I didn't recall whether or not he was "retiring" or not so I went back and searched Jayski's archives.

It looks like Mark is just one year off from what he said he was going to do.

From Scene Daily 9/22/06

http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/martin_says_return_to_fulltime_cup_racing_is_possible.html

^ Nice find.

"I'm not closing the door," he said. "I can do this truck thing, and I get a chance to catch my breath. I would say that there is a good chance that I'd come back full time in '08. I don't know what I want to do, and I'll never know until I get a break. I haven't had a day off, I don't feel like, in 19 years. Yes I've had a day off, but I haven't missed a test, I haven't missed a practice day or a qualifying day or a race day in 19 years, and every year I do more and more and more to stay competitive."

So he said he might be back full time in 08 - he missed it by a year.

If this guy were driving like a field filler and showed that he doesn't have the chops anymore, I'd be joining in the chorus calling for him to retire. He's not. He's still competitive and I think it's great that he's going to be 50 next year and going for a championship. Wish they'd come out with "Salute to Mark" t-shirts, because I'd buy one.

J. - 05 July 2008 08:29 AM

^ Nice find.

"I'm not closing the door," he said. "I can do this truck thing, and I get a chance to catch my breath. I would say that there is a good chance that I'd come back full time in '08. I don't know what I want to do, and I'll never know until I get a break. I haven't had a day off, I don't feel like, in 19 years. Yes I've had a day off, but I haven't missed a test, I haven't missed a practice day or a qualifying day or a race day in 19 years, and every year I do more and more and more to stay competitive."

So he said he might be back full time in 08 - he missed it by a year.

If this guy were driving like a field filler and showed that he doesn't have the chops anymore, I'd be joining in the chorus calling for him to retire. He's not. He's still competitive and I think it's great that he's going to be 50 next year and going for a championship. Wish they'd come out with "Salute to Mark" t-shirts, because I'd buy one.

for once I'm 100% with you, J.

all the sour grapes die-hard Ford fans need to blame Geoff Smith for Martin's departure from Roush, IMO. He couldn't.. strike that.. WOULDN'T make it work out for Mark to stay on and effectively forced Mark out of Fords.

I've been saying for the past couple weeks that Mark never said he wanted to retire yet, nobody listens though.

Yarboroughfan - 05 July 2008 08:51 AM

J. - 05 July 2008 08:29 AM

^ Nice find.

"I'm not closing the door," he said. "I can do this truck thing, and I get a chance to catch my breath. I would say that there is a good chance that I'd come back full time in '08. I don't know what I want to do, and I'll never know until I get a break. I haven't had a day off, I don't feel like, in 19 years. Yes I've had a day off, but I haven't missed a test, I haven't missed a practice day or a qualifying day or a race day in 19 years, and every year I do more and more and more to stay competitive."

So he said he might be back full time in 08 - he missed it by a year.

If this guy were driving like a field filler and showed that he doesn't have the chops anymore, I'd be joining in the chorus calling for him to retire. He's not. He's still competitive and I think it's great that he's going to be 50 next year and going for a championship. Wish they'd come out with "Salute to Mark" t-shirts, because I'd buy one.

for once I'm 100% with you, J.

all the sour grapes die-hard Ford fans need to blame Geoff Smith for Martin's departure from Roush, IMO. He couldn't.. strike that.. WOULDN'T make it work out for Mark to stay on and effectively forced Mark out of Fords.

I've been saying for the past couple weeks that Mark never said he wanted to retire yet, nobody listens though.

I'm a Ford fan and I'm still routing for Mark... though driving for Hendrick will take some getting used to.

Fordistop - 05 July 2008 08:57 AM

I'm a Ford fan and I'm still routing for Mark... though driving for Hendrick will take some getting used to.

that's good. I just want the people who think Mark is a "turn-coat" for driving for Hendrick to understand that Smith pushed Martin out of Fords- he didn't just quit.

Yarboroughfan - 05 July 2008 09:08 AM

Fordistop - 05 July 2008 08:57 AM

I'm a Ford fan and I'm still routing for Mark... though driving for Hendrick will take some getting used to.

that's good. I just want the people who think Mark is a "turn-coat" for driving for Hendrick to understand that Smith pushed Martin out of Fords- he didn't just quit.

I'm not doubting you, but can you elaborate? IMO Mark would fall at worst 3rd as a driver in the Roush camp. As far as marketability? Maybe that was the issue?

jc4321 - 05 July 2008 09:12 AM

Yarboroughfan - 05 July 2008 09:08 AM

Fordistop - 05 July 2008 08:57 AM

I'm a Ford fan and I'm still routing for Mark... though driving for Hendrick will take some getting used to.

that's good. I just want the people who think Mark is a "turn-coat" for driving for Hendrick to understand that Smith pushed Martin out of Fords- he didn't just quit.

I'm not doubting you, but can you elaborate? IMO Mark would fall at worst 3rd as a driver in the Roush camp. As far as marketability? Maybe that was the issue?

read the article above. At the time Mark was trying to get Smith to let him drive Trucks full time for a little while to get a break. Smith supposedly couldn't make it work. You tell me how someone of Mark's calliber can't get a full time truck ride at Roush? There's no frigging way to explain that other than they were trying to force Mark's hand into staying full time in their Cup program and it backfired because Mark was serious about taking a break from a full time Cup schedule.

kenfan176 - 04 July 2008 06:44 PM

Mark doesn't need to retire he is still one of the best driver's out there. Guy's like Bill Elliot, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace and other's are the ones that need to retire and quit embarrassing themselves.

Terrible take. Bill chose to drive for #21 and as history has shown he has turned down better rides. Bill decided on his terms to semi-retire and left an extension on the table after 2003. Kasey Kahne wouldnt of had a ride if Bill signed them papers. Remember he was an initial choice for RBR as well. To say that Mark has more talent then him is plain wrong. Bill grew up idolizing David Pearson, and even though the equipment isnt near where it was in the #21's past he's having fun. And theres 2 T's in Elliott!!!

KyleB18JGR - 04 July 2008 05:59 PM

PenskePower212 - 04 July 2008 04:56 PM

I'm tired of Mark Martin. And I understand it's taboo to not like Mark Martin, Kyle Petty, etc. but these guys just don't know when to quit.

BTW, are all of the tracks going to take back those awards they gave him back when he was retiring with Rusty? And what about the rocking chair from Fox, I'm sure it's full of cobwebs.

Mark should give back all the money he shafted from his fans during his phony retirement tour

Dont be ridiculous.

He was dragged out of retirement by numerous offers to keep going because he is talented.

The comparisons to Kyle Petty are not fair. As a driver, Kyle Petty is frikken useless and has been since....always.

Mark Martin is talented, he deserves the ride based on results

After some development driver failures of varying degrees, Boston Reid, Kyle Krisloff, Scott Lagasse Jr, and to a lesser extent Brian Vickers, perhaps Hendrick just decided to go the opposite direction and get the ultimate conservative veteran in the 5 car. From my other posts, y'all know I am not much of a Mark fan, I have my reasons, but I have to admit it does make some sense. For one thing, with his Wave By mentality, the repair costs should be low, and he isn't about to wreck a teammate very often.