Kahne leaving for Hendrick
- Thread starter wilson89
- Start date
C
carsntunes
Guest
Kasey can use the #25 next year to get used to back marker status he'll have at Hendricks.
HoneyBadger
I love short track racing (Taylor's Version)
Interesting...
http://www.catchfence.com/2010/spri...le-500-qa-with-team-chevy-driver-mark-martin/
I don't see Hendrick letting Mark go, when Mark gave that #5 car the best season it's had since 1996 last year. But letting Junyer go is a way to lose a lot of money. But I think Hendrick would cut Junyer quicker than Mark since one always performs well (aside from some bad luck) and one hasn't performed well at all lately.
http://www.catchfence.com/2010/spri...le-500-qa-with-team-chevy-driver-mark-martin/
I don't see Hendrick letting Mark go, when Mark gave that #5 car the best season it's had since 1996 last year. But letting Junyer go is a way to lose a lot of money. But I think Hendrick would cut Junyer quicker than Mark since one always performs well (aside from some bad luck) and one hasn't performed well at all lately.
Martin initiated Kahne talks, thrilled with outcome
Driver has not decided what he will do after contract ends
from NASCAR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Mark Martin was incredulous that anyone at Texas Motor Speedway could ask -- or even think -- that he wouldn't fulfill his commitment with Hendrick Motorsports through the end of 2011.
Team owner Rick Hendrick announced this week he'd signed Kasey Kahne to drive the No. 5 car beginning in 2012, and on Wednesday in a teleconference reiterated that Martin had committed to him through 2011.
A Friday morning behind-the-hauler meeting was Martin's first chance to address the subject, which was a source of wild speculation since Hendrick also said on Wednesday he'd have to find a place for Kahne to drive in 2011, since HMS was already at NASCAR's four-team cap.
In the end, Martin revealed he initiated conversations with Kahne to replace him on Hendrick's team, and that he himself might be driving somewhere full-time in 2012.
"I came [to Hendrick thinking] it was a little bit of a stretch to do one full-time season -- I gave 'em three. It's been the gift of my career that Hendrick Motorsports has given me and one of my biggest concerns has been who's going to be the successor, so I didn't knock them out of getting the very best, A-No. 1 fit.
"That's why I started talking to Kasey Kahne before anybody, in September last year. I do have some good buddies, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, but since they wouldn't talk to me seriously and kind of kept making jokes and cutting up -- Kasey Kahne was the guy."
Martin knew Kahne's contract with Richard Petty Motorsports was up at the end of this season, while his own deal with HMS went through the end of 2011.
"Kasey laughed at me, too -- but he didn't laugh at me as much as my other buddies did," Martin said. "Kasey is the really right fit for this organization. He's incredibly talented and incredibly marketable and his personality will fit -- and personalities are very important.
"Kasey Kahne's the total package and if you want to know the truth, I can't believe that Rick Hendrick scored this deal, it's so perfect."
Martin went on to eliminate any question of where his commitment was for the next 19 months, and lit up another whole "hot stove league" topic of speculation that will smolder for months, when he was asked about his next move.
"I'll find another opportunity that's exciting to me and I don't want to commit to that now," Martin said. "It will be something that gets me going [but] I won't be able to answer that question until late next year because I don't know. I'm going to do whatever I want to and I'm not even going to know what I want to do for a while -- I'm not going to know the scenarios that might be there.
"I wanted to make sure Hendrick was set. I've had the time of my life [but] I figured three years was enough -- and I would appreciate it if no one would write anything about me retiring, because I'm not gonna retire -- I'm gonna race in 2012.
"I didn't want [Hendrick] to wait around for me until this time next year for me to decide if I was willing to continue going forward [and] it was really, really important to me to make sure that Hendrick Motorsports had someone better than me, to come in behind me. I'm more comfortable now than I was a month ago, because I didn't know what that [solution] was gonna be.
"For the first time ever, I would consider an opportunity like Tony Stewart has. I don't want to be an owner, but if I could be an owner with a situation as wonderful as Tony Stewart's -- certainly not going the hard route -- maybe I would."
Driver has not decided what he will do after contract ends
from NASCAR.COM
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Mark Martin was incredulous that anyone at Texas Motor Speedway could ask -- or even think -- that he wouldn't fulfill his commitment with Hendrick Motorsports through the end of 2011.
Team owner Rick Hendrick announced this week he'd signed Kasey Kahne to drive the No. 5 car beginning in 2012, and on Wednesday in a teleconference reiterated that Martin had committed to him through 2011.
A Friday morning behind-the-hauler meeting was Martin's first chance to address the subject, which was a source of wild speculation since Hendrick also said on Wednesday he'd have to find a place for Kahne to drive in 2011, since HMS was already at NASCAR's four-team cap.
In the end, Martin revealed he initiated conversations with Kahne to replace him on Hendrick's team, and that he himself might be driving somewhere full-time in 2012.
