Mark Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mark Martin |
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Martin at Auto Club Speedway in 2023
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| Born | Mark Anthony Martin January 9, 1959 Batesville, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| Achievements | 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2005 IROC Champion 1978, 1979, 1980, 1986 ASA National Tour Champion 1993, 2009 Southern 500 Winner 2002 Coca-Cola 600 Winner 1995, 1997 Winston 500 Winner 1998, 2005 NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge Winner 1999 Bud Shootout Winner 1984 Slinger Nationals Winner |
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| Awards | 1977 ASA Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2015) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2017) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 882 races run over 31 years | |||||||
| 2013 position | 25th | ||||||
| Best finish | 2nd (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2009) | ||||||
| First race | 1981 Northwestern Bank 400 (North Wilkesboro) | ||||||
| Last race | 2013 Ford EcoBoost 400 (Homestead) | ||||||
| First win | 1989 AC Delco 500 (Rockingham) | ||||||
| Last win | 2009 Sylvania 300 (New Hampshire) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 236 races run over 23 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 8th (1987) | ||||||
| First race | 1982 Kroger 200 (IRP) | ||||||
| Last race | 2012 Sam's Town 300 (Las Vegas) | ||||||
| First win | 1987 Budweiser 200 (Dover) | ||||||
| Last win | 2011 Sam's Town 300 (Las Vegas) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 25 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 19th (2006) | ||||||
| First race | 1996 Fas Mart SuperTruck Shootout (Richmond) | ||||||
| Last race | 2011 VFW 200 (Michigan) | ||||||
| First win | 1996 Lowe's 250 (North Wilkesboro) | ||||||
| Last win | 2006 Ford 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
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Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959) is a retired American stock car racing driver. He is famous for his long and successful career in NASCAR. Mark won 49 races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which is the second-highest number of wins ever! He also won 40 races in the top NASCAR Cup Series.
Even though he never won a championship in the Cup Series, he finished second five times and third four times! Many people, like ESPN, call him "The best driver to never win a championship." He never won the famous Daytona 500 race. Mark holds the record for most wins (13) and championships (5) in the International Race of Champions (IROC) series. He is also the last driver born in the 1950s to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.
Contents
Early Racing Days
Mark Martin was born in Batesville, Arkansas. He started his racing journey on dirt tracks in Arkansas when he was young. Later, he moved to asphalt racing and joined the ASA series. In ASA, he raced against famous drivers like Dick Trickle and Bobby Allison.
Mark was named the ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year in 1977. He won 22 ASA races and four championships in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1986.
Starting in NASCAR
First Steps: 1981–1986
Mark's start in NASCAR was a bit bumpy. He drove for six different teams between 1981 and 1987. In 1981, he raced five times for Bud Reeder's team. He even earned two pole positions, meaning he started in first place. He finished third in his last race that year.
In 1982, Mark raced full-time and aimed for Rookie of the Year. His team had trouble being consistent. He finished 14th in the standings and second for Rookie of the Year. After that season, he left Reeder's team.
In 1983, Mark joined Jim Stacy's team but left after only seven races. He then drove for a few other teams. He even became the first driver for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. In 1984, he went back to racing in the ASA series. He won his fourth ASA championship in 1986. This success helped him get a part-time ride with Jerry Gunderman's team.
Busch Series Success: 1987
Mark's strong performance led him to a full-time spot in the Busch Series in 1987. He started the season very well. He won two races, earned three pole positions, and had nine top-ten finishes. He was fourth in the standings after 15 races.
However, the team had many mechanical problems later in the season. This caused him to drop to eighth place overall. Despite this, his talent caught the eye of Jack Roush. Jack Roush asked Mark to drive for his new team in the top Winston Cup Series for 1988.
Racing with Roush Racing
Building a Legacy: 1988–1991
Mark joined the new Roush Racing team in 1988. He drove the No. 6 Ford Thunderbird for 19 seasons! In his first year, he showed great potential. He had three top-five finishes and ten top-ten finishes. He also won a pole position at Dover.
