SEASON PREVIEW: Mark Martin bucks tradition, gets better with age

By Bob Pockrass

Monday, February 08, 2010

Mark Martin is only getting better with age.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Mark Martin doesn’t necessarily want a big deal made about his age – he’s considered the elder statesman of the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage at 51 – but he understands why everyone wants to talk about it.

He also understands that he can be an inspiration to people in the middle-aged category.

“That makes me proud to be a part of that,” Martin says. “I feel the same thing with Brett Favre or a number of other folks that sort of beat the odds.”

Martin spent 19 years at Roush Fenway Racing, ran two seasons with a part-time schedule for Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc., and then returned to full-time competition in 2009. He won five races and finished second in the standings last year and now enters 2010 as a serious challenger to teammate Jimmie Johnson and others for the title.

He will sit on the pole for the Daytona 500.

“He’s got a little spring in his step,” Roush Fenway Racing driver Carl Edwards says. “He’s an inspiration to all of us. What is he, 50 or 51? At least that’s what he claims. He could be 70 for all we know. He’s doing it, so that’s motivation for all of us.”

Martin shouldn’t be worried that he’s motivating his competition with his performance because it is also motivating his own team.

“He continues to impress,” crew chief Alan Gustafson says. “He’s an incredible human being. He’s very inspiring to me and the whole team.”

The oldest driver ever to sit on the pole for the Daytona 500, Martin has finished second in the Cup standings five times. He has 40 career wins.

“I had the most fun of my life last year, and I’m gonna have a blast this year,” Martin says. “I think that’s really exciting. Not many people my age can say this is the best it’s ever been, and for me it is.

“So, you know, life’s good. A lot of that has to do with where your head’s at, your perspective on things. Also a lot of it has to do with being a part of that [No.] 5 team, working with the folks with Hendrick Motorsports.”

But it’s more than just driving a good car. Martin is in great physical and mental shape.

“It was a concern of mine in my mid-40s,” Martin says. “I had such a great run in 2008 in the 8 car [with Ginn and DEI], that it gave me confidence enough to accept the 5 car. And driving the 5 car has put me in a position to buck tradition.

“There’s always abnormalities. And right now, I’m driving the 5 car and my commitment to health and fitness, I believe, are the two things enabling me to break [with tradition].”

Before driving for Roush Racing in 1988, Martin had driven only one full-time Cup season, in 1982, as a driver/owner.

“I’m the luckiest guy around because it looks like I’ve done so many things right, but really I’ve just been lucky and stumbled around,” Martin says. “I have just stumbled around, fell in this 5 car, and it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me, you know?”

Martin is contracted to drive through next year, and people are now asking if he will be driving beyond 2011. Martin politely says he’s not going there.

“I’m just loving life right now,” Martin says. “I’m going to be loving life every time I get a chance to strap in that 5 car.”

THE MARTIN FILE

Career Cup victories: 40
Career Cup top-10s: 417
Career Cup starts: 758
Laps led: 12,360
Best track: Watkins Glen (7.8 avg. fin.)
Worst track: Daytona (18.1 avg. fin.)
Did You Know: Martin has a rap anthem about his career. It is titled “Start Your Engines” and was produced in 2006 by Round House Multimedia owners Derrick Garrett and Kevin Dent. It is performed by Budda Early.

Coming Tuesday: Carl Edwards