“I'm pretty competitive.” So am I. “And pretty obsessive-compulsive.” Check. “And I'm able to give these guys everything I’ve got.” Agreed. “I'm not distracted by other things in life right now.” Close. I’ll say I’m pretty driven to see the man who said all those things take home the checkered flag on Sunday. After all, he’d never won at Chicago. That was, until two weeks ago.
For years I’ve watched Mark Martin zip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For 13 years he drove the #6 for Jack Roush, decked out in red, white and blue, sometimes with Valvoline on the car, other times with Viagra, and even once with AAA Auto Insurance on the car hood.
He’s got four wins and three poles this season, and he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite—if he wasn’t already. But, what does Mark Martin have to do to win at Indy on Sunday?
The smart alecks out there answer, “Well, he’s gotta finish first.” Ok, but what are his chances of being the first car to the checkered flag on Sunday?
In fifteen Indianapolis races Mark Martin has averaged a 13th place start and finished—on average—in 14th place. However, many times I have told you about his misfortune in 2000 where he wrecked early in the race. Three other times he has finished outside the top 20, and in 2004 he was in the top ten before he cut a tire on the final lap coming off of turn two and limped home to a 25th place finish.
In what I consider one of the coolest shots I ever took with my old camera, Mark Martin zips down the front stretch at Indy, clipping by his crew chief Pat Tryson
In the 1998 Brickyard, a race I have chronicled a few times over the past two years, Mark Martin finished second to Jeff Gordon. This was Martin’s best finish at Indy. Last year he had the second fastest car on qualifying day, but we all know about the tire issues and what complexion that gave the race (more on tires tomorrow).
In 1996, my first trip to Indy, Mark Martin sat on the outside pole. He did so again in 1999, my second visit to the Brickyard 400. In my last visit, just last year, Mark Martin put his #8 U.S. Army Chevy on the outside of row one. But, can he do it this year?
Mark Martin hadn’t won a pole in nearly eight years before he won one in March at Atlanta. He has two other poles—at Bristol, one week after Atlanta, and at Phoenix, the race where he snapped a 98 race winless streak. Can Mark snap a 15 race winless streak at Indy on Sunday?
Well, he’s one of four drivers to have competed in every race at Indy. Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton are the others. Gordon has won four times at Indy—a NASCAR best—and Labonte kissed the bricks in 2000. Burton and Martin are still seeking their first wins at the 2.5 mile rectangle.
However, Burton has been less than stellar this season and Mark Martin hasn’t performed well coming off of his other three victories. After winning at Phoenix he lasted seven laps at Talladega before he got caught up in someone else’s mess. He finished last. At Lowe’s he placed 17th in the rain shortened Coke 600, but had a fast car. He finished 35th at Sears Point one week after winning at Michigan. Bad luck at Sonoma put Mark in a bad spot there as well.
So, can Mark Martin, Alan Gustafson and the rest of the #5 Kellogg’s/Carquest team put the post win bad luck streak behind them and win at Indy this weekend? I sure hope so, and I know that most of you reading this hope so too.
Could this be the year that Mark Martin takes it home? Could this finally be the year that all the pieces fall together for the 50-year old from Arkansas? He said at Phoenix (his first win of the 2009 campaign), “It’s hard to make a car good enough to win, and it’s ten times harder to win one.”
If Mark Martin unloads fast on Friday afternoon it signals trouble for the rest of the field. And if he doesn’t, well, just read the first comments I posted above. No one will work harder than Mark Martin and Alan Gustafson to make this #5 car fast.
If I may borrow some lines from one of my favorite musical groups, Lifehouse, I’ll say that the Hendrick Motorsports #5 team will do, “Whatever It Takes,” to see Mark win for the, “First Time.” Until then, I’m “Hanging By a Moment,” to see what will unfold.
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I’m tired of hearing about tires. Are you? Join me tomorrow as I look back at the woeful 2008 Brickyard 400 and look at the quotes and comments from drivers who have tested at Indy since then. Oh, and some foreshadowing by yours truly.
Mark Martin said they were, “Obscenely fast,” at Indy in the October Goodyear sponsored test. That might bode well for what I have posted above. Have a great Tuesday evening, I’ll check back tomorrow.
