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Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959), nicknamed "the Kid", is an American former stock car racing driver. He most notably drove the No. 6 Ford for Roush Racing for the majority of his career.

Key Information

From 1989 to 2009, Martin won forty Cup Series races, 35 of which came with Roush. He is widely described and regarded by many as the greatest driver to never win a championship, finishing second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings five times, and third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings four times. Known for his longevity and endurance, Martin continued to compete for wins and championships well into his early fifties, finishing second in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings at the age of fifty. Martin also failed to win the Daytona 500 during his career despite coming close on numerous occasions. He also has the second most wins all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49. Additionally, Martin has won five IROC Championships along with thirteen race wins, the most by any driver in series history.[2][3][4] Martin is the final driver born in the 1950s to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.

Early career

[edit]

Martin was born in Batesville, Arkansas. He began his racing career as a young man on the dirt tracks of Arkansas. He moved on to asphalt racing and joined the ASA racing series. During his ASA career, Martin raced against Dick Trickle, Jim Sauter, Joe Shear, and Bobby Allison. He won 1977 ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year. Martin won twenty-two ASA races and four championships, in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1986.[5]

NASCAR career

[edit]

1981–1982

[edit]

Martin had a tumultuous beginning in NASCAR, driving for six different teams from 1981 to 1987. He made five starts in 1981 driving for a team owned by Bud Reeder,[6] earning two pole positions at Nashville and Richmond and finishing third in his final race at Martinsville.[7]

Martin raced full-time in 1982 with the Bud Reeder team,[8] competing for Rookie of the Year.[6] The team struggled for consistency, posting only eight top tens compared to twelve DNFs in thirty starts, including a string of five DNFs in six races. Completing only 73.7 percent of the laps and leading only four laps all season led to Martin finishing fourteenth in the final standings and finishing second to Geoff Bodine for Rookie of the Year. Despite finishing strongly, with two top-tens in the final two races, including a fifth place finish at Riverside, Martin and Reeder parted ways after the season. He remains the only driver to run more than six races for a team owned or co-owned by Reeder.[9] At the end of the season Martin sold off the team, having signed with Jim Stacy to race in 1983.[6]

1983–1986

[edit]

Martin started 1983 driving for Jim Stacy. The two parted ways after just seven races, posting three top-eleven finishes while having four races finishing 24th or worse. Following a two-race stint driving for D. K. Ulrich and one for Emanuel Zervakis, he landed a ride with Morgan-McClure Motorsports for six races, becoming the organization's first driver. While with MMM, Martin posted four finishes inside the top-twenty, including a tenth at Talladega.

Unable to secure a ride for 1984, Martin went back to driving in the American Speed Association.[6] Jimmy Fennig came aboard as crew chief in 1985 and the two would go on to win the ASA championship the next season, which was Martin's fourth series championship. His success in his three-year stint in ASA landed Martin a part-time ride driving for Jerry Gunderman.[6] In five starts, he posted two top-fifteen finishes and started on the outside pole at Atlanta.

1987

[edit]

Martin's success from the previous three seasons landed him a full-time ride driving for Bruce Lawmaster in the Busch Series. The season started strong as he posted two wins, three poles, nine top-tens, and was fourth in the standings after fifteen races. After just one DNF in the first fifteen races, Martin had seven DNFs in the final twelve races, including six due to mechanical failure and four blown engines. Despite finishing in the top-ten in the other five races, the team's failure to finish toward the end dropped Martin from fourth to eighth place in the final standings.

Although the late-season collapse ended Martin's chance at winning the championship, the success he had in 1987 caught the eye of Jack Roush, who chose Martin to drive for him in the Winston Cup Series for 1988.[10] He finished 1987 with three wins, six poles, thirteen top-tens, and an eighth place finish in the points standings.

Roush Racing

[edit]

1988–1991

[edit]
1989 Winston Cup car on pit road at Phoenix

Martin came aboard the newly formed Roush Racing, with crew chief Steve Hmiel, for the first of nineteen seasons in 1988, driving the No. 6 Ford Thunderbird. Martin showed both signs of struggle and potential in its inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, recording three top-five finishes and ten top-ten finishes along with winning the pole at Dover. He finished a season-high 2nd-place at Bristol early in the season. Consistency proved crucial as ten DNF's prevented Martin from cracking the top-ten in points for the entire season. He finished his comeback season fifteenth in the standings. Martin also competed in the Busch Series on a limited basis for Bill Davis Racing from 1988 to 1991.[11]

Martin's 1989 season began much like his 1988 season, with a DNF in the Daytona 500. After his first four races, he was eighteenth in the standings but went on to continue the season with four poles and finishing 6th or better in the next seven starts. He spent much of the season fluctuating between second and fifth in the standings.[12] With three races remaining, he won his first Winston Cup race at Rockingham, beating eventual series champion Rusty Wallace by three seconds. It was the first win for Roush as an owner. An engine failure in the season finale at Atlanta relegated him to a 3rd-place finish in the standings. Martin led the series with a 5.3 average starting position, posting six poles and twenty-six top-ten starting positions in twenty-nine races. He also posted fourteen Top 5 finishes, eighteen top-ten finishes, and reduced his DNF total from ten to four.

Martin entered the 1990 season as a favorite to win the Winston Cup championship. He started the season with a 21st place finish in the Daytona 500, his first finish in the big race in six attempts. His team was met with controversy following his second career win at Richmond. During post-race inspection, it was determined that he had raced with an illegal carburetor spacer. Ironically, had the spacer been welded instead of bolted on, it would not have been considered illegal. The consensus among Mark's fellow competitors was that this was not a performance advantage, but also was not strictly within the "letter of the law" with regard to the NASCAR rulebook. As a result, Martin was penalized 46 championship points, and crew chief Robin Pemberton was fined $40,000.[13]

Following a DNF the next race, Martin finished no worse than fourteenth over the final twenty-six races. He gained the championship points lead one-third into the season and held onto it for sixteen races before dropping it to Dale Earnhardt with two races to go. Despite having three wins, sixteen top-fives, twenty-three top-tens, and three poles, Martin lost to Earnhardt by twenty-six points in the final standings. Had the 46-point penalty never occurred, he theoretically would have won the championship over Earnhardt by twenty points.

Martin's 1991 season was disappointing compared to the previous season, as he entered with expectations of winning the series championship. Although he ran well, he never achieved the points lead throughout the course of the season and was winless entering the season finale at Atlanta, a race he won. He also came close to winning at Charlotte three races prior, leading 198 of the first 212 laps before engine failure ended his race. Along with his win at Atlanta, Martin finished the season with fourteen top-fives, seventeen top-tens, five poles, and a sixth place finish in the standings.

1992–2004

[edit]
Martin's paint scheme for 1996–1997.
Martin prior to qualifying at Pocono 1998

Mark entered the 1992 season's final race, the 1992 Hooters 500 in Atlanta, as one of six drivers in contention for winning the championship, but an engine failure on lap 160 ended his championship hopes. He finished the season with wins at Martinsville and Charlotte, along with ten top-five finishes, seventeen top-ten finishes, one pole, and a second consecutive sixth place finish in the standings.

Martin began 1993 with a sixth place finish in the 1993 Daytona 500, his first top-twenty finish in the big race. In the second half of the season, he became the sixth driver in NASCAR's modern era to win four consecutive races, winning at Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol, and Darlington. Along with a win at Phoenix, Martin finished with five wins, twelve top-five finishes, nineteen top-ten finishes, and five poles en route to a third place finish in the standings, 376 points behind Dale Earnhardt and 296 points behind points runner-up Rusty Wallace. It was his first top-five finish in the standings since his near-championship win three years earlier.

Despite having eight DNF's, Martin finished second to Dale Earnhardt in the 1994 standings, 444 points behind. He posted two wins, including winning from the pole at Watkins Glen for the second consecutive year, and the season finale in Atlanta. Martin also scored fifteen top-fives and twenty top-tens during the season, his most since 1990. Other than the season opener at Daytona, Martin was never outside the top-five in the standings. Among the highlights of Martin's 1994 season was a spectacular and frightening crash at the 1994 Winston Select 500: on Lap 103, Todd Bodine, Greg Sacks, and Jeff Gordon got together in the tri-oval, collecting an additional eight cars, including Martin. Martin's car lost its brakes, ran through the infield grass, smashed the inside wall, and plowed through a guardrail, a chain-link fence, and lastly another guardrail protecting the infield road course, coming to rest only feet from a spectator area.

In 1994, Martin raced in the Busch Series. That year he became known for a mistake he made at Bristol. Martin would lead the field to a white and caution flag to win. When coming back by, Martin went down pit road thinking it was over but he did not take the checkered flag. David Green took the win, and in victory circle Green would say "I feel bad for him. A tough way for me to win, but I will take it." Martin finished in eleventh; afterwards he stated "I can't believe anybody else would be that stupid," and that the mistake was "the stupidest thing I've ever done".[14]

Martin won four races in 1995, including his third consecutive win from the pole at Watkins Glen and at Talladega, his first restrictor-plate win. He also finished with thirteen top-fives and twenty-two Top 10's. Though he had only one DNF, he had five finishes of 28th or worse, which earned him fourth place in the standings. Martin was one of three drivers, the others being Dale Earnhardt and Sterling Marlin, to be ranked in the top-five for all thirty-one races; none of them won the championship. For the Busch Series in 1995, Martin won three races, including the controversial Detroit Gasket 200 where Dale Jarrett won before being disqualified, handing victory to Martin.

In 1996, Martin was winless for the first time in eight seasons. Other than his lack of wins, his season was very similar to 1995, with fourteen top-five finishes, twenty-three top-ten finishes, and four poles. He finished a season-high second four times, including at Michigan when he was passed by winner Dale Jarrett with eight laps to go. He finished the season fifth in the standings and had fifteen consecutive top-ten finishes to close out the season.

In 1997, Martin would rebound, scoring four wins at Sonoma, Talladega, Michigan, and Dover. He finished third in the final standings, 29 points behind champion Jeff Gordon and fifteen points behind runner-up Dale Jarrett.

In 1998, Martin had his best season, scoring seven wins, twenty-two top-fives, twenty-six top-ten's, and three poles with an average finish of 8.64. But once again, Martin would rank as runner-up in the standings to Jeff Gordon by 364 points.

Although he scored only two wins in 1999, Martin scored twenty-six top-tens for the second consecutive season and finished third in points.

In 2000, Mark won just once that season at the 2000 Goody's Body Pain 500 and finished eighth in points, his first finish outside the top-five since 1992.

His struggles continued in 2001, as he went winless for the first time since 1996 and finished twelfth in points.

In 2002, Martin would get a new crew chief in Ben Leslie as Fennig moved to second-year driver Kurt Busch. The move would pay off for both sides, as Martin would win one race that season at the Coca-Cola 600 and was a championship contender all season. He even led the standings at one point, but a late-season penalty at Rockingham arguably cost him the championship, as he came home second again, this time to Tony Stewart.

Martin struggled again in 2003, going winless and finishing seventeenth in points. Ben Leslie was reassigned to the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing car with two races remaining in 2003. Subsequently, Pat Tryson was brought on as the new crew chief for the No. 6 team. With Tryson, Martin returned to victory lane in the 2004 MBNA America 400 and finished fourth in points.

