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Martin looks forward to vacation after Atlanta
March 16, 2007
By Bruce Martin
PA SportsTicker Contributing Editor
HAMPTON, GEORGIA (TICKER) -- Mark Martin is content with stepping out of his race car for a few weeks on his own terms.
Martin confirmed Friday that he will end his streak of 621 consecutive races after Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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Ironically, Martin could very well walk away from the track Sunday as the series points leader.
"I'm ready for a break this year," Martin said. "I chased that Cup for nearly 20 years and at this point in time, I've put chasing that thing behind me."
Don't expect Frank Sinatra's "I Did it My Way" to be playing in the background when Martin takes his long overdue break. However, he is content that he is he is doing it on his terms.
"I didn't expect to walk away from Vegas with the points lead," Martin said. "But obviously, of course, that would be kind of cool. We got off to a magical start, and I'm thrilled about that."
There was plenty of speculation that Martin would change his mind and race at Bristol next weekend because he is off to the best start of his 21-year career.
When Martin left Roush Racing at the end of last season to run a limited schedule for Ginn Racing in 2007, he said he was ready for a break. And he will remain true to his word.
"There are mixed emotions, but the bottom line is I'm going to take a break," Martin said. "Right now, I'm doing what I love. I want to keep doing it and I want to keep loving it.
"There have been a few times in the past five years that I didn't love it. I need a break."
Last Sunday, Martin had his third straight top-five finish with a fifth-place in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. He leads Jeff Gordon by six points entering Sunday's race.
Gordon was asked after the race what advice he would give Martin after getting off to such a great start with a new team.
"I would take a long vacation and man I would enjoy it while it lasts and say I went out on top," Gordon said. "That is what I would do.
"With that Chase format in there, everything changes when you go into the last 10 races. I'm not saying that they still wouldn't be a factor and be strong, because he has done a fantastic job."
Martin ended any suspense when he unequivocally stated he would not run at either Bristol Motor Speedway or Martinsville Raceway.
With the Easter Weekend following that, Martin will get three weekends off in a row, which he will devote to spending time with his wife, Arlene, and son Matt, an aspiring racer himself.
"Matt's laughing about it and says, 'They still don't believe it, do they?'" Martin said. "I don't think that he wants me to run the full season and I know where his mother is. We are doing exactly what we said we would do."
Martin has a chance to continue riding his magic start, which began with a second-place finish in the Daytona 500. He would like to culminate that with a victory at Atlanta, where the veteran has 21 top-10 finishes, 13 top-fives and two checkered flags in 43 starts.
"If the car is as good as it has been, it will be more fun than ever," he said. "It would be really cool to really excel at this race."
March 16, 2007
By Bruce Martin
PA SportsTicker Contributing Editor
HAMPTON, GEORGIA (TICKER) -- Mark Martin is content with stepping out of his race car for a few weeks on his own terms.
Martin confirmed Friday that he will end his streak of 621 consecutive races after Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ironically, Martin could very well walk away from the track Sunday as the series points leader.
"I'm ready for a break this year," Martin said. "I chased that Cup for nearly 20 years and at this point in time, I've put chasing that thing behind me."
Don't expect Frank Sinatra's "I Did it My Way" to be playing in the background when Martin takes his long overdue break. However, he is content that he is he is doing it on his terms.
"I didn't expect to walk away from Vegas with the points lead," Martin said. "But obviously, of course, that would be kind of cool. We got off to a magical start, and I'm thrilled about that."
There was plenty of speculation that Martin would change his mind and race at Bristol next weekend because he is off to the best start of his 21-year career.
When Martin left Roush Racing at the end of last season to run a limited schedule for Ginn Racing in 2007, he said he was ready for a break. And he will remain true to his word.
"There are mixed emotions, but the bottom line is I'm going to take a break," Martin said. "Right now, I'm doing what I love. I want to keep doing it and I want to keep loving it.
"There have been a few times in the past five years that I didn't love it. I need a break."
Last Sunday, Martin had his third straight top-five finish with a fifth-place in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. He leads Jeff Gordon by six points entering Sunday's race.
Gordon was asked after the race what advice he would give Martin after getting off to such a great start with a new team.
"I would take a long vacation and man I would enjoy it while it lasts and say I went out on top," Gordon said. "That is what I would do.
"With that Chase format in there, everything changes when you go into the last 10 races. I'm not saying that they still wouldn't be a factor and be strong, because he has done a fantastic job."
Martin ended any suspense when he unequivocally stated he would not run at either Bristol Motor Speedway or Martinsville Raceway.
With the Easter Weekend following that, Martin will get three weekends off in a row, which he will devote to spending time with his wife, Arlene, and son Matt, an aspiring racer himself.
"Matt's laughing about it and says, 'They still don't believe it, do they?'" Martin said. "I don't think that he wants me to run the full season and I know where his mother is. We are doing exactly what we said we would do."
Martin has a chance to continue riding his magic start, which began with a second-place finish in the Daytona 500. He would like to culminate that with a victory at Atlanta, where the veteran has 21 top-10 finishes, 13 top-fives and two checkered flags in 43 starts.
"If the car is as good as it has been, it will be more fun than ever," he said. "It would be really cool to really excel at this race."
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