Mark Martin

**Craig** · 26 Feb 2007, 00:54 (Ref:1851626)

So... after Fontana Mark Martin leads the championship... what chance a second car so he can run the whole season??

rustyfan · 26 Feb 2007, 01:07 (Ref:1851633)

The team has apparently told him that they will get him a car if he wants to run the full season.

muggle not · 26 Feb 2007, 01:17 (Ref:1851640)

My guess is that if he decides to run the whole season he can keep the car he has and they will field a different car for Regan smith.

Hazza · 26 Feb 2007, 01:27 (Ref:1851645)

How many more confirmed races does he have? He's be silly to say no considering the incredible form he has got going at the moment.

Then again, he may not want to, which is fine.

muggle not · 26 Feb 2007, 01:29 (Ref:1851648)

I believe that he is scheduled to run the first 4 races of the season. after that I am not sure. If he is in the top 5 after the first 4 races....go for it.

Fish_Flake · 26 Feb 2007, 02:17 (Ref:1851659)

Mark Martin's retirement clearly has nothing to do with a decline in his driving skills. He proved that by qualifying for the Chase each of the previous three years. I believe that his decision was fueled at least in part by Roush Racing's desire to install another young driver into his loaded NEXTEL Cup stable. Whether Mark's commitment ever wavered because of this inevitability or if Roush simply told him to get out of the car, I can't say for sure. The primary question right now for him is if he has the commitment now, with his new team, to continue competing at the top level, because it is obvious that he still has the talent.

He is seeing his contemporaries, the veteran race-winning drivers in their mid-forties and beyond, take several different paths as their careers begin to come to their conclusion. Some, like Rudd, Jarrett, and Ward Burton, coming back to drive full-time after seemingly walking away from the sport, while others such as Schrader, Elliott, and Terry Labonte, keep poking their heads in the door on a semi-regular basis. Meanwhile, as a very personable and well-spoken guy, he can do what Rusty Wallace did, lobby for a high-profile broadcast job and never have to strap into a race car again.

In addition, Bobby Ginn is a new-money owner who wants to make a big splash in NASCAR. The man has come seemingly from out of nowhere to become a major player in the fields of hospitality and real estate. The team that he has taken over is a respectable program, but a far cry from the Hendricks and Roushes of the sport. The other two full-time drivers he has, Nemechek and Marlin, are well-suited for the team that Ginn Racing used to be. They qualify near the front of the grid and stay there for solid finishing results. What they won't do, though, is contend for race wins week-in and week-out, and they won't be a threat for the championship. Mark Martin would give Ginn that, and I'm sure that Bobby Ginn is offering Mark whatever he can offer him to convince Mark to make another run at the Cup. Once again, though, it is up to Mark's commitment whether he takes up that offer or not.

**FIRE** · 26 Feb 2007, 16:25 (Ref:1852096)

No full season for Martin:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56955

**Craig** · 26 Feb 2007, 16:49 (Ref:1852115)

Bah, that's a real shame! The end of the season is faaaar to long away to be thinking about it, but what a fairytale it would have been!

I've just looked on the Ginn Racing website and they've got a list of the planned outings:

Quote:

Feb. 10 Bud Shootout @ Daytona
Feb. 18 Daytona 500
Feb. 25 California Speedway
March 11 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
March 18 Atlanta Motor Speedway
April 15 Texas Motor Speedway
April 21 Phoenix International Raceway
May 5 Richmond International Raceway
May 12 Darlington Raceway
May 19 Nextel All-Star Challenge
May 27 Cola-Cola 600
June 3 Dover International Speedway
June 10 Pocono Raceway
June 17 Michigan International Speedway
July 7 Daytona International Speedway
July 15 Chicagoland Speedway
July 29 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
August 19 Michigan International Speedway
Sept. 30 Kansas Speedway
Oct. 13 Lowes Motor Speedway
Oct. 28 Atlanta Motor Speedway
Nov. 4 Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 18 Homestead-Miami Speedway

I'm really disappointed to see that he'll not be running at Talladega, I'd have looked forward to cheering him on there!

Speedworx · 26 Feb 2007, 20:51 (Ref:1852283)

Seems like the Busch series, where a part time driver leads early on.

muggle not · 27 Feb 2007, 02:44 (Ref:1852501)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

No full season for Martin:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56955

We shall see after the first 4 races. I have mixed emotions on him racing the full season. I would like to see mark give it a whirl if he continues to lead after the first 4 races However I also want to see Regan get behind the wheel. Regan almost raced for us 4 or 5 years ago and he used to come to the garage and help my son work on the race car. He is one heck of a good young guy.

Dudley · 27 Feb 2007, 11:28 (Ref:1852734)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

So... after Fontana Mark Martin leads the championship... what chance a second car so he can run the whole season??

It would be a 4th car. They already run Sterling and Joe as well as Mark.

**gomick** · 27 Feb 2007, 12:04 (Ref:1852758)

4th car - sterling marlin, joe nemechek, mark martin & regan smith - is that right

cant remember, did regan smith run well in the busch or nextel race at fontana?

muggle not · 27 Feb 2007, 13:35 (Ref:1852824)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

4th car - sterling marlin, joe nemechek, mark martin & regan smith - is that right

cant remember, did regan smith run well in the busch or nextel race at fontana?

He ran very well and came in 9th.

**Craig** · 27 Feb 2007, 19:07 (Ref:1853101)

Sorry, I meant to say 'extra car'

Why the

gomick?

Hazza · 27 Feb 2007, 23:38 (Ref:1853360)

That's lip. I wouldn't take that Craig.

Hazza · 27 Feb 2007, 23:43 (Ref:1853367)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autosport.com

Mark Martin has said that he will not switch to a full-time campaign with Ginn Racing this year despite his strong start to the season.

The 48-year-old is leading the Nextel Cup standings after two races with his new team, but the former Roush driver denied that he would consider a full-time campaign if the success continued.

"No," he said when asked if he would stay in the car all year. "I am proud to be here and I am loving this, it is just awesome."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56955

**gomick** · 28 Feb 2007, 08:46 (Ref:1853547)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

Sorry, I meant to say 'extra car'

Why the

gomick?

sorry mate, to me that "smilie" is a "i'm not 100% sure/?" icon - directed at myself, not you

Dudley · 28 Feb 2007, 17:43 (Ref:1853922)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

4th car - sterling marlin, joe nemechek, mark martin & regan smith - is that right

cant remember, did regan smith run well in the busch or nextel race at fontana?

Yes, he currently runs 3 with Mark and Regan sharing. Regan was entered in the Nextel race at Fontana with "Ginn resorts" as sponser but I believe the entry was withdrawn.

**Craig** · 28 Feb 2007, 18:22 (Ref:1853953)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

sorry mate, to me that "smilie" is a "i'm not 100% sure/?" icon - directed at myself, not you

No worries, didn't think it was directed at anyone - I just didn't understand the point you were making!

Try a

next time

**gomick** · 1 Mar 2007, 13:51 (Ref:1854590)

yeah saw that icon - just know how to type the 'rolleye' icon of by heart

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