2005–2006

[edit]
Martin's No. 6 Viagra Ford Taurus
Martin at Infineon Raceway in 2005
Martin in his final season for Roush in 2006.

Overall, with Roush Racing, Martin won thirty-five career NASCAR Cup Series races and finished second in the Cup Series point standings four times (1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002). While racing for Roush in 1990, Martin came 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 Earnhardt by 26 points in the final standings. During this time, Martin also won five IROC titles (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2005) and thirteen races, both records for that series.

Martin announced he would cut back from "full-time" Cup Series racing after the 2005 season, dubbing the season the "Salute to You" tour as a thank-you to his fans. Martin won the Nextel Challenge in a "Retro 93" paint scheme, picked up his final win with Roush at Kansas, and again made the Chase for the Cup with a ninth place finish in the standings at the end of the year. In a tribute to Martin's career at Roush, the team ran four throwback retro schemes in 2005 that celebrated paint schemes from 1981, 1988–89, 1990–91, and 1993.

In June 2005, it was announced that Jamie McMurray would replace Martin in the No. 6 car in 2006. However, after the departure of Kurt Busch in 2005, Roush was left without a driver for the No. 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 Racing one year early and would take over for Busch, who was dismissed from the Roush organization before the end of the 2005 season. David Ragan was announced as Martin's replacement in the No. 6 for 2007.

In 2006, Martin competed in fourteen of 25 races in the Truck Series. He won six times, including the opener at Daytona, and recorded twelve top-ten finishes.[12]

Ginn Racing & Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

[edit]

2007

[edit]
Martin (No. 01) in the 2007 Daytona 500

On October 6, 2006, it was announced that Martin would split time with Regan Smith in the Ginn Racing No. 01 Chevrolet in 2007. Roush Racing announced that due to team limits imposed by NASCAR, they could not field a team for Martin for all twenty races he wanted to race in 2007, forcing him 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 Motorsports, sharing the No. 5 with Kyle Busch.

Martin finished second in the 2007 Daytona 500, only 0.020 seconds behind Kevin Harvick in one of the most controversial finishes in the race's history. 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.[15] Normally, the caution flag is shown as soon as one or more cars make contact with the wall. Despite the controversy, Martin was gracious in defeat, saying, "I didn't get the job done."

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 was also the first time he 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 500, through the fourth race of the season, the Kobalt Tools 500. Martin did not compete in the Food City 500, becoming the first driver since Cale Yarborough to sit out a race as the points leader.

On July 25, 2007, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. announced it had acquired Ginn Racing, and Martin joined Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., and Paul Menard as a driver for DEI starting at the 2007 Brickyard 400. He shared the No. 01 car with Aric Almirola for the rest of the season.

2008

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2008 Sprint Cup car

On September 8, 2007, it was announced that Martin would share the No. 8 car with Aric Almirola in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series.

Martin made his seven-hundredth career start at the 2008 Auto Club 500. On March 1, 2008, Martin won the 2008 Sam's Town 300 driving the No. 5 Delphi Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. It was Martin's 48th career Nationwide Series victory and JR Motorsports' first win. Martin finished out 2008 with eleven top-ten's in twenty-one starts.

Martin at Texas 2008

During the weekend of the 2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350, ESPN reported that Martin was leaving Dale Earnhardt, Inc. following the 2008 season. It was announced that Aric Almirola, who had shared the No. 8 car with Martin, would drive the car full-time in 2009.[16]

Hendrick Motorsports

[edit]

2009: Runner-up points finish

[edit]
2009 Sprint Cup car at Charlotte

On July 4, 2008, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and Martin announced that he would replace Casey Mears in the No. 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 the following week at Bristol.[17]

On April 18, 2009, Martin became the fourth driver to win a Cup race in NASCAR after turning 50, winning the 2009 Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix from the pole position.[18] The other three were Bobby Allison, Morgan Shepherd (twice), and Harry Gant (8 times, last in 1992).[19] His win snapped a 97-race winless streak dating back to 2005. After the victory, he did a Polish Victory Lap as a tribute to his late friend Alan Kulwicki, at the place where Kulwicki did his first Polish Victory Lap.[18] 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 2009 Southern 500. 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 and Greg Biffle ran out of fuel in the last two laps while Martin had strategically conserved fuel and stayed back in third, waiting for the leaders to run out. Martin added a series-leading fourth win at the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland in July, holding off a charging Jeff Gordon. 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.[20] 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-twelve, moving up two spots to eleventh place with the win at Chicagoland.[21] Martin also got his fifth pole of the 2009 season at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Sharpie 500.[22]

After being on the Chase bubble for most of the season, Martin qualified for the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup, as he was in sixth place in the standings following the 2009 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 20, he won his fortieth and final career victory in Cup competition by taking the 2009 Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the first race of the Chase. The win broke Martin's tie with Kyle Busch for the series wins lead and marked the third and final 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 500 at Talladega, Martin was involved in a frightening crash in the last laps when he turned after contact with Martin Truex Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya, 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 his car back to pit road. The wreck essentially ended his championship hopes according to experts.

Entering the season finale at Homestead–Miami Speedway, Martin and Johnson were the only drivers still able to win the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Martin finished twelfth in the race, which was not enough to overcome Johnson's lead. Martin again finished second in the standings, for the fifth and final time in his career.

2010

[edit]
2010 Sprint Cup car at Infineon Raceway

In 2010, Martin started the year strong and won the pole for the 2010 Daytona 500.

Martin ran well in the Sprint Unlimited, but was caught up in the "big one" during a green–white–checkered finish and finished 21st. Martin started the Daytona 500 well, leading the majority of the first thirty laps, but after being stuck in the middle line of the racing pack, he dropped down as low as 33rd and had to pick his way through the rest of the day, eventually finishing twelfth.

Martin ran well at the 2010 Auto Club 500 and 2010 Shelby American, scoring back-to-back 4th-place finishes and advancing as high as third in the points standings, only 49 points out of the lead. However, he was less successful in his next three races. He got caught up in wrecks at both the 2010 Kobalt Tools 500 and 2010 Food City 500, finishing 33rd and 35th, respectively. At the 2010 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500, Martin was leading the field and running top-5 during most of the day until a flat tire relegated him to 21st. During this stretch of bad luck, Martin fell from 3rd to 17th in the points standings, 214 points behind the leader.

The next three races of the 2010 season saw Martin rally back. With a fourth place finish at the 2010 Subway Fresh Fit 600, a sixth place finish at Texas, and a fifth place finish at the 2010 Aaron's 499, Martin jumped from seventeeth in the points standings to sixth, 169 points behind the leader.

Martin's bad luck struck again in the following three races as he struggled to get a handle on his race cars. A 25th-place finish at the 2010 Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400, sixteenth place finish at the 2010 Showtime Southern 500, and fifteenth place finish at the 2010 Autism Speaks 400 caused Martin to fall to eleventh in the points standings, 293 points behind the leader.

In the 2010 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, qualifying was rained out. The field was set in the order the drivers drew. Martin started fifteenth and finished the first fifty-lap segment in fifteenth. He used a two-tire pit stop to gain a position and finished the second twenty-lap segment in third. He held his position in the third twenty-lap segment and finished third. Martin lost a spot during the mandatory four-tire pit stop before the start of the final ten-lap shootout for the $1 million. However, as the field took the green, Martin was hit by another car and crashed, finishing seventeenth.

A week later, Martin returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 Coca-Cola 600. Martin qualified eleventh and struggled with handling issues for much of the race. However, during a caution with twenty laps to go, most of the field pitted, and Martin chose to stay out. He restarted second and finished the race in fourth.

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 fifteen spots with bent fenders and no rear end.

2011

[edit]

In 2011, he began the season with an accident in the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. During the 2011 Daytona 500, he was involved in a multiple-car accident. In the 2011 Subway Fresh Fit 500, he managed to finish in the thirteenth position. One week later, Martin participated in the Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where he was able to win his 49th race in the series. He finished the Sprint Cup season 22nd in points. Martin parted ways with Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the 2011 season, with Kasey Kahne taking over the No. 5 Chevrolet.

Michael Waltrip Racing and part-time days

[edit]

2012

[edit]
Martin's No. 55 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012

On November 4, 2011, Michael Waltrip Racing announced that Martin would replace David Reutimann in 2012, signing him to a two-year deal to drive the No. 55. He was signed to drive 25 races in both 2012 and 2013, sharing the car with Michael Waltrip and Brian Vickers. Martin finished the year with four top-five finishes and ten top-ten finishes. He led the most laps after winning the pole at the 2012 Pure Michigan 400, but was involved in a bizarre accident around lap 64. Martin was about to lap Bobby Labonte and Juan Pablo Montoya when Labonte's car got loose, collecting Martin and Kasey Kahne. Martin's car skidded down pit road, allowing the opening of the concrete pit wall to penetrate just behind the driver's compartment, breaching the car's oil tank and sending Kahne's pit crew scrambling for cover.[23]

2013

[edit]

Martin's 2013 season started with a 3rd-place finish in the 2013 Daytona 500. He backed up his strong Daytona finish by winning the pole for the 2013 Subway Fresh Fit 500, becoming the second-oldest driver to win a pole in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.[24] He finished 21st at Phoenix, followed by a 14th-place finish at 2013 Kobalt Tools 400. Martin skipped 2013 Food City 500, where Brian Vickers drove the car. When Martin returned at 2013 Auto Club 400, he finished 37th after spinning on the back straightaway late in the race, collecting David Gilliland.

A few days after the Auto Club 400, Joe Gibbs hired Martin to drive Denny Hamlin's No. 11 FedEx Toyota at the 2013 STP Gas Booster 500 after Hamlin suffered a compression fracture of a vertebra in his lower back after being involved in a crash with Joey Logano on the last lap of the Fontana race. In his one appearance in the No. 11, Martin was involved in a melee on lap 180, sustaining damage, and later had a mishap on a pit stop that caused him to be penalized a lap, but he managed to finish tenth.

