After a busy weekend in Speedway, Ind., I’ve finally mustered up enough strength and energy to put some thoughts down on paper. Since I shorted my faithful readers of a proper Brickyard 400 countdown, I promise to bring you so many recap stories and opinions from the weekend that you’ll never want to watch another race: just replays of yesterday’s Brickyard.
“I’m going to do what I want to do for now. I’m going to drive the 5 car. That’s what we’ve said all along and I felt very disrespected when the media doesn’t accept that because what that means is that you make me look like I’m about to get fired and that’s very disrespectful and that’s what you all are doing and it’s very disrespectful and I deserve better than that because I’ve always been as straight as I can be.”
“And any bit of waffling I’ve ever done has been based on being asked questions before I was ready to answer them. And I should be able to do the things I want to. I ran a limited schedule because I wanted to. I came back because I wanted to drive the 5 car. I never said I was going to retire. I said I was not going to run the full schedule and I changed my mind so I’m going to have a hard time telling you guys what I’m going to do in ’12 and beyond because you guys pick at that like I’m indecisive. I’m at the point in my career where I get to do whatever the heck I want to do.”
“Rick Hendrick and Alan Gustafson indicated to me that they wanted me to drive their car as long as I wanted to drive it. And after thinking about that I told them I’d drive it through ’11 and that would be a long enough commitment for me and then I’d do something else. They wanted me to go further than that—that’s too far out. I don’t have a road map. I just want to do what I said I was going to do. That’s what we’re going to do. That’s what they want. That’s what I want, and I don’t know why everyone makes such a big deal out of this.”
“I understand it will all be put to rest when they announce what Kasey is going to do and you should be focusing on that. What’s Kasey going to do? Because I’ve told you what I’m going to do.”
Throughout all of this Mark was very, very upset and I could tell. As I talked with Kendra Jacobs, Mark’s media relations director, in his hauler on Friday, I could tell she was upset about it too.
“It’s wearing because you have to present yourself in the right way, and that’s my job. But in the same sense, I’m getting frustrated by it all too, and there are times when I lose myself in it and I have to remind myself, ‘Get yourself in check and be professional about this.’ You get frustrated because you’re in the middle of it but you have to step out and do your job.”
“It wears on me, it wears on everyone on this team and it’s really wearing on Mark and I just really think that when we have all the information in place, we’ll say what’s going on. We’re not sitting on information because that doesn’t do us any good either.”
“It’s coming. Information is coming, I’m told all the time. I want to know just as bad as everyone else.”
I told her that I could tell Mark was upset during the media visit and being a 17-year fan of Mark Martin that I was displeased with all the questioning he faced. However, the easiest way to shut up speculators is to show them why you’re so good, and on Saturday morning Mark Martin laid down a quick lap, putting him third in the final qualifying rundown.
After watching the No. 5 car zip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 49.504 seconds (181.803 mph) I headed down to the media room to hear Mark and Jimmie Johnson talk about their laps. Johnson started second in the race.
Even though Mark went out later in practice when track temperatures were nearly 120 degrees, his lap was blazing fast. “This year we didn’t have a great draw, but we had a great car, and I feel we capitalized on that car,” he said.
Mark also stated that it’s not too late to catch Johnson and others, and make it into the Chase, but he did note that, “it’s not too late, but it’s close.”
Listening to Mark on the team radio all weekend was once again a treat for my ears, as well as anyone else listening in. Mark thanked the team numerous times and was one heck of a motivational speaker on Saturday afternoon.
He and Alan Gustafson got the car good enough to jump out to the lead on lap 39 when Juan Pablo Montoya pitted with a tire issue. Mark led for ten laps before pitting.
From the mid-point of the race on, Mark had trouble gaining spots but he and Alan Gustafson never lost faith and kept trying to tune the GoDaddy.com car to win.
Even though my dad and I discussed the pit stops after the race, I was surprised to open my media-issued trackside report to see that the only car who spent less time on pit road than Mark Martin was race winner Jamie McMurray.
Mark came on the radio as he crossed the finish line in 11th place saying he was proud of the team and apologized for screwing it up. The car was fast and he is glad that the team has made progress, just as he had mentioned all weekend.
All in all, it was yet another awesome Brickyard 400 race weekend for Mark Martin and his team. The No. 5 crew unloaded fast, Mark qualified third and was up front most of the day. Hopefully his luck has turned around and he can continue to make a climb toward the Chase.
Even though Mark lost points on 12th place, he climbed into 13th place. Heading to Pocono, a track Mark has been strong at in the past, he sits 62 points behind Clint Bowyer.
When I showed up the bright green No. 5 car was finishing tech inspections
Friday’s media visit with Mark Martin was uncomfortable to say the least. Last year was fun and exciting. Mark talked about winning at Chicago, and having a week off to recharge his batteries before the Brickyard.
This year was painful. Questions about Mark’s future were brought up by Bob Pockrass, of SceneDaily.com and David Newton, of ESPN.com.
Pockrass told Mark about Ray Evernham’s comments earlier in the day. Evernham met with media members to discuss ESPN’s coverage, which he is a part of, but also mentioned that Mark, “will realize Rick Hendrick has been very good to him, and...the best thing for Hendrick Motorsports is for Mark to make room for Kasey to come over there.” Evernham added that he expects Mark Martin to make an announcement within two weeks that he’ll step aside for Kahne in 2011.
Mark Martin was not happy, to say the least. Here’s his tirade.
“I don’t know why, I just don’t know why. I made myself perfectly clear over the last several weeks. There’s no inclination of any change but I will tell you this. There is no road map for me and my future so don’t even start thinking about criticizing what I’m going to do in 2012 and beyond, so don’t even ask what I’m going to do.”