In 1989, Mark had a fantastic season. He earned four pole positions. He finished sixth or better in seven straight races. He won his first Winston Cup race at Rockingham. This was also the first win for Roush as a team owner. Mark finished third in the standings that year.
The 1990 season was even better. Mark won three races and had 16 top-five finishes. He led the championship points for 16 races. He ended up finishing second in the standings, just 26 points behind Dale Earnhardt. Many believe a penalty early in the season cost him the championship.
In 1991, Mark won the final race of the season in Atlanta. He finished with 14 top-five finishes and 17 top-ten finishes. He also earned five pole positions. He ended the season in sixth place.
Championship Contender: 1992–2004
In 1992, Mark was one of six drivers who could win the championship in the final race. But an engine problem ended his hopes. He won two races that year and finished sixth in the standings again.
The year 1993 was a big one for Mark. He won four races in a row! This was a rare achievement in NASCAR. He won at Watkins Glen, Michigan, Bristol, and Darlington. He finished third in the championship standings.
In 1994, Mark finished second in the standings to Dale Earnhardt. He won two races and had 15 top-five finishes. During a race at Talladega, Mark was in a scary crash. His car went through a guardrail and two fences but he was okay.
Mark also raced in the Busch Series in 1994. He made a famous mistake at Bristol. He thought he had won, but he went to pit road too early. Another driver, David Green, won instead. Mark finished 11th.
In 1995, Mark won four races, including his first restrictor plate race at Talladega. He finished fourth in the standings. He also won three Busch Series races that year.
Mark didn't win any races in 1996, but he still had a strong season. He finished second four times and ended up fifth in the standings. In 1997, he bounced back with four wins and finished third in the championship.
The 1998 season was one of Mark's best. He won seven races, had 22 top-five finishes, and 26 top-ten finishes. His average finish was 8.64. But he finished second in the standings again, this time to Jeff Gordon.
In 1999, Mark won two races and had 26 top-ten finishes. He finished third in points. In 2000, he won one race and finished eighth in points. He went winless in 2001, finishing 12th.
In 2002, Mark got a new crew chief, Ben Leslie. Mark won the Coca-Cola 600 and was a championship contender. He even led the standings for a while. But a penalty late in the season at Rockingham likely cost him the championship. He finished second again, this time to Tony Stewart.
Mark struggled in 2003, going winless and finishing 17th. In 2004, with a new crew chief, Pat Tryson, Mark won a race at Dover. He finished fourth in the points standings.
Saying Goodbye to Roush: 2005-2006
Overall, Mark won 35 NASCAR Cup Series races with Roush Racing. He finished second in the Cup Series points four times. He also won five International Race of Champions (IROC) titles and 13 IROC races, both records.
Mark announced he would race less after the 2005 season. He called it the "Salute to You" tour to thank his fans. He won the Nextel Challenge and his final race with Roush at Kansas. He made the Chase for the Cup, finishing ninth. In 2006, Mark raced in 14 Truck Series races. He won six times and had 12 top-ten finishes.
New Teams and Part-Time Racing
Ginn Racing and DEI: 2007–2008
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In 2007, Mark joined Ginn Racing. He shared the No. 01 Chevrolet with another driver. He also drove a few races for Hendrick Motorsports. Mark finished second in the 2007 Daytona 500 by a tiny margin. It was a very close and exciting finish.
Mark was the first part-time driver in NASCAR history to lead the points standings. He led the points for three weeks early in the season. He was also the oldest driver in the modern era to lead the points for more than one week.
In July 2007, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) bought Ginn Racing. Mark joined DEI and continued to share the No. 01 car. In 2008, he shared the No. 8 car with Aric Almirola. Mark made his 700th career start that year. He also won his 48th Nationwide Series race, which was the first win for JR Motorsports.
Hendrick Motorsports: 2009–2011
In 2009, Mark joined Hendrick Motorsports to race full-time again. He was 50 years old! On April 18, 2009, he won a Cup race at Phoenix. He became only the fourth driver over 50 to win a Cup race. This win ended a 97-race winless streak for him.