Martin returned to the No. 55 at the 2013 NRA 500. Following two top-fifteen finishes in his original car in the next two races, Martin qualified tenth at the 2013 Toyota Owners 400, but finished 38th after an accident on lap 348. At the 2013 Coca-Cola 600, on lap 324, Martin was involved in a crash with Jeff Gordon and Aric Almirola, which brought out the red flag.[25]

In early August, it was announced that Brian Vickers would drive the No. 55 full-time starting in 2014. Thus, Martin's future status with MWR was left uncertain.[26]

At the 2013 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Martin nearly won before running out of fuel with three laps remaining. Afterward, it was announced that Martin would be given an early release from MWR, and would be joining Stewart–Haas Racing to drive the No. 14 Chevrolet, beginning with the 2013 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Martin drove in all but one race for the remainder of the season as a substitute driver for the injured Tony Stewart.[27]

Post-racing career

[edit]

On November 8, 2013, Martin announced that he would not race in 2014 but was not yet ready to use the word "retirement." Martin worked with SHR in a consulting role, which included testing, but Martin never got in the car due to Tony Stewart recovering before the 2014 season.[28]

On July 31, 2014, Martin tweeted that he had become a driver development coach with Roush Fenway Racing.[29]

On February 6, 2015, Martin tweeted that he was no longer a driver coach at Roush, in response to a fan's question.[30] Martin has now retired from racing himself but does work with a dirt racing team in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, where his Mark Martin Automotive Group co-sponsors driver Jared Landers.[31][32]

Martin owns a group of automobile dealerships in Arkansas under the umbrella of Mark Martin Automotive, headquartered in Batesville, Arkansas. The dealerships sell Ford, Kia, Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick vehicles. He also owns Mark Martin Powersports in Batesville, Arkansas, which sells boats, motorcycles, ATVs, and UTVs manufactured by companies such as AlumaCraft, Mercury Outboards, Tohatsu, Excel, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha.[33][34]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Personal life

[edit]

Martin resided in Jamestown, North Carolina, followed by a move to Daytona Beach, Florida.[40] He has five children, (four of whom are from his wife's first marriage). His son Matt raced for a time in lower series, but quit after 2008. Martin's father, stepmother and half-sister died in a plane crash on August 8, 1998, in Nevada near Great Basin National Park.[41] Martin won at Bristol two weeks after the incident and fought back tears as he dedicated the win to his family.[42] Martin currently owns five car dealerships in Arkansas, representing the Hyundai Motor Group (Kia in Batesville), General Motors (Chevrolet in Melbourne and a Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC dealership in Ash Flat), Ford Motor Company (Batesville), and Fiat Automobili S.p.A. (Melbourne).

Martin was regarded as one of the first drivers in the United States to adopt a personal fitness and nutrition regimen, which he credited for allowing him to race at a high level into his 50s. He was well known around the NASCAR paddock for sometimes lifting thousands of pounds every day except race days. During the 1990s, he co-authored a book entitled Strength Training for Performance Driving, outlining workouts useful for adapting to the rigors of auto racing.

Martin and his wife Arlene currently reside in his hometown of Batesville, Arkansas, and he frequently visits the local state park of Petit Jean Mountain in Morrilton.

Martin spends most of his time now on the road touring the country in his RV. He is a fan of rap music, citing rapper Gucci Mane as his favorite.[43] Martin recounts that what had gotten him into rap music was a test at Charlotte Motor Speedway where crew chief Ben Leslie was playing Dr. Dre in the transporter.[44] In 2024, Gucci Mane sampled an interview of Martin for his song "GOAT".[45]

Martin campaigned for Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries, appearing at a rally in Concord, North Carolina and continued to endorse him through the general election.[46]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