This year was painful. Questions about Mark’s future were brought up by Bob Pockrass, of SceneDaily.com and David Newton, of ESPN.com.
Pockrass told Mark about Ray Evernham’s comments earlier in the day. Evernham met with media members to discuss ESPN’s coverage, which he is a part of, but also mentioned that Mark, “will realize Rick Hendrick has been very good to him, and...the best thing for Hendrick Motorsports is for Mark to make room for Kasey to come over there.” Evernham added that he expects Mark Martin to make an announcement within two weeks that he’ll step aside for Kahne in 2011.
Mark Martin was not happy, to say the least. Here’s his tirade.
“I don’t know why, I just don’t know why. I made myself perfectly clear over the last several weeks. There’s no inclination of any change but I will tell you this. There is no road map for me and my future so don’t even start thinking about criticizing what I’m going to do in 2012 and beyond, so don’t even ask what I’m going to do.”
Mark Martin answers questions on media day. Check out the guy holding the camera on the right side of the photo in the green shirt. (IndianapolisMotorSpeedway photo)
“I’m going to do what I want to do for now. I’m going to drive the 5 car. That’s what we’ve said all along and I felt very disrespected when the media doesn’t accept that because what that means is that you make me look like I’m about to get fired and that’s very disrespectful and that’s what you all are doing and it’s very disrespectful and I deserve better than that because I’ve always been as straight as I can be.”
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Find out what it means to Mark Martin
“And any bit of waffling I’ve ever done has been based on being asked questions before I was ready to answer them. And I should be able to do the things I want to. I ran a limited schedule because I wanted to. I came back because I wanted to drive the 5 car. I never said I was going to retire. I said I was not going to run the full schedule and I changed my mind so I’m going to have a hard time telling you guys what I’m going to do in ’12 and beyond because you guys pick at that like I’m indecisive. I’m at the point in my career where I get to do whatever the heck I want to do.”
“Rick Hendrick and Alan Gustafson indicated to me that they wanted me to drive their car as long as I wanted to drive it. And after thinking about that I told them I’d drive it through ’11 and that would be a long enough commitment for me and then I’d do something else. They wanted me to go further than that—that’s too far out. I don’t have a road map. I just want to do what I said I was going to do. That’s what we’re going to do. That’s what they want. That’s what I want, and I don’t know why everyone makes such a big deal out of this.”
“I understand it will all be put to rest when they announce what Kasey is going to do and you should be focusing on that. What’s Kasey going to do? Because I’ve told you what I’m going to do.”
Throughout all of this Mark was very, very upset and I could tell. As I talked with Kendra Jacobs, Mark’s media relations director, in his hauler on Friday, I could tell she was upset about it too.
“It’s wearing because you have to present yourself in the right way, and that’s my job. But in the same sense, I’m getting frustrated by it all too, and there are times when I lose myself in it and I have to remind myself, ‘Get yourself in check and be professional about this.’ You get frustrated because you’re in the middle of it but you have to step out and do your job.”
“It wears on me, it wears on everyone on this team and it’s really wearing on Mark and I just really think that when we have all the information in place, we’ll say what’s going on. We’re not sitting on information because that doesn’t do us any good either.”
“It’s coming. Information is coming, I’m told all the time. I want to know just as bad as everyone else.”
I told her that I could tell Mark was upset during the media visit and being a 17-year fan of Mark Martin that I was displeased with all the questioning he faced. However, the easiest way to shut up speculators is to show them why you’re so good, and on Saturday morning Mark Martin laid down a quick lap, putting him third in the final qualifying rundown.
Mark pulls into Gasoline Alley after qualifying third. Kyle Busch (in yellow to the right of the car) walks out onto the grid for his lap.
After watching the No. 5 car zip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 49.504 seconds (181.803 mph) I headed down to the media room to hear Mark and Jimmie Johnson talk about their laps. Johnson started second in the race.
Even though Mark went out later in practice when track temperatures were nearly 120 degrees, his lap was blazing fast. “This year we didn’t have a great draw, but we had a great car, and I feel we capitalized on that car,” he said.
Mark also stated that it’s not too late to catch Johnson and others, and make it into the Chase, but he did note that, “it’s not too late, but it’s close.”
Listening to Mark on the team radio all weekend was once again a treat for my ears, as well as anyone else listening in. Mark thanked the team numerous times and was one heck of a motivational speaker on Saturday afternoon.
He and Alan Gustafson got the car good enough to jump out to the lead on lap 39 when Juan Pablo Montoya pitted with a tire issue. Mark led for ten laps before pitting.
From the mid-point of the race on, Mark had trouble gaining spots but he and Alan Gustafson never lost faith and kept trying to tune the GoDaddy.com car to win.
Even though my dad and I discussed the pit stops after the race, I was surprised to open my media-issued trackside report to see that the only car who spent less time on pit road than Mark Martin was race winner Jamie McMurray.
Mark came on the radio as he crossed the finish line in 11th place saying he was proud of the team and apologized for screwing it up. The car was fast and he is glad that the team has made progress, just as he had mentioned all weekend.
All in all, it was yet another awesome Brickyard 400 race weekend for Mark Martin and his team. The No. 5 crew unloaded fast, Mark qualified third and was up front most of the day. Hopefully his luck has turned around and he can continue to make a climb toward the Chase.
Even though Mark lost points on 12th place, he climbed into 13th place. Heading to Pocono, a track Mark has been strong at in the past, he sits 62 points behind Clint Bowyer.
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