in a
multiple-car accidentThe phrase The Big One refers to an accident involving roughly eight or more cars in NASCAR stock car racing.Though multi-car pileups have occurred at nearly every NASCAR track, the term is largely reserved for large Sprint Cup accidents at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway...
. In the
Subway Fresh Fit 500The 2011 Subway Fresh Fit 500 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on February 27, 2011 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. Contested over 312 laps, it was the second race of the 2011 season. The race was won by Jeff Gordon for the Hendrick Motorsports team...
, he managed to finish in the 13th position. One week later, Martin participated in the Nationwide Series
Sam's Town 300The Sam's Town 300 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series stock car race held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been scheduled as either the third, fourth, or fifth race of the season for the Nationwide Series since it was first held in 1997....
at
Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
, where he was able to win his 49th race in the series. The victory was also the first for his team, Turner Motorsports.
Michael Waltrip Racing
On November 4th, 2011, it was announced that Martin would replace
David ReutimannEmil David Reutimann is the driver the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine/Tums/Best Western Toyota Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
in the #00 for MWR in 2012, a deal lasting through 2013. He will drive at least 25 races in both seasons.
NASCAR Career Statistics
| Year |
Races |
Wins |
Poles |
Top 5 |
Top 10 |
DNF |
Finish |
Start |
Winnings |
Season Rank |
Team(s) |
| 1981 |
5/31 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
15.0 |
3.6 |
$13,950 |
42 |
Owner/Driver |
| 1982 |
30/30 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
12 |
19.5 |
15.1 |
$115,600 |
16 |
Owner/Driver and Bob Rodgers Bob Rodgers is a former sportscaster and prodcuer who worked for the New England Sports Network from 1987-2004.Rodgers joined NESN in 1987 as an associate producer. He became an on-camera personality in June 1993; co-hosting SportsDesk with Dawn Mitchell. In 1996 he became the host of the Boston...
|
| 1983 |
16/30 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
21.0 |
15.6 |
$99,655 |
30 |
J.D. Stacy (seven races), Morgan-McClure (six), D.K. Ulrich (two), Owner/Driver (one) |
| 1986 |
5/29 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
21.8 |
15.2 |
$20,515 |
48 |
Gunderman Racing |
| 1987 |
1/29 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
39.0 |
41.0 |
$3,550 |
103 |
Roger Hamby |
| 1988 |
29/29 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
19.5 |
11.5 |
$189,400 |
15 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1989 |
29/29 |
1 |
6 |
14 |
18 |
4 |
10.7 |
5.3 |
$621,788 |
3 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1990 |
29/29 |
3 |
4 |
16 |
23 |
1 |
6.6 |
5.4 |
$803,095 |
2 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1991 |
29/29 |
1 |
5 |
14 |
17 |
5 |
12.0 |
7.9 |
$805,105 |
6 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1992 |
29/29 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
17 |
5 |
12.4 |
8.1 |
$809,505 |
6 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1993 |
30/30 |
5 |
5 |
12 |
19 |
3 |
11.6 |
8.8 |
$1,151,890 |
3 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1994 |
31/31 |
2 |
1 |
15 |
20 |
5 |
11.7 |
8.1 |
$1,054,237 |
2 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1995 |
31/31 |
4 |
4 |
13 |
22 |
8 |
10.7 |
8.4 |
$1,499,466 |
4 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1996 |
31/31 |
0 |
4 |
14 |
23 |
4 |
11.3 |
8.8 |
$1,532,555 |
5 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1997 |
32/32 |
4 |
3 |
16 |
24 |
3 |
9.0 |
11.0 |
$1,829,550 |
3 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1998 |
33/33 |
7 |
3 |
22 |
26 |
1 |
8.6 |
8.9 |
$3,255,470 |
2 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 1999 |
34/34 |
2 |
1 |
19 |
26 |
3 |
9.4 |
8.2 |
$2,802,227 |
3 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2000 |
34/34 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
20 |
6 |
13.6 |
11.0 |
$2,743,615 |
8 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2001 |
36/36 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
4 |
17.9 |
15.6 |
$3,487,719 |
12 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2002 |
36/36 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
22 |
3 |
12.2 |
16.0 |
$5,279,405 |
2 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2003 |
36/36 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
7 |
20.2 |
20.7 |
$4,048,847 |
17 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2004 |
36/36 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
15 |
2 |
13.8 |
15.2 |
$3,948,497 |
4 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2005 |
36/36 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
19 |
2 |
13.2 |
15.5 |
$5,994,353 |
4 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2006 |
36/36 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
15 |
2 |
14.2 |
16.1 |
$4,097,203 |
9 |
Jack RoushJack Roush is the founder, CEO, and co-owner along with John Henry of Roush Fenway Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises....
|
| 2007 |
24/36 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
11 |
2 |
14.5 |
16.2 |
$4,097,203 |
27 |
Ginn Racing |
| 2008 |
24/36 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
2 |
13.3 |
11.5 |
$3,553,705 |
28 |
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated |
| 2009 |
36/36 |
5 |
7 |
14 |
21 |
1 |
15.6 |
11.0 |
$3,839,482 |
2 |
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
|
| 2010 |
36/36 |
0 |
1 |
9 |
14 |
0 |
16.8 |
12.6 |
$3,321,410 |
13 |
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
|
| 2011 |
32/36 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
16.4 |
14.9 |
$1,920,110 |
14 |
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
|
|
| Totals |
762 |
40 |
50 |
259 |
419 |
108 |
|
|
$82,430,958 |
Data as of October 23, 2011
Personal life
Martin currently resides in
Daytona Beach, FloridaDaytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, with his wife Arlene and five children (four of whom are from his wife's first marriage). His son Matt raced for a time in lower series. Martin's father, stepmother and half-sister died in a plane crash on August 8, 1998 in
NevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
near
Great Basin National ParkGreat Basin National Park is a United States National Park established in 1986, located in east-central Nevada near the Utah border. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains. Topographically, this area is...
. Martin enjoys listening to rap music. Martin is also an avid pilot and flies his personal jet to and from races. He also currently owns three
car dealershipA car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
s, including Mark Martin
ChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
located in
Melbourne, ArkansasMelbourne is a city in Izard County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,673 at the 2000 census. The town is the county seat of Izard County, and home to the main campus of Ozarka College.-Geography:Melbourne is located at ....
and another, Mark Martin
FordFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
-
MercuryMercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
, in
Batesville, ArkansasBatesville is the county seat and largest city of Independence County, Arkansas, United States, 80 miles northeast of Little Rock, the state capital. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 9,556...
.
External links