Mark Martin delivers message to fellow competitors during Cup drivers meeting
AVONDALE, Ariz. - Veteran driver Mark Martin asked his fellow competitors to practice more caution coming to pit road during the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers meeting on Sunday morning at Phoenix International Raceway.
After race director David Hoots had finished going over the rules, he opened the floor for questions and Martin raised his hand.
He didn't have a question, but he had a message.
"In green-flag pit stops, everybody needs to be conscious of not going into the corner and washing up into the second lane and then turning down pit road," Martin said while remaining in his seat. "Some of the worst wrecks I've been in have been like that and last week was close a couple times.
"All you've got to do is go in the corner and stay on the white line. And of course, waving [to signal to the drivers behind you], too."
Hoots agreed with Martin, saying "it's a very valid point."
"When you're entering pit road, you want to hug that white line to come in," Hoots told the drivers. "You don't want to wash up in [turns] 3 and 4 and then turn down. You also need to get your hands out to signal as the cars coming on pit road. And we need to continue to practice that and get on pit road as safe and smooth as possible for everybody."
Earlier in the meeting, Hoots told the drivers to take it easy at the start of the race.
"Let's use our heads going into Turn 2 as we get the race started off properly," he said.