[edit]
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Rank Pts Ref
1981 Martin-Reeder Racing 02 Pontiac RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS
27 		DAR MAR TAL NSV
27 		DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV
11 		POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH
7 		DOV MAR
3 		NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 42nd 615 [47]
1982 Buick DAY
30 		ATL
19 		DAR
7 		TAL
10 		NSV
12 		DOV
5 		POC
26 		RSD
8 		DAR
22 		RCH
26 		NWS
12 		CLT
38 		MAR
20 		CAR
24 		ATL
10 		RSD
5 		14th 3042 [48]
Pontiac RCH
26 		BRI
14 		NWS
25 		MAR
7 		CLT
27 		MCH
33 		DAY
31 		NSV
15 		POC
10 		TAL
12 		MCH
34 		BRI
11 		DOV
33
Rogers Racing 37 Buick CAR
32
1983 Jim Stacy Racing 2 DAY
28 		RCH
24 		CAR
11 		ATL
7 		DAR
3 		NWS
26 		MAR
27 		30th 1627 [49]
Ulrich Racing 6 Chevy TAL
36
Buick NSV
21 		DOV BRI
Zervakis Racing 01 Chevy CLT
29 		RSD POC
Morgan-McClure Motorsports 4 Olds MCH
27 		DAY
19 		NSV POC MCH
18 		BRI DAR
17 		RCH DOV MAR NWS
Chevy TAL
10 		CLT
33 		CAR ATL
DNQ 		RSD
1986 Gunderman Racing 02 Ford DAY
37 		RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL
DNQ 		DOV CLT
22 		RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV
11 		MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL
26 		RSD
13 		47th 364 [50]
1987 Hamby Racing 12 Olds DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT
39 		DOV POC RSD MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR RSD ATL 102nd 46 [51]
1988 Roush Racing 6 Ford DAY
41 		RCH
25 		CAR
12 		ATL
31 		DAR
6 		BRI
2 		NWS
29 		MAR
23 		TAL
12 		CLT
37 		DOV
9 		RSD
7 		POC
4 		MCH
14 		DAY
17 		POC
7 		TAL
7 		GLN
28 		MCH
32 		BRI
27 		DAR
19 		RCH
4 		DOV
39 		MAR
9 		CLT
9 		NWS
19 		CAR
28 		PHO
36 		ATL
20 		15th 3142 [52]
1989 DAY
33 		CAR
5 		ATL
38 		RCH
11 		DAR
4 		BRI
6 		NWS
3 		MAR
6 		TAL
3 		CLT
6 		DOV
2 		SON
31 		POC
15 		MCH
12 		DAY
16 		POC
3 		TAL
3 		GLN
2 		MCH
9 		BRI
20 		DAR
2 		RCH
17 		DOV
2 		MAR
23 		CLT
3 		NWS
2 		CAR
1 		PHO
3 		ATL
30 		3rd 4053 [53]
1990 DAY
21 		RCH
1 		CAR
26 		ATL
5 		DAR
2 		BRI
2 		NWS
6 		MAR
7 		TAL
3 		CLT
3 		DOV
4 		SON
2 		POC
14 		MCH
4 		DAY
11 		POC
6 		TAL
9 		GLN
5 		MCH
1* 		BRI
3 		DAR
6 		RCH
2 		DOV
2 		MAR
3 		NWS
1 		CLT
14 		CAR
11 		PHO
10 		ATL
6 		2nd 4404 [54]
1991 DAY
21 		RCH
6 		CAR
14 		ATL
17 		DAR
4 		BRI
4 		NWS
9 		MAR
29 		TAL
24 		CLT
23 		DOV
5 		SON
9 		POC
3 		MCH
3 		DAY
11 		POC
2 		TAL
3 		GLN
3 		MCH
4 		BRI
4 		DAR
29 		RCH
33 		DOV
21 		MAR
5 		NWS
5 		CLT
35* 		CAR
3 		PHO
19 		ATL
1* 		6th 3914 [55]
1992 DAY
29 		CAR
5 		RCH
30 		ATL
13 		DAR
3 		BRI
15 		NWS
16 		MAR
1 		TAL
8 		CLT
33 		DOV
24 		SON
3 		POC
2 		MCH
6 		DAY
8 		POC
6 		TAL
20 		GLN
4 		MCH
9 		BRI
25 		DAR
2 		RCH
2 		DOV
19 		MAR
8 		NWS
2 		CLT
1 		CAR
30 		PHO
2 		ATL
32 		6th 3887 [56]
1993 DAY
6 		CAR
5 		RCH
7 		ATL
32* 		DAR
2 		BRI
8 		NWS
31 		MAR
10 		TAL
12 		SON
40 		CLT
28 		DOV
4 		POC
31 		MCH
6* 		DAY
6 		NHA
2 		POC
13 		TAL
3 		GLN
1* 		MCH
1 		BRI
1 		DAR
1* 		RCH
6 		DOV
31 		MAR
16 		NWS
16 		CLT
2 		CAR
5 		PHO
1* 		ATL
20 		3rd 4150 [57]
1994 DAY
13 		CAR
4 		RCH
6 		ATL
5 		DAR
2 		BRI
21 		NWS
13 		MAR
3 		TAL
38 		SON
8 		CLT
32 		DOV
4 		POC
5 		MCH
3 		DAY
4 		NHA
4 		POC
31 		TAL
6 		IND
35 		GLN
1* 		MCH
2 		BRI
2 		DAR
25 		RCH
6 		DOV
19 		MAR
16 		NWS
5 		CLT
39 		CAR
7 		PHO
2 		ATL
1* 		2nd 4250 [58]
1995 DAY
3 		CAR
7 		RCH
8 		ATL
9 		DAR
37 		BRI
8 		NWS
3 		MAR
5 		TAL
1* 		SON
2 		CLT
28 		DOV
35 		POC
11 		MCH
8 		DAY
4 		NHA
3 		POC
7 		TAL
7 		IND
5 		GLN
1* 		MCH
38 		BRI
5 		DAR
33 		RCH
15 		DOV
8 		MAR
12 		NWS
1* 		CLT
1 		CAR
3 		PHO
8 		ATL
17 		4th 4320 [59]
1996 DAY
4 		CAR
32 		RCH
5 		ATL
26 		DAR
6 		BRI
3 		NWS
37 		MAR
21 		TAL
34 		SON
2 		CLT
7 		DOV
40 		POC
4 		MCH
7 		DAY
11 		NHA
33 		POC
9* 		TAL
3 		IND
4 		GLN
3 		MCH
2* 		BRI
3 		DAR
3 		RCH
9 		DOV
5 		MAR
9 		NWS
9 		CLT
2 		CAR
7 		PHO
2* 		ATL
7 		5th 4278 [60]
1997 DAY
7* 		CAR
13 		RCH
13 		ATL
6 		DAR
24 		TEX
38 		BRI
3 		MAR
5 		SON
1* 		TAL
1 		CLT
3 		DOV
2 		POC
4 		MCH
3 		CAL
10 		DAY
27 		NHA
5 		POC
5 		IND
6 		GLN
5 		MCH
1* 		BRI
2 		DAR
8 		RCH
25 		NHA
9 		DOV
1 		MAR
11 		CLT
4 		TAL
30 		CAR
6 		PHO
6 		ATL
3 		3rd 4681 [61]
1998 DAY
38 		CAR
3* 		LVS
1* 		ATL
25 		DAR
7 		BRI
7 		TEX
1 		MAR
29 		TAL
23 		CAL
1* 		CLT
4* 		DOV
7 		RCH
5 		MCH
1 		POC
5 		SON
6 		NHA
2 		POC
2 		IND
2 		GLN
2 		MCH
4 		BRI
1* 		NHA
2 		DAR
40 		RCH
3 		DOV
1* 		MAR
3 		CLT
1* 		TAL
34 		DAY
16 		PHO
2 		CAR
4 		ATL
3 		2nd 4964 [62]
1999 DAY
31 		CAR
1 		LVS
10 		ATL
3 		DAR
5 		TEX
34 		BRI
2 		MAR
5 		TAL
3 		CAL
38 		RCH
2 		CLT
3 		DOV
3 		MCH
10 		POC
5 		SON
2 		DAY
17 		NHA
6 		POC
3 		IND
4 		GLN
10 		MCH
7 		BRI
6 		DAR
4 		RCH
35 		NHA
17 		DOV
1* 		MAR
16 		CLT
4 		TAL
15 		CAR
6 		PHO
2 		HOM
4 		ATL
4 		3rd 4943 [63]
2000 DAY
5 		CAR
8 		LVS
3 		ATL
3 		DAR
9 		BRI
16 		TEX
11 		MAR
1 		TAL
6* 		CAL
14 		RCH
32 		CLT
12 		DOV
36 		MCH
40 		POC
5 		SON
3 		DAY
4 		NHA
3 		POC
43 		IND
43 		GLN
2 		MCH
11 		BRI
3 		DAR
14 		RCH
3 		NHA
8 		DOV
6 		MAR
18 		CLT
5 		TAL
7 		CAR
40 		PHO
6 		HOM
3 		ATL
40 		8th 4410 [64]
2001 DAY
33 		CAR
20 		LVS
6* 		ATL
41 		DAR
21 		BRI
34 		TEX
9 		MAR
39 		TAL
4 		CAL
40 		RCH
13 		CLT
4 		DOV
9 		MCH
16 		POC
5 		SON
10 		DAY
18 		CHI
17 		NHA
18 		POC
7 		IND
22 		GLN
15 		MCH
8 		BRI
37 		DAR
20 		RCH
19 		DOV
32 		KAN
6 		CLT
9 		MAR
7 		TAL
9 		PHO
19 		CAR
34 		HOM
24 		ATL
22 		NHA
9 		12th 4095 [65]
2002 DAY
6 		CAR
21 		LVS
3 		ATL
8 		DAR
29 		BRI
11 		TEX
3 		MAR
8 		TAL
37 		CAL
5 		RCH
4 		CLT
1 		DOV
41 		POC
2 		MCH
9 		SON
7 		DAY
5 		CHI
9 		NHA
16 		POC
13 		IND
28 		GLN
10 		MCH
5 		BRI
23 		DAR
11 		RCH
6 		NHA
16 		DOV
2 		KAN
25 		TAL
30 		CLT
16 		MAR
10 		ATL
8 		CAR
2* 		PHO
4 		HOM
4 		2nd 4762 [66]
2003 DAY
5 		CAR
7 		LVS
43 		ATL
42 		DAR
4 		BRI
29 		TEX
5 		TAL
26 		MAR
17 		CAL
17 		RCH
5 		CLT
29 		DOV
18 		POC
2 		MCH
9 		SON
19 		DAY
20 		CHI
14 		NHA
18 		POC
41 		IND
9 		GLN
10 		MCH
17 		BRI
36 		DAR
33 		RCH
13 		NHA
28 		DOV
22 		TAL
23 		KAN
20 		CLT
11 		MAR
14 		ATL
39 		PHO
10 		CAR
41 		HOM
33 		17th 3769 [67]
2004 DAY
43 		CAR
12 		LVS
5 		ATL
14 		DAR
7 		BRI
23 		TEX
17 		MAR
34 		TAL
6 		CAL
11 		RCH
7 		CLT
36 		DOV
1 		POC
36 		MCH
34 		SON
8 		DAY
6 		CHI
24 		NHA
14 		POC
2 		IND
25 		GLN
3 		MCH
2 		BRI
13 		CAL
3* 		RCH
5 		NHA
13 		DOV
2 		TAL
15 		KAN
20 		CLT
13 		MAR
12 		ATL
2* 		PHO
15 		DAR
2 		HOM
11 		4th 6399 [68]
2005 DAY
6 		CAL
7 		LVS
30 		ATL
4 		BRI
31 		MAR
3 		TEX
20 		PHO
16 		TAL
33 		DAR
4 		RCH
15 		CLT
28 		DOV
3 		POC
7 		MCH
3 		SON
15 		DAY
39 		CHI
10 		NHA
15 		POC
3 		IND
7 		GLN
7 		MCH
17 		BRI
16 		CAL
11 		RCH
13 		NHA
7 		DOV
4 		TAL
41 		KAN
1* 		CLT
5 		MAR
34 		ATL
3 		TEX
2 		PHO
14 		HOM
2 		4th 6428 [69]
2006 DAY
12 		CAL
9 		LVS
6 		ATL
2 		BRI
6 		MAR
13 		TEX
9 		PHO
11 		TAL
35 		RCH
11 		DAR
8 		CLT
4 		DOV
9 		POC
17 		MCH
27 		SON
13 		DAY
33 		CHI
18 		NHA
4 		POC
19 		IND
5 		GLN
20 		MCH
5 		BRI
28 		CAL
12 		RCH
5 		NHA
11 		DOV
14 		KAN
3 		TAL
8 		CLT
30 		MAR
24 		ATL
36 		TEX
22 		PHO
6 		HOM
18 		9th 6168 [70]
2007 Ginn Racing 01 Chevy DAY
2 		CAL
5 		LVS
5 		ATL
10 		BRI MAR TEX
3 		PHO
12 		TAL RCH
17 		DAR
14 		CLT
11 		DOV
7 		POC
7 		MCH
29 		SON NHA DAY
17 		CHI
14 		27th 2960 [71]
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. IND
6 		POC
9 		GLN MCH
42 		BRI CAL RCH
21 		NHA DOV
4 		KAN
12 		TAL CLT
16 		MAR ATL
43 		TEX
34 		PHO HOM
9
2008 8 DAY
31 		CAL
16 		LVS
10 		ATL
22 		BRI MAR TEX
8 		PHO
5 		TAL RCH
3 		DAR
16 		CLT
15 		DOV
23 		POC
10 		MCH
25 		SON NHA DAY
10 		CHI
17 		IND
11 		POC
8 		GLN MCH
6 		BRI CAL RCH
5 		NHA DOV
4 		KAN
18 		TAL CLT
9 		MAR ATL
22 		TEX
12 		PHO
14 		HOM 28th 3022 [72]
2009 Hendrick Motorsports 5 DAY
16 		CAL
40 		LVS
40 		ATL
31 		BRI
6 		MAR
7 		TEX
6 		PHO
1* 		TAL
43 		RCH
5 		DAR
1 		CLT
17 		DOV
10 		POC
19 		MCH
1 		SON
35 		NHA
14 		DAY
38 		CHI
1* 		IND
2 		POC
7 		GLN
23 		MCH
31 		BRI
2* 		ATL
5 		RCH
4 		NHA
1 		DOV
2 		KAN
7 		CAL
4 		CLT
17 		MAR
8 		TAL
28 		TEX
4 		PHO
4 		HOM
12 		2nd 6511 [73]
2010 DAY
12 		CAL
4 		LVS
4 		ATL
33 		BRI
35 		MAR
21 		PHO
4 		TEX
6 		TAL
5 		RCH
25 		DAR
16 		DOV
15 		CLT
4 		POC
29 		MCH
16 		SON
14 		NHA
21 		DAY
28 		CHI
15 		IND
11 		POC
7 		GLN
19 		MCH
28 		BRI
23 		ATL
21 		RCH
20 		NHA
29 		DOV
12 		KAN
14 		CAL
6* 		CLT
14 		MAR
2 		TAL
11 		TEX
3 		PHO
8 		HOM
16 		13th 4364 [74]
2011 DAY
10 		PHO
13 		LVS
18 		BRI
12 		CAL
20 		MAR
10 		TEX
36 		TAL
8 		RCH
14 		DAR
19 		DOV
2 		CLT
34 		KAN
21 		POC
18 		MCH
9 		SON
19 		DAY
33 		KEN
22 		NHA
22 		IND
8 		POC
13 		GLN
25 		MCH
4 		BRI
38 		ATL
17 		RCH
10 		CHI
9 		NHA
24 		DOV
19 		KAN
10 		CLT
37 		TAL
20 		MAR
28 		TEX
19 		PHO
16 		HOM
24 		22nd 930 [75]
2012 Michael Waltrip Racing 55 Toyota DAY
10 		PHO
9 		LVS
18 		BRI CAL
12 		MAR TEX
3 		KAN
33 		RCH
8 		TAL DAR
20 		CLT
34 		DOV
14 		POC
2 		MCH
29 		SON KEN DAY NHA IND
11 		POC
12 		GLN MCH
35* 		BRI ATL
10 		RCH
3 		CHI
14 		NHA DOV
3 		TAL CLT
6 		KAN
24 		MAR TEX
29 		PHO
10 		HOM
16 		26th 701 [76]
2013 DAY
3 		PHO
21 		LVS
14 		BRI CAL
37 		TEX
14 		KAN
9 		RCH
38 		TAL DAR
25 		CLT
34 		DOV
9 		POC
19 		MCH
26 		SON KEN DAY NHA IND
23 		POC
18 		GLN MCH
27 		25th 649 [77]
Joe Gibbs Racing 11 MAR
10
Stewart–Haas Racing 14 Chevy BRI
20 		ATL
25 		RCH
9 		CHI
17 		NHA
23 		DOV
19 		KAN
22 		CLT
42 		TAL MAR
36 		TEX
11 		PHO
15 		HOM
19
Daytona 500
[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1982 Martin-Reeder Racing Buick 26 30
1983 Jim Stacy Racing 12 28
1986 Gunderman Racing Ford 24 37
1988 Roush Racing 38 41
1989 5 33
1990 7 21
1991 18 21
1992 5 29
1993 23 6
1994 7 13
1995 6 3
1996 15 4
1997 11 7
1998 15 38
1999 9 31
2000 9 5
2001 22 33
2002 39 6
2003 26 5
2004 8 43
2005 32 6
2006 10 12
2007 Ginn Racing Chevrolet 26 2
2008 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 12 31
2009 Hendrick Motorsports 2 16
2010 1 12
2011 17 10
2012 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 22 10
2013 14 3