"I came [to Hendrick thinking] it was a little bit of a stretch to do one full-time season -- I gave 'em three. It's been the gift of my career that Hendrick Motorsports has given me and one of my biggest concerns has been who's going to be the successor, so I didn't knock them out of getting the very best, A-No. 1 fit.
"That's why I started talking to Kasey Kahne before anybody, in September last year. I do have some good buddies, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth, but since they wouldn't talk to me seriously and kind of kept making jokes and cutting up -- Kasey Kahne was the guy."
Martin knew Kahne's contract with Richard Petty Motorsports was up at the end of this season, while his own deal with HMS went through the end of 2011.
"Kasey laughed at me, too -- but he didn't laugh at me as much as my other buddies did," Martin said. "Kasey is the really right fit for this organization. He's incredibly talented and incredibly marketable and his personality will fit -- and personalities are very important.
"Kasey Kahne's the total package and if you want to know the truth, I can't believe that Rick Hendrick scored this deal, it's so perfect."
Martin went on to eliminate any question of where his commitment was for the next 19 months, and lit up another whole "hot stove league" topic of speculation that will smolder for months, when he was asked about his next move.
"I'll find another opportunity that's exciting to me and I don't want to commit to that now," Martin said. "It will be something that gets me going [but] I won't be able to answer that question until late next year because I don't know. I'm going to do whatever I want to and I'm not even going to know what I want to do for a while -- I'm not going to know the scenarios that might be there.
"I wanted to make sure Hendrick was set. I've had the time of my life [but] I figured three years was enough -- and I would appreciate it if no one would write anything about me retiring, because I'm not gonna retire -- I'm gonna race in 2012.
"I didn't want [Hendrick] to wait around for me until this time next year for me to decide if I was willing to continue going forward [and] it was really, really important to me to make sure that Hendrick Motorsports had someone better than me, to come in behind me. I'm more comfortable now than I was a month ago, because I didn't know what that [solution] was gonna be.
"For the first time ever, I would consider an opportunity like Tony Stewart has. I don't want to be an owner, but if I could be an owner with a situation as wonderful as Tony Stewart's -- certainly not going the hard route -- maybe I would."
S
SlowNeasy
Guest
does anyone know wth mark is talking about. first time i've heard of a driver being more concerned about the organization he's driving for than his own racing career. way to muddle things up mark. <g> he can still drive but predicting what he's going to do one day to another is an exercise in futility.
Bucky Badger
Go Kyle Go
Burnt out too many brain cells?
I just think that Mark is having fun at what he's doing and wants to explore other angles....?
be9ak7ts16
Johali Lives
I gotta find somebody else to root for now.................... BILL>>>>>>>>>>> OH BILLLLLLLLLLLL the 9 CAR IS OPEN>>>>>>>>
Awwww Be9 just come on over to HMS and join us. LOL
yeah don't drag Bill into that trainwreck
Bucky Badger
Go Kyle Go
I thought it was really funny when the booth guys talked about who will continue the LEGACY of the 5 car????????WTF...LEGACY after what...2-3 years....LOL
dpkimmel2001
Team Owner
There's been quite a few great drivers in the #5 car over the years. The legacy of the #5 car spans much longer than 2-3 years. Here's a link to some of drivers that have climbed behind the wheel of the #5 car over the past 60 years or so.
http://www.racing-reference.info/rquery?s=1&id=5&series=W&trk=t0&cn=1
Bucky Badger
Go Kyle Go
If you heard them they made it sound like MARK was the legacy
dpkimmel2001
Team Owner
I'm sure you're right. I haven't had the chance to watch the race yet. Your post got me to thinking about some of the drivers that have climbed behind the wheel of the #5 car. Quite an impressive list. Check this out......
Here's a list of the drivers that are listed as the top 50 drivers of all time that at one time or another drove the #5 car.
Neil Bonnett
Cotton Owens
Hershel McGriff
Tiny Lund
Ralph Earnhardt
David Pearson
Bobby Isaac
Harry Gant
Geoffrey Bodine
Ricky Rudd
Terry Labonte
Mark Martin
Again, those are drivers in the top 50. There are many more that we all have heard of that were behind the wheel of that car.
Bucky Badger
Go Kyle Go
It won't be in th race footage..it was on sunday
W
WNY24Fan
Guest
That's exactly what I've been thinking.
S
SlowNeasy
Guest
don't know if bud will follow kasey or not but their not following jr is irrelevant. hendrick already had sponsorship sewn up for jr's car and there was no room left at the inn for bud if i recall correctly.
mike honcho
Knuckleheads
Great minds do think alike.
C
chromehorn
Guest
Jr left Bud. Bud wanted to stay with Jr. and would have followed him wherever he went.
muggle not
Team Owner
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Correct. Bud would have followd Jr anywhere.
C
chromehorn
Guest
I wonder if Jr. ever regrets that now that he has his own bar and all.
