Mark Martin wins 50th career pole at Daytona

“This could be one of those memories, We want to hold on to, cling to, one we can’t forget… What if this was that moment, That chance worth taking, History in the making”—lyrics from Darius Rucker’s “History in the Making”

Pole No. 50 (Getty Images for NASCAR)

Even though he’s never won at Daytona, Mark Martin has been pretty quick in qualifying at the track located 15 miles from where he lives in Florida.

Martin's No. 5 during his qualifying run on Friday (Getty Images for NASCAR)

He became the oldest polesitter in track history when he won the pole for the 2010 Daytona 500 at age 51. And he broke that record on Friday afternoon by turning a lap of just over 182 mph to knock 2011 Daytona 500 champ Trevor Bayne off the pole.

“I really didn't expect to get the pole,” said the ever-humble Martin. “When I ran it could have been first or 21st. I had no idea. They didn't tell me what my first lap was, that it was actually the quickest of the first laps so I had no idea. You just go out and do your thing.”

Martin climbs from his car after capturing his 50th career pole (Getty Images for NASCAR)

Not bad for an old guy. And there’s some more good news for Martin: the past two July races at Daytona have been won from the pole.

Like I said earlier in the week, this could be a month of firsts for Mr. Martin. A first win at Daytona, followed seven nights later by a first win at Kentucky followed on July 31 with his first win at Indianapolis, would be an ideal month for NASCAR’s most respected driver.

And a dream for one of his fans: me.

Mark during qualifying (Getty Images for NASCAR)

In a little bit less than seven days the NASCAR Nationwide Series hits the track for the “Feed the Children 300.” Martin will pilot the No. 32 car for Turner Motorsports in that race, which could be renamed the “Joey Logano 300,” since the youngster has won the past three poles and races at the 1.5-mile oval in Kentucky.

And Logano won the Subway Jalapeno 250 on Friday night, so he’s on a roll.

Martin has had a rough time in the past season and a half in Cup after having “the time of his life” in 2009 where Martin and crew chief Alan Gustafson won five times on the way to Martin’s fifth runner-up finish in the points.

And winning at Daytona could jump start his team.

“It would be really, really nice to make the Chase, but I'm not counting the points,” he said after winning his 50th pole in 53 tries at Daytona. “I'm not counting the points that closely. Right now, I am focused on trying to elevate the performance of our team.”

He said the same thing at Indianapolis last year. And he’s honest about it. This is the same man who said he should be fired for qualifying 32nd for a race in 2009 at Michigan. It’s a race that Martin ended up winning.

There are only five tracks Mark Martin has never won at: Daytona, Kentucky, Indianapolis, Pocono and Homestead-Miami. He’s got a chance in the next 29 days to knock off all three. He’s come so close at both Daytona and Indy, but the Batesville, Ark., native remains as humble as ever.

 “I’ve had a chance to race 53 times here. I’ve survived some really hard crashes here and I’ve had some good times here,” Martin said. “I’ve got a lot to be thankful for. The place doesn’t owe me a thing. Matter of fact, I owe the place and the sport a great deal for just letting me be a part of it.”

History is already in the making for Mark Martin with the pole, so why not cap it off with a win? I’d be OK with it, and I’m sure a lot of other fans would be too.

One last fun fact, as provided by NASCAR.com: “Mark Martin is the 12th different pole winner in 17 Cup Series races in 2011.”

As fired up as I am for Kentucky, it’s hard not to be excited about Daytona. Sure Mark Martin has had a rough time at the track, but he was in striking distance to push Tony Stewart to the win in the season’s opener, and he’ll be paired up with Jeff Gordon tomorrow.

Gordon and Martin talk on pit road before qualifying on Friday afternoon (Getty Images for NASCAR)

It should be exciting and I’m darn fired up for it.