Nationwide Series

[edit]
NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Rank Pts Ref
1982 Whitaker Racing 26 DAY RCH BRI MAR DAR HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP
26 		BRI HCY RCH MAR 161st 85 [78]
Zervakis Racing Team 02 Pontiac CLT
DNQ 		HCY MAR
1987 Lawmaster Racing 31 Ford DAY
6 		HCY
11 		MAR
6 		DAR
38 		BRI
6 		LGY
18 		SBO
18 		CLT
11 		DOV
1 		IRP
7 		ROU
1* 		JFC
4 		OXF
30 		SBO
11 		HCY
7 		RAL
29 		LGY
9 		ROU
7 		BRI
27 		JFC
8 		DAR
40 		RCH
1 		DOV
31 		MAR
3 		CLT
32 		CAR
28 		MAR
26 		8th 3265 [79]
1988 Bill Davis Racing 06 DAY
4 		HCY CAR
1 		MAR DAR
9 		BRI
23 		LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT
33 		DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB OXF SBO HCY LNG IRP
7 		ROU BRI
10 		DAR
38 		RCH
9 		DOV
35 		MAR
18 		CLT
36 		CAR
39 		MAR 30th 1211 [80]
1989 1 DAY
21 		CAR
31 		MAR
9 		HCY DAR
2 		BRI
2 		NZH
35 		SBO LAN NSV CLT
39 		DOV
4 		ROU LVL VOL MYB
26 		SBO HCY DUB IRP
2 		ROU BRI
1* 		DAR
42 		RCH
8* 		DOV
2* 		MAR
17 		CLT
20 		CAR
24 		MAR 21st 1832 [81]
1990 DAY RCH
35 		CAR
8 		MAR HCY DAR
36 		BRI
4 		LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT
31 		DOV
24 		ROU VOL MYB
1 		OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI
6 		DAR
28* 		RCH DOV
34 		MAR CLT
16 		NHA CAR
4* 		MAR 31st 1321 [82]
1991 01 DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY
28 		DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR 102nd 79 [83]
1992 Roush Racing 60 DAY
7 		CAR
2 		RCH ATL
8 		MAR DAR
32 		BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH
3* 		CLT
33* 		DOV ROU MYB GLN
30 		VOL NHA TAL
27 		IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR
6 		RCH
3 		DOV CLT
31 		MAR
7 		CAR
1* 		HCY
5 		21st 1775 [84]
1993 DAY
DNQ 		CAR
1* 		RCH
1* 		DAR
30 		BRI
27 		HCY
26 		ROU MAR NZH CLT
35 		DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL
33 		IRP MCH
1* 		NHA BRI DAR
1* 		RCH
1* 		DOV ROU CLT
1* 		MAR CAR
1* 		HCY ATL
26 		24th 1744 [85]
DAJ Racing 32 Chevy DAY
42
1994 Roush Racing 60 Ford DAY
23 		CAR
8* 		RCH
8 		ATL
29 		MAR DAR
1* 		HCY BRI
11* 		ROU NHA NZH CLT
2* 		DOV
3 		MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL
43 		HCY IRP MCH
3* 		DAR
1* 		RCH
2 		DOV CLT
2* 		MAR CAR
1* 		20th 2132 [86]
Ernie Irvan Racing 28 BRI
10
1995 Roush Racing 60 DAY
8* 		CAR
2 		RCH
33 		ATL
39 		NSV DAR
3 		BRI
2* 		HCY NHA NZH CLT
4 		DOV
41 		MYB GLN MLW TAL
30 		SBO IRP MCH
1 		BRI DAR
1* 		RCH
2* 		DOV CLT
1* 		CAR
8 		HOM
5 		22nd 2037 [87]
1996 DAY
3 		CAR
1* 		RCH
35* 		ATL
7* 		NSV DAR
1 		BRI
1* 		HCY NZH CLT
1 		DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL
27 		IRP MCH
4* 		BRI DAR
2 		RCH
4 		DOV CLT
1* 		CAR
1* 		HOM
3 		21st 2186 [88]
1997 DAY
35 		CAR
1* 		RCH
1 		ATL
1* 		LVS DAR
4 		HCY TEX
1 		BRI
38 		NSV TAL
1* 		NHA NZH CLT
3 		DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB GTY IRP MCH
11* 		BRI DAR
6 		RCH
8 		DOV CLT
2 		CAL CAR
1 		HOM
3 		24th 2104 [89]
1998 DAY
3 		CAR
3 		LVS
6 		NSV DAR
24 		BRI TEX
21 		HCY TAL
29 		NHA NZH CLT
1* 		DOV RCH
5 		PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH
6 		BRI DAR
8 		RCH
35 		DOV CLT
43 		GTY CAR
3 		ATL
1 		HOM
3 		27th 1976 [90]
1999 DAY
39 		CAR
2 		LVS
1* 		ATL
6 		DAR
39 		TEX
1 		NSV BRI TAL
DNQ 		CAL NHA RCH
1 		NZH CLT
1* 		DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH
5 		BRI DAR
1* 		RCH
2* 		DOV CLT
36 		CAR
1* 		MEM PHO HOM
14 		26th 2048 [91]
2000 DAY CAR
1* 		LVS
2 		ATL
1* 		DAR
1 		BRI TEX
1 		NSV TAL CAL RCH
4* 		NHA CLT
2 		DOV
2 		SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH
DNQ 		BRI DAR
1 		RCH
3 		DOV CLT
2 		CAR
6 		MEM PHO HOM
2* 		27th 2280 [92]
2004 Roush Racing 9 DAY
DNQ 		CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH
2 		BRI CAL RCH
12 		DOV
8 		KAN CLT MEM ATL
6 		PHO
6 		DAR HOM 56th 617 [93]
2005 DAY CAL
1* 		MXC LVS
1 		ATL NSH BRI TEX
31 		PHO TAL DAR RCH
7 		CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI
5 		NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH
4 		DOV KAN
14 		CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM
3 		43rd 1212 [94]
2006 6 DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX
24 		NSH PHO
5 		TAL RCH DAR
4 		CLT
32 		DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH
5 		BRI CAL
3* 		RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX
4 		PHO HOM 44th 973 [95]
2007 06 DAY
5 		CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX
12 		PHO TAL RCH 55th 743 [96]
Hendrick Motorsports 5 Chevy DAR
2 		CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH
14 		BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM
2
2008 JR Motorsports DAY CAL LVS
1* 		ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR
23 		CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH
4 		BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN
38 		CLT MEM TEX
3 		PHO HOM 57th 663 [97]
2009 DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH
7 		DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 112th 146 [98]
2011 Turner Motorsports 32 Chevy DAY PHO LVS
1 		BRI CAL
8 		TEX TAL NSH RCH DAR DOV IOW CLT CHI MCH
7 		ROA DAY KEN
14 		NHA NSH IRP IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH CHI DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 94th 01 [99]
2012 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY PHO LVS
2 		BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 113th 01 [100]

Truck Series

[edit]
NASCAR Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Rank Pts Ref
1996 Roush Racing 99 Ford HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP FLM GLN NSV RCH
3 		NHA MAR NWS
1 		SON MMR PHO LVS 55th 350 [101]
2005 Roush Racing 33 Ford DAY CAL ATL MAR GTY MFD CLT DOV TEX MCH MLW KAN KEN MEM IRP NSH BRI RCH NHA LVS MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM
8 		70th 147 [102]
2006 6 DAY
1* 		CAL
1* 		ATL
2* 		MAR
4 		GTY CLT
13 		MFD DOV
1* 		TEX MCH
2* 		MLW KAN KEN MEM IRP NSH BRI
1* 		NHA
10 		LVS TAL
1* 		MAR
4 		ATL
36 		TEX PHO
2* 		HOM
1* 		19th 2313 [103]
2007 Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford DAY CAL
23 		ATL MAR KAN CLT
4 		MFD DOV
6 		TEX MCH
33 		MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI
3 		GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL
4 		TEX PHO HOM 38th 808 [104]
2011 Turner Motorsports 32 Chevy DAY PHO DAR MAR NSH DOV CLT KAN TEX KEN IOW NSH IRP POC
7 		MCH
14 		BRI ATL CHI NHA KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX HOM 90th 01 [105]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

[edit]
ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rank Pts Ref
1981 02 Chevrolet DAY NWS FRS FRS BFS TAL
1* 		IMS FRS MCH 20th 210 [106]

International Race of Champions

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref
1990 Dodge TAL
3 		CLE
6 		MCH
3 		4th 37 [107]
1991 DAY
7 		TAL
3 		MCH
4 		GLN
2 		3rd 56 [108]
1994 DAY
4 		DAR
1* 		TAL
12 		MCH
2 		1st 66 [109]
1995 DAY
8 		DAR
1* 		TAL
3 		MCH
5 		2nd 57 [110]
1996 Pontiac DAY
8 		TAL
11 		CLT
1* 		MCH
1 		1st 61 [111]
1997 DAY
2 		CLT
1 		CAL
1 		MCH
8 		1st 72 [112]
1998 DAY
3* 		CAL
1* 		MCH
2 		IND
1 		1st 86 [113]
1999 DAY
3* 		TAL
3 		MCH
5 		IND
1* 		2nd 74 [114]
2000 DAY
4 		TAL
2 		MCH
4 		IND
1* 		2nd 71 [115]
2003 Pontiac DAY
1* 		TAL
5 		CHI
5 		IND
5 		2nd 58 [116]
2005 Pontiac DAY
1 		TEX
2 		RCH
1 		ATL
2 		1st 89 [117]
2006 DAY
12 		TEX
4* 		DAY
9 		ATL
6* 		5th 47 [118]

Rolex Sports Car Series

[edit]

(key) Bold – pole position

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series DP results
Year Team No. Chassis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
2007 Southard Motorsports 3 Lexus / Riley Technologies DAY MEX HOM VIR LGA WGL MOH DAY IOW
8 		BAR MON WGL INF MIL 72nd 23

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mark Martin

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from Grokipedia
Mark Martin (born January 9, 1959) is an American retired professional driver best known for his long tenure in NASCAR's premier series. Over a career spanning 1981 to 2013, Martin made 882 starts in the , securing 40 victories—ranking 17th all-time—and 56 pole positions, while achieving 271 top-five finishes and 453 top-ten results, the latter underscoring his remarkable consistency. Despite never clinching a Cup Series championship, he finished runner-up in the points standings five times (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2009), often cited as the driver with the most competitive seasons without a title. Martin's broader NASCAR record includes 96 wins across the three national series (seventh all-time) and a record 49 victories in the Series, along with five titles. Inducted into the in 2017, he is widely respected for his sportsmanship, work ethic, and mentorship of younger drivers, embodying the archetype of a contender in the sport.

Early Life

Family Background and Upbringing

Mark Martin was born on January 9, 1959, in Batesville, , to Julian Martin, a truck driver who founded the trucking company Julian Martin, Inc., in 1960, and Jackie Estes Martin. Julian Martin supplemented his professional career by engaging in as a hobby and sponsoring a local race team, which exposed his son to motorsports from an early age. Growing up in the rural environment of Batesville, Martin received hands-on instruction in driving from his father, who permitted him to steer vehicles along northern roads as a child. The household faced strains from Julian Martin's , which Martin has attributed to intensifying his father's inherent temper and precipitating significant family disruptions during his upbringing. These experiences, including the eventual parental , shaped Martin's early resilience amid a backdrop of racing enthusiasm tempered by personal hardships.

Initial Exposure to Motorsports

Mark Martin was introduced to driving at a young age through his father, Julian Martin, a who founded Julian Martin, Inc., a transportation company, in 1960 and sponsored a local race team. Julian taught his son to steer vehicles on the winding roads of northern before Mark could reach the pedals, fostering an early familiarity with vehicle control that laid the groundwork for his motorsports interest. In the fall of 1973, at age 14, Martin persuaded his father to build him a race car, marking his direct entry into competitive preparation. Martin's first stock car race occurred on April 12, 1974, at age 15, on a small dirt track in Locust Grove, , where he piloted the newly built car. He achieved victory on his third start that year and went on to win the Arkansas State Championship at Benton Speedway in Benton, Saline County, demonstrating rapid proficiency on dirt surfaces. These early dirt track experiences in honed his skills amid local competition, transitioning from informal road driving to structured racing by his mid-teens. By prioritizing racing over attending his Batesville High School graduation in 1977, Martin underscored his commitment to the sport from its outset.

