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//  Friday, March 12, 2010

Martin, 50, Wins First Race Since 2005

Sunday, April 19, 2009
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He may be old enough to be a father to half of his fellow drivers, but Mark Martin does not act a day older than them.

Mark Martin, at 50 years old, becomes the third oldest driver to win a Sprint Cup Series race, it was his first since Kansas in 2005, 97 races ago.

"I told the guys I don't have any problem keeping up with a 25-year-old - at least not for the next 15 minutes," Martin said. "I feel really good."

Martin, who several times flirted with retirement, and was even given a rocking chair by the NASCAR on FOX crew, started the race on the pole and led 157 of 312 laps. With 11 laps to go a caution was called erasing what had been a four second lead over second place Tony Stewart. That caution sent all the leaders down pit road, for their final stop of the race.

Ryan Newman however stayed on the track and took the lead, but Mark Martin won a crowded race off of pit road with Tony Stewart coming out of the race second.

Newman wasn't even able to keep the lead for one lap, as it took Martin almost no time to cruise past Newman, he would extend the lead and go to victory lane for the first time since 2005.

The last time someone 50 years or older won a Sprint Cup race was Morgan Shepherd at Atlanta in 1993. The oldest driver to ever win a race though was Harry Gant in 1992 in Michigan, when he was 52 years old.

The only other driver to win a race over the age of 50 is Bobby Allison.

"Age is irrelevant with Mark," crew chief Alan Gustafson said. "I don't even think about it. It doesn't even come into the equation. Mark's enthusiasm, his energy, his drive ... he's incredible. He's as good as any of them."

Martin was greeted by many in the NASCAR family in victory lane including NASCAR president Mike Helton, former owner Jack Roush, and former Roush Racing teammates, Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth.

Overall this was Martin 36th career cup victory, but his first not in a car owned by Jack Roush, who he spent 18 years racing for. Martin had planned to retire after 2006, but when Martin changed his mind about it, Roush had already filled his seat with David Ragan.

"He seemed genuinely happy," Martin said of Roush's Victory Lane visit.

"There's no shame in losing to a guy like Mark Martin," said Stewart, who finished second. "I am really happy for Mark. Nobody works harder than Mark to be fit, to stay in shape and be ready to go."

Former teammate Kurt Busch finished third, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle.

Everyone from around the NASCAR garages had nothing but good things to say about Martin and his victory.

"The guy has been at the top of his game in the sport for 30 years," said Busch, who raced with Martin at Roush. "He's a tremendous athlete, a tremendous individual and he's definitely going to put together."

In nearly two decades Martin was never able to win a Cup Championship, leading to him being called perhaps the best driver not to win a title. The pursuit of a title is what many believed lead to him joining Hendrick Motorsports. This is the first time in three years that he is racing a full Sprint Cup schedule. For the past two seasons he has raced part time with Dale Earnhardt Inc., sharing the 01 and the 8 with young drivers Regan Smith and Aric Almirola.

Martin has bounced back nicely from a bad start that at one point left him 34th in drivers and owners points. He is now up to 13th after his win, he came in to Phoenix 18th in points.

After the race, he did not seem ready to talk about a run at the championship.

"I am not going to ruin a good time by worrying about," he said. "Let me enjoy this."

Martin was congratulated by team owner Rick Hendrick after the race, via a phone call, he missed his team win their third straight race, as Johnson won at Martinsville, and Jeff Gordon at Texas.

"He just congratulated me, man," Martin said of the phone call. "He makes dreams come true."

He celebrated the victory the same way his late friend and competitor, Alan Kulwicki did when he won his first career race, which was also at Phoenix, and that was by taking a lap around the track in the opposite direction.

You guys knew I wasn't going to do a burnout," he joked.

The rest of the top ten went as follows, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann, Sam Hornish Jr., and Carl Edwards.

 

 

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