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Martin Eager To Make Final Run At Crown

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By TONY FABRIZIO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 5, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH - DAYTONA BEACH - He's bearing down on 50, an age at which few NASCAR drivers have been competitive, and he is supposed to be fading into retirement.

There is only one problem: Mark Martin is still really good.

And now, after raving how much he loves that part-time schedule he has run the past two seasons and the extra time it has given him with his family, the 2007 Daytona 500 runner-up is returning to NASCAR's top level full time.

He made it official Friday at Daytona: He will replace Casey Mears in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet next season.

"It's just an opportunity that I absolutely could not pass by," said Martin, who will drive Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 8 Chevy in tonight's Coke Zero 400. "I was very concerned about regretting that decision for the rest of my life."

Three drivers have won in what is now the Sprint Cup Series after turning 50. Harry Gant won eight times, and Bobby Allison and Morgan Shepherd won once each. Allison's victory came in the 1988 Daytona 500 at 50 years, 72 days.

All-time greats Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip tailed off dramatically after reaching their late 40s. Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett each got their final victories at age 48.

Martin has refused to get old. He has gray hair and crow's feet around his eyes, but he is so well conditioned that he often looks fresher than drivers 20 years his junior after hot and difficult races.

"He's got the whole package," team owner Rick Hendrick said. "The only thing that will slow him down is his age, but then when you see him with his shirt off and you see all those six-pack abs he has and how he works out, it makes me feel really bad. So I hope that rubs off on me a little bit."

Hendrick turns 59 this month, and Martin turns 50 in January. They're old-school guys who aren't afraid to try new ways in all aspects of their lives.

"I'd say 50 percent of this deal was done by text message between Rick and I," Martin cracked. "I think that's pretty cool because I just learned how to text myself."

Said Hendrick, "Junior (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) and Jimmie Johnson, they were the ones that taught me how to text. I had to learn to do that because they won't return your phone calls."

Hendrick Motorsports has won the past two championships with Johnson and, though not as stout so far this year, almost always fields some of the strongest cars on the circuit. With Johnson, Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon, the team arguably has the strongest driver lineup already.

Martin will at least have the resources to take a final crack at the championship that has narrowly eluded him in a 25-year career. Four times, he has finished second, including once when he won seven races.

He has legions of fans, many from his 19 years driving Roush Racing's No. 6 Ford, who will be pulling for him.

"He can win, and it's kind of motivated me to try to give him the tools to see if we can't get him that championship," Hendrick said. "If we can't, we'll run hard, and I would bet money he would be in the Chase."

Johnson, while welcoming Martin as a teammate, finds himself worrying a little.

"He's an inspiration to all of us, and he makes a lot of us realize that trying to hang it up isn't going to be easy," Johnson, 32, said of Martin. "I remember talking to Rusty Wallace about it and he was kicking himself as he got down to his final few races in 2005. When I saw him on the TV side six months into the season, he was going crazy.

"Mark gives a lot of us hope that if you take care of yourself, you're going to be successful ... At the same time, I don't know if I'll be able let go."

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994 or afabrizio@tampatrib.com.

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