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Reposted from ThatsRacin.com. Good article on a good guy.
Martin's career back in gear
By TODD D. BURLAGE
The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS - Rock
bottom arrived during a
brief meeting with the
concrete at California
Speedway.
Between engine failure and
crashes, it marked the third
time in five races Mark
Martin hadn't finished an
event.
But, most notably, it
marked the start of a 2001
slide that ended with a
12th-place Winston Cup
points finish for Martin - his
second-worst in 14 years
with Roush Racing and his first outside the top 10 in 12 years.
"It was no fun last year," Martin said. "I didn't enjoy racing with one
hand tied behind my back last season. We tried as hard or harder than
we ever had, and we never saw the results."
A tough start and poor finish had Martin seriously considering retirement
after his contract expired with Roush in 2005.
But a resurgence this season has the popular driver rejuvenated and
renegotiating. An announcement on a "lengthy" contract extension could
come as soon as this weekend, team officials said.
Entering Sunday's Brickyard 400, Martin is second in the points (2,673)
and feeling more like a teen-ager than a 43-year-old.
"We thought we were going to lose him for sure. With the way things
were going, we never thought he would come back after 2005," said
team owner Jack Roush. "Now it looks like we'll have him much longer
than that if things keep going the way they are going."
And there's nothing to suggest things won't keep rolling in what's become
the best season for Martin since 1998, when he won seven races and
finished second in the points standings.
Martin may have only one win through 20 races this season, but his 13
top-10 finishes are tops in the circuit as are his seven top-fives.
Talk about a turnaround.
At this point last season, Martin had eight top-10s and three top-fives,
but five finishes of 33rd or worse.
"A year ago right now, I knew in my heart there was no way I was going
to keep racing," said Martin, who is only 106 points behind points leader
Sterling Marlin. "It's really a relief for me. I was pretty slow to get
excited about it. I couldn't stand to have my heart ripped out."
But just when things were becoming fun again for Martin, his heart was
nearly ripped from something far beyond his control.
Roush, his longtime boss and friend, suffered life-threatening injuries in
a small plane crash in Alabama on April 19.
Suddenly racing didn't seem so important, yet, suddenly, racing seemed
more important than ever.
"We felt scared and concerned, but we knew Jack would want us to press
on," Martin said. "We do our jobs not because he watches over us but
because we believe in what he is doing."
Within 24 hours of the plane crash, the news - and Roush's condition -
had dramatically improved.
The speedy recovery meant Martin and the No. 6 team could move their
collective attention back to the track and resume their pursuit of a first
points title for Martin and Roush Racing.
"More horsepower, better-handling cars, faster pits stops. That's what it
is this year," Martin said. "It doesn't come in a week. It takes time when
you get behind."
Martin has emerged as the leader of the four-car Roush stable that
includes two drivers in the top five, three in the top 10 and all four in the
top 13.
With 21 years of Cup experience, Martin has more years in the game
than his other three teammates combined.
"He is what helped make Roush Racing what it is today and I have a lot
of respect for him for a lot of different reasons. He is as great a
competitor as he is a person," said teammate Jeff Burton. "He's been
doing it a long time, but he still wants to win today as bad as he did when
he first started."
Just another reason why Mark Martin might race, and win, well into his
50s.
Martin's career back in gear
By TODD D. BURLAGE
The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS - Rock
bottom arrived during a
brief meeting with the
concrete at California
Speedway.
Between engine failure and
crashes, it marked the third
time in five races Mark
Martin hadn't finished an
event.
But, most notably, it
marked the start of a 2001
slide that ended with a
12th-place Winston Cup
points finish for Martin - his
second-worst in 14 years
with Roush Racing and his first outside the top 10 in 12 years.
"It was no fun last year," Martin said. "I didn't enjoy racing with one
hand tied behind my back last season. We tried as hard or harder than
we ever had, and we never saw the results."
A tough start and poor finish had Martin seriously considering retirement
after his contract expired with Roush in 2005.
But a resurgence this season has the popular driver rejuvenated and
renegotiating. An announcement on a "lengthy" contract extension could
come as soon as this weekend, team officials said.
Entering Sunday's Brickyard 400, Martin is second in the points (2,673)
and feeling more like a teen-ager than a 43-year-old.
"We thought we were going to lose him for sure. With the way things
were going, we never thought he would come back after 2005," said
team owner Jack Roush. "Now it looks like we'll have him much longer
than that if things keep going the way they are going."
And there's nothing to suggest things won't keep rolling in what's become
the best season for Martin since 1998, when he won seven races and
finished second in the points standings.
Martin may have only one win through 20 races this season, but his 13
top-10 finishes are tops in the circuit as are his seven top-fives.
Talk about a turnaround.
At this point last season, Martin had eight top-10s and three top-fives,
but five finishes of 33rd or worse.
"A year ago right now, I knew in my heart there was no way I was going
to keep racing," said Martin, who is only 106 points behind points leader
Sterling Marlin. "It's really a relief for me. I was pretty slow to get
excited about it. I couldn't stand to have my heart ripped out."
But just when things were becoming fun again for Martin, his heart was
nearly ripped from something far beyond his control.
Roush, his longtime boss and friend, suffered life-threatening injuries in
a small plane crash in Alabama on April 19.
Suddenly racing didn't seem so important, yet, suddenly, racing seemed
more important than ever.
"We felt scared and concerned, but we knew Jack would want us to press
on," Martin said. "We do our jobs not because he watches over us but
because we believe in what he is doing."
Within 24 hours of the plane crash, the news - and Roush's condition -
had dramatically improved.
The speedy recovery meant Martin and the No. 6 team could move their
collective attention back to the track and resume their pursuit of a first
points title for Martin and Roush Racing.
"More horsepower, better-handling cars, faster pits stops. That's what it
is this year," Martin said. "It doesn't come in a week. It takes time when
you get behind."
Martin has emerged as the leader of the four-car Roush stable that
includes two drivers in the top five, three in the top 10 and all four in the
top 13.
With 21 years of Cup experience, Martin has more years in the game
than his other three teammates combined.
"He is what helped make Roush Racing what it is today and I have a lot
of respect for him for a lot of different reasons. He is as great a
competitor as he is a person," said teammate Jeff Burton. "He's been
doing it a long time, but he still wants to win today as bad as he did when
he first started."
Just another reason why Mark Martin might race, and win, well into his
50s.