Mark won the Southern 500 at Darlington, his second win of the year. He won three more races that season, making it five wins total. This was the third time in his career he won at least five races in a season. He qualified for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He was the points leader going into the Chase.
He won his 40th and final Cup race at New Hampshire. At the end of the season, Mark was involved in a scary crash at Talladega. His car flipped over, but he was able to drive it back to the pits. He finished second in the standings for the fifth and final time in his career.
In 2010, Mark started the year strong by winning the pole position for the Daytona 500. He had some good finishes but also some bad luck with crashes and flat tires. He finished 13th in the points standings.
In 2011, Mark won his 49th Nationwide Series race at Las Vegas. He finished 22nd in the Sprint Cup season. After 2011, Mark left Hendrick Motorsports.
Michael Waltrip Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing: 2012–2013
In 2012, Mark joined Michael Waltrip Racing. He signed a two-year deal to drive the No. 55 car part-time. He shared the car with Michael Waltrip and Brian Vickers. He had 4 top-five finishes and 10 top-ten finishes that year.
In 2013, Mark started the Daytona 500 with a third-place finish. He also won a pole position at Phoenix, becoming the second-oldest driver to win a pole in the Cup Series. He drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in one race, filling in for an injured Denny Hamlin. Mark finished 10th in that race.
Later in 2013, Mark joined Stewart–Haas Racing to fill in for an injured Tony Stewart. He drove the No. 14 Chevrolet for most of the rest of the season.
Retirement and Consulting: 2014
On November 8, 2013, Mark announced he would not race in 2014. He didn't use the word "retirement" yet. He worked as a consultant for Stewart-Haas Racing, helping with testing.
Life After Racing
On July 31, 2014, Mark announced he became a driver development coach for Roush Fenway Racing. This meant he helped young drivers improve. In 2015, he tweeted that he was no longer a coach.
Mark has officially retired from racing. He now works with a dirt racing team. His company, Mark Martin Automotive, sponsors driver Jared Landers.
Mark owns several car dealerships in Arkansas. These dealerships sell different car brands like Ford, Kia, Chevrolet, GMC, and Buick. He also owns Mark Martin Powersports, which sells boats, motorcycles, and ATVs.
Awards and Honors
- 1989 Richard Petty Driver of the Year
- 2002, 2005, 2009 NASCAR Illustrated Person of the Year Award recipient
- 2008 Legends of The Glen inductee
- 2015 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee
- 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
Personal Life
Mark Martin lives in his hometown of Batesville, Arkansas, with his wife, Arlene. He has five children. His son, Matt, also raced for a while. Mark's father, stepmother, and half-sister passed away in 1998. Mark won a race two weeks later and dedicated it to his family.
Mark was one of the first drivers to focus on fitness and healthy eating. He believed this helped him race at a high level into his 50s. He was known for lifting heavy weights every day, except on race days. He even wrote a book about strength training for racing.
Mark enjoys touring the country in his RV. He is also a fan of rap music. He says he got into rap music when his crew chief played Dr. Dre at a test session.
Images for kids
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Mark Martin at Auto Club Speedway in 2023
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Mark Martin's No. 6 car in 1989 at Phoenix.
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Mark Martin's car in 1996–1997.
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Mark Martin before qualifying at Pocono in 1998.
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Mark Martin in his final season for Roush in 2006.
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Mark Martin (No. 01) in the 2007 Daytona 500.
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Mark Martin leaving California Speedway leading the Nextel Cup driver point standings after posting a fifth-place finish in the Auto Club 500.
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Mark Martin's 2008 Sprint Cup car.
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Mark Martin at Texas in 2008.
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Mark Martin's 2009 Sprint Cup car at Charlotte.
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Mark Martin's 2010 Sprint Cup car at Infineon Raceway.
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Mark Martin's No. 55 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2012.
See also
In Spanish: Mark Martin para niños