Early Career

Regional and Short-Track Racing

Martin began his racing career in 1974 at the age of 15, competing on dirt tracks in his native . His debut stock car race occurred on April 12, 1974, at a small dirt track in Locust Grove, Independence County, where he secured a victory in his third start and concluded the season by winning the Arkansas State Championship. These early successes on dirt ovals laid the foundation for his transition to asphalt racing, focusing on short tracks and regional series. In 1977, at age 18, Martin achieved a significant milestone by winning the 12th Annual National Short Track Championship at Rockford Speedway in Illinois, a prestigious event that highlighted his emerging talent in short-track stock car racing. That same year, he entered the American Speed Association (ASA) National Tour, a prominent regional stock car series emphasizing short ovals and mid-sized tracks, earning Rookie of the Year honors. Martin dominated ASA competition, securing championships in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1986, while amassing 22 victories in the series. Much of Martin's regional success unfolded in the Midwest, particularly on 's short tracks, where he honed his skills at venues like Wisconsin International Raceway (WIR), , and State Park Speedway. These experiences, involving intense weekly racing and feature events, shaped his driving style and competitive mindset, leading to multiple track championships and a lasting affinity for the region's racing culture. His time in , often racing late-model stocks, provided crucial preparation for higher-level competition, with Martin later crediting the area's short-track ecosystem for building his career foundation.

Entry into National Series (1981–1986)

Martin entered NASCAR's national series in 1981 after dominating the American Speed Association (ASA) stock car circuit, where he secured three consecutive championships from 1978 to 1980. His debut came in the Winston Cup Series, NASCAR's premier division at the time, with five starts driving a for a team co-owned with Bud Reeder. He qualified on the pole at Nashville Speedway USA and Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, earned one top-five finish, two top-ten finishes, and placed third in his final outing at Nashville on , collecting $13,950 in prize money. These results demonstrated raw speed but highlighted challenges in completing races consistently amid limited resources. In 1982, Martin pursued a full Winston Cup schedule with his own Martin-Reeder operation, entering 30 of 30 points-paying events in a No. 02 sponsored by Apache Stove. Persistent engine failures and mechanical woes prevented victories, yielding two top-five finishes, eight top-tens, and a 14th-place points standing with $142,710 earned. He also attempted the inaugural Busch Series, NASCAR's second-tier national tour, with one start and one did-not-qualify, marking minimal involvement before shifting focus there later. Martin's Cup efforts tapered in 1983 under owner , with 16 starts, one top-five, three top-tens, and $99,665 in earnings, reflecting ongoing funding and reliability issues for independent teams. He sat out the series entirely in 1984 and 1985, returning part-time in 1986 for five starts with Jerry Gunderman's team, recording no top finishes or poles and earning $20,515. Concurrently, he reclaimed the ASA national title in 1986, underscoring his prowess in regional asphalt racing amid national-level setbacks. These years established Martin as a talented but under-resourced driver navigating the financial barriers of early-career Cup competition without major sponsorship.

NASCAR Cup Series Career

Breakthrough with Roush Racing (1987–2006)

Mark Martin began his association with in 1988, serving as the flagship for the newly established Roush Racing team in the , piloting the sponsored initially by Stroh's and later by various partners including and . His debut came at the , where mechanical issues led to a 41st-place finish, but the partnership quickly demonstrated potential through consistent top-10 results in subsequent races. Over the 19-season tenure through 2006, Martin amassed 35 Series victories with the team—out of his career total of 40—establishing Roush as a powerhouse while showcasing Martin's precision driving style characterized by high completion rates and minimal errors. The breakthrough materialized in 1989 with Martin's first Cup win for Roush on October 22 at Speedway in Rockingham, leading the final 67 laps after starting from pole and marking the organization's inaugural in the series. That season, he secured six poles, 14 top-five finishes, and 18 top-10s, culminating in a third-place points finish, a marked improvement from 15th in 1988. Subsequent years solidified his reputation for reliability, with top-10 points finishes in 12 consecutive seasons from 1990 to 2001, including runner-up campaigns in 1990 and multiple near-championship efforts where he led the points standings at times but fell short due to late-season setbacks or superior competition from drivers like . Martin's 56 career poles, many earned during this era, underscored his qualifying prowess, particularly on intermediate tracks. By the mid-1990s, the duo's synergy peaked with wins at diverse venues, including the 1997 inaugural race at , contributing to Roush's expansion into a multi-car operation while Martin maintained a win rate that rivaled top teams despite lacking manufacturer dominance in some years. He added victories in high-profile events like the 1999 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, enhancing team morale and sponsorship appeal. Through 2006, Martin qualified for the inaugural Chase for the Championship in 2004 and 2005, finishing seventh and 11th respectively, though winless in his final full season amid transitional team challenges. Overall, the partnership yielded 96 national-series wins across disciplines, with Martin's consistency—evidenced by over 450 top-10 finishes in Cup—positioning him as Roush's cornerstone driver, though elusive championships highlighted the era's intense parity and occasional mechanical unreliability.

Establishing Consistency (1988–1991)

In 1988, Mark Martin joined the newly formed Roush Racing team, driving the in the Winston Cup Series for the full 29-race schedule. He recorded no wins but achieved 3 top-5 finishes and 10 top-10 results, securing 1 and finishing 15th in the final points standings with 3,142 points. This debut season with owner established Martin as a reliable performer, completing 78% of laps on average and demonstrating adaptability in his first full-time Cup effort with the team. Martin elevated his performance in , competing in 29 of 29 races and earning his first Cup Series victory at the AC Delco 500 at on October 22, where he led the final 77 laps. He amassed 14 top-5 finishes, 18 top-10s, and 6 poles, culminating in a career-best 3rd-place points finish. These results highlighted improved consistency, with top-10 finishes in over 60% of starts, as the team refined setups under crew chief Steve Hmiel. The 1990 season marked Martin's strongest yet, with 3 wins, 16 top-5s, 23 top-10s, and 3 poles across 29 starts, finishing a close 2nd in points, 26 behind champion despite leading in standings for much of the year. Sponsored by , the team achieved top-10 results in 23 of 29 races, underscoring sustained competitiveness on varied track types. This near-championship effort solidified Martin's reputation as a top-tier driver, with average finishing position around 7th. In 1991, Martin maintained high performance with 1 win, 14 top-5s, 17 top-10s, and 5 poles in 29 races, ending 6th in points. The season featured strong qualifying (average start 5.3) and reliability, though mechanical issues and close prevented a title repeat contention. Overall, from 1988 to 1991, Martin's progression from 15th to consistent top-5 contention reflected Roush Racing's growing infrastructure and his precise driving style.

Peak Performance and Championship Contention (1992–2004)

Mark Martin's tenure with Roush Racing from 1992 to 2004 marked his most dominant phase in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series (later Nextel Cup Series), characterized by exceptional consistency, frequent championship challenges, and a total of 29 victories. Driving the No. 6 Ford, he amassed 453 top-10 finishes across his career, with a significant portion occurring in this era, underscoring his reliability on tracks of varying lengths. Despite these achievements, Martin never secured a title, often falling short due to mechanical failures, close-point battles, or superior competition from drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. Key seasons highlighted Martin's contention for the . In 1994, he finished second in points, 444 points behind Earnhardt, with two wins at Rockingham and Pocono, one pole, 15 top-five finishes, and 20 top-10s across 31 starts. He repeated as runner-up in 1998, trailing Gordon by 364 points despite a career-high seven wins—including victories at Watkins Glen, , and Dover—and 22 top-fives in 33 races. The 2002 season saw another near-miss, with Martin ending second, 38 points behind , after one win at and consistent top-10 performances in 36 events. Other strong years included 1993 (third place, five wins), 1997 (third place, four wins), and 1999 (third place, two wins), where he led the points standings at times but faltered late. Martin's statistical output reflected Roush Racing's growing competitiveness, bolstered by improved engineering and sponsorships like . He earned multiple poles, particularly in the mid-1990s, and excelled at intermediate tracks such as Charlotte and California Speedway. However, seasons like 1996 (zero wins but fifth in points with 14 top-fives) and 2001 (12th place amid engine issues) demonstrated vulnerabilities to reliability problems. By 2004, he notched a win at Richmond and finished fourth, signaling sustained excellence before transitional challenges.
YearPoints PositionStartsWinsPolesTop 5Top 10
19926th29211017
19933rd30551219
19942nd31211520
19954th31441322
19965th31041423
19973rd32431624
19982nd33732226
19993rd34211926
20008th34101320
200112th3602315
20022nd36101222
200317th3600510
20044th36101015

Transitional Challenges (2005–2006)

In 2005, Mark Martin drove the No. 6 Ford for Roush Racing in all 36 Nextel Series races, posting one victory at on October 9, nine top-five finishes, and 16 top-ten results, which positioned him seventh in the final points standings with 5,787 points. Having announced his intention to retire from full-time competition after the season on October 14, 2004, Martin initially planned a reduced schedule focused on the Busch Series and his own Craftsman Truck Series team. However, amid discussions with team owner and sponsor , he reversed the decision in September 2005, committing to a final full-time season in 2006 while signaling his departure from the organization thereafter. This flip-flop reflected ongoing uncertainties about his physical endurance at age 46 and the team's need for a successor, as Roush had initially signed to replace him before McMurray shifted to another Roush entry. Martin's 2006 campaign with Roush marked a transitional downturn, as he completed all 36 races without a win—his last victory having come the prior year—but recorded seven top-five finishes, 15 top-tens, and a ninth-place points finish with 6,168 points. Early momentum, including a win in the Nextel Open exhibition format, dissipated after a 30th-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May, yielding just one additional top-five over the remaining 22 races and exposing handling inconsistencies in the Ford amid intensifying competition from younger drivers and evolving team priorities. Incidents, such as a multi-car crash triggered by contact with at in May, further hampered consistency, while internal dynamics strained as Martin, at 47, navigated his lame-duck status and Roush's delayed announcement of as his 2007 replacement in October. These factors underscored broader challenges of aging in a physically demanding series, resource allocation toward emerging talent like and , and Martin's shift toward part-time efforts and a dominant Series title run with seven wins.

Independent and Multi-Team Stints (2007–2008)

Following his departure from full-time competition with Roush Racing after the 2006 season, Mark Martin signed with the independent Ginn Racing team to drive the No. 01 on a limited schedule in 2007, primarily sponsored by the U.S. Army. Initially planning fewer appearances, Martin expanded his participation to 24 of the 36 points-paying races, sharing the ride with Regan Smith. His season began strongly with a second-place finish in the on February 18, 2007, leading 21 laps before a late-race incident involving the leaders allowed him to advance. Additional highlights included fifth-place results at California Speedway on February 25 and on March 11, contributing to five top-five and eleven top-ten finishes overall, despite the limitations of a smaller operation. Ginn Racing merged with (DEI) on July 25, 2007, integrating the No. 01 team into the larger organization, though Martin's average finish of 14.5 placed him 27th in the final points standings. In 2008, Martin transitioned to DEI's No. 8 Chevrolet, sharing the car with in a multi-driver arrangement announced on , 2007, again with backing for select events. He competed in 24 points races and one non-points event, the Sprint All-Star Challenge where he finished ninth. Despite DEI's organizational challenges, including struggles on intermediate tracks, Martin delivered consistent performances with four top-five and eleven top-ten results, highlighted by a third-place finish at Richmond International Raceway on May 3 and a fourth at Dover International Speedway later that season. His average finish of 13.3 underscored his skill in extracting maximum potential from under-resourced equipment, setting the stage for a full-time return with in 2009.

