NO Champion for Martin

[RaceFanStan]

Only 3 drivers, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth & Mark Martin have made the chase all 3 years.
Jimmie Johnson won the Cup Championship this year & Matt Kenseth won it in 2003.

Mark Martin finished second in Cup points 4 times, close but no cigar.

Now he has went to a partial schedule & a Cup Championship can’t happen.

Mark Martin said, "The championship is not really something that was meant for me ever …"

I think he is correct. :s

[Mark in Oshawa]

The sad part is Stan is Mark is likely the hardest working and most humble guy in NASCAR. A more worthy ambassador for the sport couldn't be found. That said, you have to earn your champioinships but you also have to have a bit of luck. For whatever reason, Martin always lost a few points here and there that eventually burned him in the past, and once the Chase came along, his consistenency got him in, but his age and circumstance pretty much doomed him. He is now just a good driver, not a great one, and NASCAR that will get you in the points battle, but you wont win it. The competition is just too tough now.

Mark can still maybe catch lightning in a bottle and win Daytona or some other big race, but I doubt it. It bothers me, he is my favourite driver from the 90's and I always wanted to see him win a Daytona 500 or a championship and it wont happen. This however is what he wants. He needs to step back, and he couldn't do it at Roush. I wish the guy well. I think it should be noted that one of the greatest names in racing from f1 that never won a championship was Stirling Moss, yet NO one ever would say he wasn't one of the greatest. IT is almost an honour to hold the title "Greatest Driver to not win a Championship."

[#6CupFan]

Luck has never been on Martin's side, always getting caught up in someone else's junk or mistakes... This is what has doomed him from a championship. I believe he's always run (and acted) like a champion.

It saddens me that he's gone part time, and won't run for a Cup title , but it really infuriates me that he won't run for a CTS title. That's just a waste of talent. :(

[ms0362]

Mark has been a magnet for someone else's junk whenever he's in the hunt for the championship. I remember him being taken out at Talladega when he was second to Earnhardt. He lost to much ground and momentum when Yeley pulled his stunt this year at Charlotte. Then to add insult to injury he loses his primary car in a happy hour when Raines did the same stupid thing as Yeley. He stuggled in the back-up car all day and lost more ground. I've followed Mark pretty much from the beginning. I took the "6" decal off my car last week. Kind of an end of an era. I wish him well in the 01 car, but it won't be the same.

[#6CupFan]

I took the "6" decal off my car last week. Kind of an end of an era. I wish him well in the 01 car, but it won't be the same.

I've left my little 6 on the car....it has Mark Martin's sig on it, and I just can't bear to buy a "01" decal. :(

[harvick#1]

I'm with you, buying Shell/Pennzoil stuff is going to be difficult instead of Goodwrench/Reeses

[Jonesi]

Luck has never been on Martin's side, always getting caught up in someone else's junk or mistakes... This is what has doomed him from a championship. I believe he's always run (and acted) like a champion.
It saddens me that he's gone part time, and won't run for a Cup title , but it really infuriates me that he won't run for a CTS title. That's just a waste of talent. :(

I think Mark has always been a class act and a great driver. Don't be so sure he won't do the whole year. His partial year, 20 races are front loaded (before Regan Smith takes over.) I think if he's solidly in the top 15 at half way, (and with the new CoTs which won't level the field, since the ageing veteran's have a lot more experience adapting to new cars.) there will be termendous pressure to stay in the car.

[RaceFanStan]

I don't expect Mark Martin to do a full schedule in Nextel Cup next year.
I do expect to see him run several Busch Series & Truck Series races.
As long as Mark Martin is winning races he won't totally "retire". :D

[oldhippie]

mark martin is a great driver and i dont see him retiring anytime soon

[Mark in Oshawa]

He will just play like Bill Elliott is doing, but guys who just show up for half the races no longer run up front either. I wish Mark just ran a full season of CTS and THAT to me would make more sense. I guess he still has a shot at any race he makes, and maybe a win at the Daytona 500 would be the icing on the cake of a great career, but it just isn't the same with someone else driving the 6....

[Jonesi]

He will just play like Bill Elliott is doing, but guys who just show up for half the races no longer run up front either. I wish Mark just ran a full season of CTS and THAT to me would make more sense. I guess he still has a shot at any race he makes, and maybe a win at the Daytona 500 would be the icing on the cake of a great career, but it just isn't the same with someone else driving the 6....

The economics are, someone probably makes more money running mid-pack in a dozen cup races, than winning the championship in Truck or Busch series.

[Sparky1329]

Mark Martin is a true gentleman and the best driver never to have won a championship. After years of doing what other people wanted him to do he'll be doing what he wants to do. I say more power to him.

[tstran17_88]

I don't think there would be a Roush Racing in Nascar if there was no Mark Martin. What kills me more is not that he'll retire w/o a Cup championship, but that he is going to race for someone else after all these years w/ Roush.

I thought maybe that Roush had a secret plan to merge with MB and give Mark control of it, which would mean they would switch to Ford next year. But after Mark sold his interest in the #17 team back to Roush, I'm not sure I can see something like that happening.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think in the end, Mark Martin has to prove to himself it wasn't the team behind him that was pushing him to the front, it has to come from inside. The truth is, Roush and Martin worked together like Peanut Butter and Jam. Unless they have one hell of a chemsitry over at the 01, he will struggle in a way he didn't at Roush...

[Jonesi]

I don't think there would be a Roush Racing in Nascar if there was no Mark Martin. What kills me more is not that he'll retire w/o a Cup championship, but that he is going to race for someone else after all these years w/ Roush.

I thought maybe that Roush had a secret plan to merge with MB and give Mark control of it, which would mean they would switch to Ford next year. But after Mark sold his interest in the #17 team back to Roush, I'm not sure I can see something like that happening.

I think that was necessary, so Roush could sell half the teams to some baseball owner.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The really weird part though will be seeing Martin in something else other than a Ford. No other driver in Cup racing has been been with the same name plate for as long as Mark has, at least, not in modern history. He was the top Ford guy for a lot of years...

[tassiedevilAB]

If mark wanted to slow things down in his life , he sure won't be doing it next year. He is running more races than he said he wanted to do? Cup, Busch & trucks. So much for him spending more time with his family?

[Jonesi]

If mark wanted to slow things down in his life , he sure won't be doing it next year. He is running more races than he said he wanted to do? Cup, Busch & trucks. So much for him spending more time with his family?

The issue for him isn't less races, but less race weekends. Once he's at the track he might as well run every race.

[RaceFanStan]

I will be interested to see what Busch car & what Truck Mark winds-up driving. :eek:

[harvick#1]

KHI, hopefully :D

[RaceFanStan]

Man, KHI would be great Busch cars & Trucks for Mark to drive ! :D :up:

[RaceFanStan]

Mark Martin is listed as a part-time driver for the Wood Brothers #21 Truck. :confused:
But he is not listed with any Busch team so far. :eek: