I feel bad for some of his fans that were buying into all the retirement merchandise starting in 05, then again in 06... I'll always remember him talking about how the schedule was too long and he just didn't want to do it anymore. Wonder what the Cat in the hat is thinking about all this?

Mark said during qualifying for Nationwide that it was a 2 year deal.

Martin back to fulltime in 2009, to the #5 HMS car:

Mark Martin has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009. Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy, becoming teammates with #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points. A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the #5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and Sprint All-Star Race. “Mark is an incredible racer and one of the classiest guys around,” said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, whose organization will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009. “He is a driver who makes everyone around him better, and our entire company is going to benefit from his presence.”

“I feel very fortunate to have this chance to win races and go after a championship with Hendrick Motorsports,” Martin said. “Coming back full time wasn’t something we planned, but driving the #5 car, with all its history, was an impossible opportunity to pass up. Rick and I have enjoyed a great relationship over the years, and we’ve always talked about doing this. Now it’s working out, and we’re both excited about the possibilities.” Martin, 49, will be paired with crew chief Alan Gustafson, who now is in his fourth season at the helm of the #5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevy team. Gustafson has posted four Sprint Cup wins as a crew chief and has a history with Martin, having worked with him in multiple Nationwide Series events.

(HMS PR/Markmartin.com)(7-4-2008)

Mark made a comment on how the past two years of racing part time has 'rekindled his passion for racing'.

Does that mean that driving for Roush killed his passion for racing?

Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin

That is one hell of a driver lineup. You've got the most dominant driver from 1995-2001, the 2-time defending Champ, the most popular driver and a driver who has finished 2nd in points 4 times.

Well done Mr. Hendrick, well done.

AMP2003 - 04 July 2008 02:12 PM

Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin

That is one hell of a driver lineup. You've got the most dominant driver from 1995-2001, the 2-time defending Champ, the most popular driver and a driver who has finished 2nd in points 4 times.

Well done Mr. Hendrick, well done.

Jr is a 2-time Busch Champion and a 2-time Busch Series Owner Champion.
Add that and it gives it even more spice. HeHe

I recall Mark Martin saying that he wanted to move back to Arkansas and spend more time with his family. As a matter of fact he said that his move from Daytona to Arkansas was a done deal. Then yesterday one of the media guys, I think it was Larry Mac, mentioned that Mark still lives in Spruce Creek.

What happened to all the plans from two years ago?

Sideskirt88 - 04 July 2008 02:24 PM

AMP2003 - 04 July 2008 02:12 PM

Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin

That is one hell of a driver lineup. You've got the most dominant driver from 1995-2001, the 2-time defending Champ, the most popular driver and a driver who has finished 2nd in points 4 times.

Well done Mr. Hendrick, well done.

Jr is a 2-time Busch Champion and a 2-time Busch Series Owner Champion.
Add that and it gives it even more spice. HeHe

Was Jr Motorsports active in '98 and '99?

speedfan - 04 July 2008 02:45 PM

I recall Mark Martin saying that he wanted to move back to Arkansas and spend more time with his family. As a matter of fact he said that his move from Daytona to Arkansas was a done deal. Then yesterday one of the media guys, I think it was Larry Mac, mentioned that Mark still lives in Spruce Creek.

What happened to all the plans from two years ago?

He suffers from Favre-Jordan Syndrome, he doesn't know when to retire and then eventually overstays his welcome.

Back to Black - 04 July 2008 02:50 PM

Sideskirt88 - 04 July 2008 02:24 PM

AMP2003 - 04 July 2008 02:12 PM

Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Mark Martin

That is one hell of a driver lineup. You've got the most dominant driver from 1995-2001, the 2-time defending Champ, the most popular driver and a driver who has finished 2nd in points 4 times.

Well done Mr. Hendrick, well done.

Jr is a 2-time Busch Champion and a 2-time Busch Series Owner Champion.
Add that and it gives it even more spice. HeHe

Was Jr Motorsports active in '98 and '99?

No it wasn't, but Junior did operate a team called Chance 2 Motorsports. It fielded Truex's car in 2004 and 2005, his two championship seasons.

Chance 2 Motorsports would later become Junior Motorsports.