Hendrick Motorsports Tenure (2009–2011)

Mark Martin joined Hendrick Motorsports for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, driving the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet and replacing Casey Mears. At age 50, Martin delivered an unexpectedly strong performance, securing five victories: the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 18 from the pole position, the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 9, the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 28, the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 2 after leaders Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle ran out of fuel, and the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 20. He earned seven poles, 17 top-five finishes, and 26 top-ten finishes across 36 starts, finishing second in the final points standings with 6,511 points, 141 behind champion Jimmie Johnson. In September 2009, Martin extended his contract with Hendrick through the season, with .com becoming a primary sponsor for 20 races in . However, his performance declined in and , yielding no wins in either year despite completing all 36 starts annually. In , Martin recorded one top-five (fourth at Charlotte) and eight top-ten finishes, ending 13th in points. The season saw further struggles, with zero top-fives, seven top-tens, and a 26th-place points finish; crew chief changes, including McGrew taking over, failed to reverse the trend. Martin parted ways with Hendrick at the end of , with assuming the No. 5 ride in 2012.

2009 Points Runner-Up

Mark Martin achieved second place in the points standings, finishing 141 points behind champion . This marked Martin's closest brush with a title at age 50, in his first full-time season since 2006 and debut year with driving the No. 5 / Chevrolet. He competed in all 36 races, recording 5 wins, 14 top-5 finishes, 21 top-10 results, and a series-high 7 pole positions. Martin's season highlighted a career resurgence following part-time schedules in 2007 and 2008. He led the points standings after early victories, including the event where he led a race-high 195 laps. Additional wins came at , (twice), and , where he held off challengers in the final laps. Despite entering the Chase for the Sprint Cup in ninth position, consistent top finishes, including runner-up at Dover, kept him competitive against teammate Johnson. Johnson's dominance, with 7 wins and superior Chase performance, ultimately secured the title, but Martin's 805 laps led and Hendrick 1-2 finish in points underscored the team's strength. Martin's effort earned widespread recognition as one of the strongest non-championship campaigns, emphasizing his enduring skill despite prior team transitions.

Final Full-Time Efforts (2010–2011)

In 2010, at age 51, Mark Martin competed full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, with Alan Gustafson as crew chief, participating in all 36 events. He secured one pole position, seven top-five finishes, and eleven top-ten results, but no victories, culminating in a 13th-place points standing with 4,364 points. Martin's strongest performance came with a second-place finish at the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, amid a late-season surge that included eight consecutive finishes of 14th or better, though the team grappled with inconsistent speed earlier in the year. The 2011 season marked Martin's final full-time campaign at age 52, again in the No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet, now under crew chief Lance McGrew following personnel adjustments. He raced all 36 events, earning two poles—including at the Daytona race and the fall Talladega event—two top-five finishes, and ten top-ten results, with a best of second place, but again no wins, ending 22nd in points with 930. The No. 5 team's performance lagged behind Hendrick's other entries, reflecting challenges in maintaining competitiveness as Martin transitioned toward part-time racing in 2012, with slated to take over the ride.

Part-Time Racing and Retirement (2012–2013)

In November 2011, Mark Martin signed a two-year agreement with to drive the No. 00 in 25 Sprint Cup Series events each season for 2012 and 2013, sharing the ride with team co-owner and . The deal marked Martin's return to powerplants after his tenure with ' Chevrolet program and emphasized a reduced schedule to extend his career. During the 2012 season, Martin competed in 24 races for MWR, posting seven top-10 finishes, including a career-best fourth-place result at on October 21. His efforts contributed to the team's growth, though the No. 00 struggled with consistency amid equipment limitations typical of a smaller organization. The car number transitioned to No. 55 in some configurations, sponsored by Aaron's. Martin extended his part-time commitment into 2013, planning for 26 starts in the No. 55 , but his schedule shifted mid-season. On August 19 at , he led 108 laps but finished second after running out of fuel on the , missing a potential 41st victory. Following Tony Stewart's leg from a sprint car accident on August 9, Martin was released from MWR on August 20 to drive the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing in 12 of the remaining 13 races, starting at . In his SHR substitute role, Martin achieved three top-10 finishes, including sixth at on October 20, demonstrating veteran reliability amid the Chase for the Sprint Cup format. Concluding his driving career after the 2013 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 17, where he finished 20th, Martin announced he would not compete in 2014, transitioning to non-driving roles while affirming his retirement from full-time and competitive Cup racing.

Other Racing Series Participation

Nationwide and Truck Series Successes

Mark Martin achieved significant success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (formerly the Busch Grand National Series), amassing 49 wins across 236 starts, along with 30 poles, 112 top-five finishes, and 152 top-ten finishes. His victories established him as one of the series' most prolific winners, second only to in all-time Xfinity wins. Martin's dominance was particularly evident in limited schedules as a Cup Series driver, a practice known as "Buschwhacking," where established veterans supplemented their racing with high-win rates in the second-tier series; in 1993, he secured seven wins in just 14 starts, followed by six victories each in 14 starts during 1996 and in 15 starts during 1997. In the , Martin recorded seven wins over 25 starts, complemented by three poles, 16 top-five finishes, and 20 top-ten finishes. His most notable campaign came in 2006, when he won six races in 14 appearances, showcasing adaptability to the series' unique truck format despite his primary focus on higher divisions. These performances underscored Martin's versatility and competitive edge across NASCAR's national series, contributing to his overall tally of 96 wins in the three premier divisions.

ARCA, IROC, and Sports Car Ventures

Martin's sole appearance in the came on August 1, 1981, at , where he drove a to victory in his debut and only start, leading the final laps after starting from the pole. In the (IROC) series, an invitational event pitting top drivers from various disciplines in identical cars, Martin excelled from 1994 to 2005, amassing 13 wins across 47 starts—series records—and capturing five championships in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2005. His dominance included multiple victories in single seasons, such as two each in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2005, often outperforming legends like and on ovals and road courses alike. Martin also pursued , primarily in endurance events under and Grand-Am sanctions. He secured the GTO class win at the 1989 24 Hours of Daytona in a Roush-prepared Ford Mustang, followed by another class victory in 1995 co-driving with in a Ford Mustang. These efforts contributed to three overall class triumphs at Daytona, highlighting his adaptability to and GT machinery despite a primary focus on stock cars. His Grand-Am outings included prototype class starts, though without additional class wins documented at the top level.

Achievements and Statistical Legacy

Major Awards and Honors

Mark Martin earned the American Speed Association (ASA) Rookie of the Year award in 1977, followed by three consecutive ASA national championships from 1978 to 1980. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers as part of the league's commemorative list marking its 50th anniversary. Martin dominated the series, securing a record five championships in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2005, along with a series-high 13 victories across 12 events. Following his runner-up finish in the points standings, Martin received NASCAR Illustrated's Person of the Year award, sponsored by , recognizing his perseverance and performance at age 50. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2015, honoring his 96 wins across 's national series and consistent excellence despite lacking a Cup Series title. In 2017, Martin entered the , with his selection highlighting 40 Cup Series victories, 56 poles (seventh all-time), and a record 49 wins in what became the Series, held for 14 years.

Key Records and Milestones

Mark Martin amassed 40 victories in the over 882 starts from 1981 to 2013, placing him 15th on the all-time wins list at the time of his retirement. He secured 56 pole positions, led 13,492 laps, and achieved 271 top-five finishes alongside 453 top-ten finishes, the latter ranking among the highest in series history for drivers without a . A defining statistical milestone is Martin's five second-place points finishes in the Cup Series (1990, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2010), establishing a record for the most runner-up seasons without securing a title and underscoring his consistent excellence amid narrow championship defeats. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he recorded 49 wins, a mark that held as the series record for 14 years until surpassed by . Martin set a NASCAR qualifying speed benchmark of 188.354 mph during a 1998 session at , a record unlikely to be broken under modern race formats incorporating stage cautions that bunch the field. At , he holds the marks for most top-five finishes (20) and top-ten finishes (34) without a victory, with seven runner-up results there. Across NASCAR's three national series, his 96 total wins highlight a versatile legacy spanning , , and Truck divisions.

Criticisms and On-Track Challenges

Notable Incidents and Rivalries

Mark Martin's on-track rivalries were characterized by intense, clean competition rather than overt hostility, often pushing the limits of wheel-to-wheel racing in the during the 1990s. His most prominent rivalry developed with , fueled by close points battles, including the 1998 season where Gordon secured the championship with a record 13 wins while Martin finished second with seven victories, separated by critical races like Talladega that swung momentum. Similarly, Martin engaged in fierce duels with , marked by high-speed side-by-side racing and mutual exchange of setup information off-track, though they competed aggressively for wins throughout the decade. Another significant rivalry involved , built on respect amid hard racing, but punctuated by incidents where Earnhardt tested Martin's resolve by wrecking him, prompting Martin to retaliate on-track to establish boundaries. Martin later recounted confronting Earnhardt after repeated aggressive moves, noting that Earnhardt "wiped us out" in one instance, leading to a brief resolved through direct retaliation that earned subsequent fairer . One of the most consequential incidents in Martin's career occurred in 1990 following the season-opening race at Richmond International Raceway on February 11, where post-race inspection revealed an illegal spacer on his Roush Racing Ford, resulting in a $40,000 fine and deduction of 46 driver points. This penalty proved pivotal, as Martin entered the final race at trailing Earnhardt by 72 points but finished 26 points behind after the deduction, denying him his first and only Cup Series title that year. In a bizarre on-track mishap during the 2012 Pure Michigan 400 at on August 19, Martin, leading while lapping traffic, swerved to avoid an incident ahead but veered onto pit road, slamming violently into a narrow barrier at the end of pit road. The impact crumpled the right front of his car, but Martin walked away uninjured, later crediting the and safety improvements for mitigating potential severity, though the crash ended his race prematurely.

Debates Over Championship Absence

Mark Martin secured runner-up finishes in the points standings five times—1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2009—while accumulating 40 victories, leading many observers to regard him as among the most accomplished drivers without a title. These consistent high placements, against dominant champions like (1990 and 1994), (1998), (2002), and (2009), fueled discussions on whether structural misfortunes, competitive edges held by rivals, or on-track execution gaps prevented a championship breakthrough. A pivotal arose in 1990, when Martin entered the season's final races leading the points but incurred a 46-point penalty for using an unapproved spacer, dropping him to second place, 26 points behind Earnhardt. Martin later reflected on the penalty in interviews, noting its direct impact on the outcome without disputing the infraction's validity. Analysts have cited this as emblematic of how isolated technical violations amplified in a season-long format, though Martin himself dismissed excuses, stating plainly that he "never scored enough points to win one." In other seasons, mechanical failures and race-specific setbacks compounded the challenges; for instance, an engine blowout while leading at in 1994 eroded his lead to Earnhardt, while in 2009 with , Martin won three of the first six Chase for the Championship races but faltered in the final two events, allowing teammate Johnson to clinch the title. Debates persist over Martin's philosophy—praised for its cleanliness and consistency but critiqued by some for lacking the ruthlessness of peers like Earnhardt—potentially costing positions in tight contention scenarios. Counterarguments emphasize the era's parity issues, with Martin's Roush Racing stable often outmatched by or organizations in resources and development during peak rivalry years. Martin's post-retirement commentary on NASCAR's playoff evolution underscores a broader , arguing that the pre-2004 season-long system he competed under rewarded sustained performance, yet his repeated near-misses highlight how even optimal execution could fall short against entrenched dynasties. Despite the absence, his statistical legacy— including 83 top-five finishes and induction into the in 2017—affirms his elite status, with fans and media often attributing the shortfall to a of bad timing and formidable opposition rather than deficient talent.

