Mark Martin hasn't had talks about running full 2010 season
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Mark Martin says he loves being a full-time driver but he’s not ready to decide if he wants to convince team owner Rick Hendrick that he wants to drive the No. 5 car full time in 2010.
After completing the pole-winning lap Friday for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Martin said he has a part-time contract with Hendrick Motorsports for 2010 and he’s not ready to talk about trying to change that.
“I love what I’m doing and I don’t want to quit racing, but I have not had a conversation with my wife, with Hendrick Motorsports, with anybody about that,” Martin said. “It’s way too premature to talk about that. I have a [part-time] contract for next year. … I don’t want to talk about next year.”
Last summer when Martin announced his signing with Hendrick Motorsports, he and Hendrick announced that Martin would drive a full season in 2009 with a part-time role in 2010. The other driver was not announced, although Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill were considered the top candidates to share the ride with Martin.
The 50-year-old Martin has driven part time the last two years and 2009 was seen as his best chance – and likely the last chance – for him to win a title by going to Hendrick Motorsports and replacing Casey Mears in the No. 5 car.
The season hasn’t started out the way Martin wanted; he is 34th in the driver standings after four races. The start hasn’t affected his attitude about running the full season, though. A year ago, he was home for the Bristol race.
“I have looked around, and I have found nothing for the next chapter,” Martin said. “There’s nothing else I want to do. I can be on the beach anywhere in the world today and this is where I want to be.
“I’m not ready to quit. … I want to do what’s right for everybody.”
Martin said the move to Hendrick wasn't about winning the championship.
"You guys were the ones that said that I wanted to win a championship," Martin said in addressing the media after winning the pole. "I told y'all that I wanted to drive a race car that could win a race, and I'm doing that."