For years I’ve watched Mark Martin zip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For 13 years he drove the #6 for Jack Roush, decked out in red, white and blue, sometimes with Valvoline on the car, other times with Viagra, and even once with AAA Auto Insurance on the car hood.
He’s got four wins and three poles this season, and he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite—if he wasn’t already. But, what does Mark Martin have to do to win at Indy on Sunday?
Mark Martin has won four races this season. Here he celebrates his thrid victory--at Michigan in June
The smart alecks out there answer, “Well, he’s gotta finish first.” Ok, but what are his chances of being the first car to the checkered flag on Sunday?
In fifteen Indianapolis races Mark Martin has averaged a 13th place start and finished—on average—in 14th place. However, many times I have told you about his misfortune in 2000 where he wrecked early in the race. Three other times he has finished outside the top 20, and in 2004 he was in the top ten before he cut a tire on the final lap coming off of turn two and limped home to a 25th place finish.
In what I consider one of the coolest shots I ever took with my old camera, Mark Martin zips down the front stretch at Indy, clipping by his crew chief Pat Tryson In the 1998 Brickyard, a race I have chronicled a few times over the past two years, Mark Martin finished second to Jeff Gordon. This was Martin’s best finish at Indy. Last year he had the second fastest car on qualifying day, but we all know about the tire issues and what complexion that gave the race (more on tires tomorrow).
In 1996, my first trip to Indy, Mark Martin sat on the outside pole. He did so again in 1999, my second visit to the Brickyard 400. In my last visit, just last year, Mark Martin put his #8 U.S. Army Chevy on the outside of row one. But, can he do it this year?
Mark Martin hadn’t won a pole in nearly eight years before he won one in March at Atlanta. He has two other poles—at Bristol, one week after Atlanta, and at Phoenix, the race where he snapped a 98 race winless streak. Can Mark snap a 15 race winless streak at Indy on Sunday?
Mark Martin qualified second at Indy in 2008, but was relegated to an 11th place finish. Why? Read tomorrow to find out the issues from the 2008 race.
Well, he’s one of four drivers to have competed in every race at Indy. Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton are the others. Gordon has won four times at Indy—a NASCAR best—and Labonte kissed the bricks in 2000. Burton and Martin are still seeking their first wins at the 2.5 mile rectangle.
However, Burton has been less than stellar this season and Mark Martin hasn’t performed well coming off of his other three victories. After winning at Phoenix he lasted seven laps at Talladega before he got caught up in someone else’s mess. He finished last. At Lowe’s he placed 17th in the rain shortened Coke 600, but had a fast car. He finished 35th at Sears Point one week after winning at Michigan. Bad luck at Sonoma put Mark in a bad spot there as well.
So, can Mark Martin, Alan Gustafson and the rest of the #5 Kellogg’s/Carquest team put the post win bad luck streak behind them and win at Indy this weekend? I sure hope so, and I know that most of you reading this hope so too.
Could this be the year that Mark Martin takes it home? Could this finally be the year that all the pieces fall together for the 50-year old from Arkansas? He said at Phoenix (his first win of the 2009 campaign), “It’s hard to make a car good enough to win, and it’s ten times harder to win one.”
If Mark Martin unloads fast on Friday afternoon it signals trouble for the rest of the field. And if he doesn’t, well, just read the first comments I posted above. No one will work harder than Mark Martin and Alan Gustafson to make this #5 car fast.
If I may borrow some lines from one of my favorite musical groups, Lifehouse, I’ll say that the Hendrick Motorsports #5 team will do, “Whatever It Takes,” to see Mark win for the, “First Time.” Until then, I’m “Hanging By a Moment,” to see what will unfold.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I’m tired of hearing about tires. Are you? Join me tomorrow as I look back at the woeful 2008 Brickyard 400 and look at the quotes and comments from drivers who have tested at Indy since then. Oh, and some foreshadowing by yours truly.
Mark Martin said they were, “Obscenely fast,” at Indy in the October Goodyear sponsored test. That might bode well for what I have posted above. Have a great Tuesday evening, I’ll check back tomorrow.
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