Post-Racing Career

Broadcasting and Media Involvement

Following his retirement from competitive driving in 2013, Mark Martin engaged in selective broadcasting roles, leveraging his extensive NASCAR experience for analysis. In February 2022, he served as a guest analyst in the FOX Sports broadcast booth during the Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway, offering insights on the Next Gen car's performance and praising driver Tyler Reddick's victory. Martin expanded into podcasting, collaborating with former Roush Fenway teammate in May 2022 for a NASCAR-focused hosted by Mamba Smith, where they discussed team dynamics and historical perspectives on the sport. He has made recurring appearances on outlets like the Frontstretch and Spake Up podcasts, addressing topics such as the playoff format's flaws and television production influences on race coverage. By 2025, Martin took on a formal role as pre- and post-race studio analyst for Video's broadcasts, which include five regular-season races under the new media rights deal. His commentary emphasizes full-season points over playoffs, often delivered via platforms where he has critiqued networks like and for prioritizing drama over racing fundamentals, such as during the August 2025 Xfinity race at . These involvements reflect Martin's preference for independent, unscripted platforms over traditional booth commitments, allowing him to maintain distance from racing while influencing public discourse on NASCAR's direction.

Business and Short-Track Advocacy

Following his retirement from competitive NASCAR driving in 2013, Martin maintained involvement in automotive-related enterprises, primarily through ownership of dealerships under Mark Martin Automotive Group in his native Arkansas. These include facilities in Batesville and Melbourne, specializing in vehicle sales and service, which have served as a cornerstone of his business portfolio alongside his racing legacy. In Batesville, Martin's post-racing activities extend to local business operations, where he has dedicated time to mechanical maintenance and oversight of ventures tied to the region's motorsports heritage, reflecting a continued emphasis on hands-on involvement rather than expansive new investments. Martin's advocacy for short-track has intensified in , positioning him as a prominent voice for and dirt track preservation amid NASCAR's evolution toward larger venues. He frequently attends events across the , from Dirt Series races to regional short tracks, emphasizing their role in nurturing talent and sustaining fan engagement. In August 2025, Martin publicly affirmed that "short tracks are thriving," citing observations from coast-to-coast visits of packed grandstands and passionate crowds as evidence of robust health in the sector. Through media appearances, such as the July 2025 episode of Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast, Martin has critiqued NASCAR's playoff structure while praising short-track formats for better rewarding consistency, suggesting they offer a model for broader motorsports sustainability. His efforts underscore a commitment to short tracks as foundational to stock car racing's talent pipeline, drawing from his own early career successes at venues like Batesville Motor Speedway, though he does not hold ownership stakes in operational facilities.

Recent Commentary on NASCAR Changes

In 2025, Mark Martin repeatedly advocated for abolishing 's playoff format in favor of a full-season points championship, arguing it undermines consistent performance and prioritizes manufactured drama for television ratings. On the Spake Up Podcast in August 2025, he stated that "a single round shouldn't decide the championship," emphasizing that the system, in place since , has shifted focus from rewarding drivers who excel over 36 races to high-stakes elimination rounds that often crown less deserving champions. Martin asserted in a July 30, 2025, podcast appearance that he knows "for a fact" the majority of traditional fans prefer the pre-2004 era format, claiming the alienate core supporters while boosting short-term revenue that officials are reluctant to disclose transparently. Martin linked the playoff system's persistence to financial incentives over competitive integrity, urging NASCAR in a July 31, 2025, to "tell the truth" about gains driving its retention despite fan dissatisfaction. He reiterated this in September 2025 posts, channeling fan memes to push for a 2026 return to season-long standings, warning that ongoing tweaks—such as potential adjustments discussed internally—fail to address root issues like diminished championship legitimacy. By October 7, 2025, Martin encapsulated his stance with the declaration, "Real racers don't do playoffs," critiquing the format's departure from motorsports traditions dating back to 's founding in 1948. Regarding the Next Gen car introduced in 2022, Martin has called for significant modifications to enhance driver skill differentiation and racing excitement, criticizing its homogenized designs and repaved tracks for producing "boring racing." In May 2025, he positioned himself as a fan advocate demanding an "urgent overhaul" to restore elements like independent rear suspension adjustments that favored talented drivers in prior eras. A December 2024 social media post lambasted the car's visual aesthetics, sparking fan debates over its departure from classic stock car appearances, while a June 2025 statement implicitly favored throwback specifications amid ongoing parity complaints. During a October 20, 2025, FOX Sports broadcast at Fontana, Martin discussed the Next Gen's impact on young talents like Tyler Reddick, highlighting persistent issues with on-track passing and setup variability despite incremental updates. Broader critiques from Martin in 2025 encompassed NASCAR's "new era" shifts, including track reconfigurations and diluted traditions, which he argued have "alienated classic fans" in pursuit of broader markets. In an August 2025 reflection, he validated fan frustrations over "bad leadership" and an "illegitimate point system," asserting no quick fix exists without reverting to foundational principles of endurance and consistency. These views, expressed via podcasts, broadcasts, and social media, position Martin as a vocal traditionalist amid rumors of 2026 playoff evolutions, though he expressed pessimism in February 2025 that systemic overhauls remain unlikely.

Personal Life

Family and Residences

Mark Martin married Arlene Martin on October 27, 1984, after meeting her in , where they were high school sweethearts. The couple has five children: Martin is the stepfather to Arlene's four daughters from her previous marriage—Amy, Rachel, Heather, and Stacy—and biological father to their son, Matt Martin. Matt Martin briefly pursued racing in lower-tier series, competing until 2008 before retiring from competition. During his NASCAR career, Martin primarily resided in , including a lakeside home in Cornelius built in 1994, which he listed for sale in 2016 at $2.55 million and sold in 2017 for $2.425 million; the 3,860-square-foot property featured four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and a three-car garage. He also owned properties in , including adjacent homes at 1898 and 1900 Seclusion Drive, which were sold in 2013. In retirement, Martin returned to his hometown of , where he owns a Ford dealership and the Mark Martin Museum at 1601 Batesville Boulevard, and has built a personal home. He and Arlene frequently travel together in a , embracing a nomadic lifestyle while maintaining ties to Batesville.

Political Views and Philanthropic Efforts

Mark Martin publicly endorsed Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, speaking at a campaign rally in , on March 6, 2016, where he stated, "Donald Trump has my vote. Let's bring these greatly needed jobs back to this country and build that wall." He defended his support on against critics, emphasizing personal voting rights amid partisan divides in fandom. Martin's stance aligned with broader conservative sentiments in circles, though he later urged separating politics from business disputes, as in his 2017 response to a sponsor controversy involving anti-Trump comments. Martin's philanthropic activities have centered on motorsports-related charity events rather than dedicated foundations. In , he participated in a short-track race in with proceeds benefiting a local , reflecting his occasional involvement in cause-driven competitions post-retirement. He has supported broader initiatives, including those aiding children's health and education through industry-wide efforts like the NASCAR Foundation, which has distributed over $25 million since 2006, though specific personal contributions from Martin remain undocumented in public records. Unlike some peers with high-profile foundations, Martin's efforts appear modest and tied to racing appearances, prioritizing direct participation over large-scale fundraising.

Motorsports Career Results

NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Mark Martin made 882 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series across 31 seasons from 1981 to 2013. He recorded 40 wins, ranking 17th all-time, along with 56 pole positions (7th all-time) and 61 runner-up finishes in races (6th all-time). Martin achieved 271 top-five finishes and 453 top-ten finishes, reflecting consistent performance, with career averages of 12.1 for starting position and 13.9 for finishing position. He led 12,879 laps over his career but secured no championships, though he finished second in the points standings five times—in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2009. His strongest season came in 1998, with seven wins and 22 top-five finishes.
StatisticTotal
Starts882
Wins40
Top 5 Finishes271
Top 10 Finishes453
Poles56
Laps Led12,879
Championships0
Points Runner-Ups5
Average Start12.1
Average Finish13.9

Other Series Summaries

Mark Martin achieved significant success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, formerly known as the Busch Series, with 236 starts across 23 seasons from 1982 to 2012. He secured 49 victories, a record that stood for 14 years until surpassed, along with 102 top-five finishes and 137 top-ten results. Martin's best points finish was eighth in 1987, and he earned 21 pole positions, demonstrating consistent excellence in the series' intermediate and short-track events. In the , Martin made 25 appearances over five years, primarily as a part-time competitor from 2000 to 2011. He recorded seven wins, contributing to his career total of 96 victories across NASCAR's three national series, though he did not contend for the championship. Notable performances included multiple top-five finishes, with his efforts often serving as preparation for Cup Series races or promotional events for sponsors. Martin dominated the (IROC) series, an invitational event featuring top drivers from various disciplines in identical cars. He captured five championships—more than any other competitor—and 13 race wins, the highest in series history. His titles came in 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2005, highlighting his adaptability across car types and tracks like Daytona and . Early in his career, Martin competed in the , logging a handful of starts in 1981 and 1982 with modest results, including no victories but experience that honed his skills before advancing to NASCAR's national tours. These outings, combined with short-track successes in regional events, laid the foundation for his later national prominence outside the Cup Series.

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  115. https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-mark-martin-loses-hope-for-nascars-future-as-he-drops-a-five-word-verdict-on-new-rule-overhaul/
  116. https://frontstretch.com/2025/07/23/is-mark-martin-right-nascar-playoff-system/
  117. https://www.logicrec.co.uk/8617744/who-is-arlene-martin-mark-martin-wife-married-life-explored/
  118. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0552746/bio/
  119. https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/mark-martin-kids
  120. https://aymag.com/racing-for-hope-children/
  121. https://news.yahoo.com/nascar-legend-mark-martin-selling-204552247.html
  122. https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/mark-martins-house-s-former/
  123. https://www.kark.com/news/mark-martin-nascars-old-man/
  124. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/mark-martin-becomes-latest-nascar-notable-to-endorse-donald-trump
  125. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/mark-martin-backs-donald-trump-at-rally-build-that-wall
  126. https://www.reddit.com/r/NASCAR/comments/47xrqn/mark_martin_stands_up_to_twitter_follower_who/
  127. https://nesn.com/2017/08/mark-martin-says-hell-cancel-rv-order-in-response-to-camping-world-ceo/
  128. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1638526/2020/02/27/mark-martins-post-nascar-life-leads-him-down-new-roads/
  129. https://www.nascarfoundation.org/news-media/2016/07/12/honors-gala-celebrating-10-years-of-giving/
  130. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_nxs/driver.php?drv_id=10
  131. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_ncwts/driver.php?drv_id=10
  132. https://www.jayski.com/2025/02/02/jeff-gordon-mark-martin-bill-elliott-ken-schrader-and-bobby-labonte-confirmed-for-iroc-race/
  133. https://www.racing-reference.info/iroc-series-page/
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