VNAF Ace - 04 July 2008 08:37 PM

I'd love to see Mark win the championship next year and retire on top!

+1

-McMurrayFan- - 04 July 2008 12:38 PM

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?

Exactly, I feel sorry for the fans that got snookered out of their money.

And don't give me that "Salute to you" tour garbage was just a fan appreciation tour, he said he was giving it up, and had a last year "salute" in which fans purchased merchandise believing this was the end. He has the right to change his mind, not make cheap money off the fans on false promises.

I too have gotten a little tired of the "Here I am, no I'm not" routine, but consider this if you would: Mark has always been a very competitive driver and a class act. He is highly respected in NASCAR because of it, but he has never achieved 2 of the most sought after goals in the sport. A Daytona 500 win and a Championship. Missed them by inches. Several times. He has been offered a chance, almost certainly his last chance, at those 2 goals. Who here wouldn't take that chance if they were in his place?

Mark said he wanted to spend time with his son. then his son decided to do something else. He was tired and needed a break he realized that he could still run and be competitive His son should be about 17 or possibly 18 I'm sure girls and other things are more important.

those of you who have raised kids know teenagers don't want to hang with their parents. He also said he and his wife talked about her comment was he is a racer and it is in his blood so let him race if that is what makes him happy.

I'm a little tired of the retirement routine, but then again, Terry Labonte retired in '06, but he's driving for Petty in the 45 inspite of that. Also, Bill Elliot I believe has never formaly retired, and Ricky Rudd only retired last year.

If it makes Mark happy, then so be it. Hendrick(as much as I hate to say it) is probably his best chance to win a drivers' title since his 1990-1999 heyday with Roush(granted, he also came close to a championship in '02 and '04). At least Mark won't end up like DW, DJ, and so many other drivers who retired well on the down turn with their careers(which is why Rusty Wallace retired in '05-to go out on top of his game), though with the examples I've given, the teams that Darrel and Dale drove for at the time had a lot to do with that fact.

Also, circumstances were mentioned. In '05, Martin was supposed to retire when Roush signed McMurray-but Mark didn't forsee Jack basically firing Kurt Busch by using a provision in Kurt's and Jack's contracts with Diago PLC(Crown Royal) and Rubbermaid(Irwin, Sharpie) that allowed Roush to bar Busch from racing, as well(and above all else) as Busch's departue to Penske. Martin had to race in '06 to secure a sponsor for current Roush driver David Ragan, as Jamie was placed in the re-numbered 97(now 26) Irwin/Crown Royal Ford that Busch vacated.

Maybe Mark racing without the pressure of trying to win a title has made him decide to give it one(maybe two, since this is a two year deal)shot at the title.

Who is better? This “he should step aside” is an emotional response. Show me an available driver better qualified to get in the #5.

Newman is the only guy close. In the same races Mark has an average of 15.3 with 2 top 5s and 3 top 10s and Ryan’s average is 18.6 with one win, 2 top 5s and 3 top tens. Mark has a way better average and much more likely (if he ran a full season) to be in the chase in what I would consider lesser equipment.

Bottom line He is the best guy for the job.

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?

It's a question I frequently ask myself after pondering my early adult dreams of going to Capitol Hill and becoming a lobbyist. What happened to those plans?

Poor Mark. He thought he'd be moving to Arkansas and hanging out with his family and instead he's stuck driving for Hendrick Motorsports. I'm sure we can all relate to the bittersweet nostalgia Mark must feel when we consider our own unrealized dreams.

Wheel_Man - 05 July 2008 07:53 AM

Who is better? This “he should step aside” is an emotional response. Show me an available driver better qualified to get in the #5.

Newman is the only guy close. In the same races Mark has an average of 15.3 with 2 top 5s and 3 top 10s and Ryan’s average is 18.6 with one win, 2 top 5s and 3 top tens. Mark has a way better average and much more likely (if he ran a full season) to be in the chase in what I would consider lesser equipment.

Bottom line He is the best guy for the job.

I was pretty much with you until you made the lesser equipment comment, WheelMan.. you think DEI's stuff is worse than Penske? I'd say they're about equal or better than Penske this year, I haven't checked Truex's stats, but the Penske stuff has looked terrible pretty much everywhere but RP tracks this year.

Yarboroughfan - 05 July 2008 08:18 AM

Wheel_Man - 05 July 2008 07:53 AM

Who is better? This “he should step aside” is an emotional response. Show me an available driver better qualified to get in the #5.

Newman is the only guy close. In the same races Mark has an average of 15.3 with 2 top 5s and 3 top 10s and Ryan’s average is 18.6 with one win, 2 top 5s and 3 top tens. Mark has a way better average and much more likely (if he ran a full season) to be in the chase in what I would consider lesser equipment.

Bottom line He is the best guy for the job.

I was pretty much with you until you made the lesser equipment comment, WheelMan.. you think DEI's stuff is worse than Penske? I'd say they're about equal or better than Penske this year, I haven't checked Truex's stats, but the Penske stuff has looked terrible pretty much everywhere but RP tracks this year.

Truex in the same races has an average of 16.5 1 top 5 and 4 top tens. Not as good as Mark but better than Newman in average but lacks top 5 finishes.

You can disagree on the state of equipment I will give you that is debatable, but I sill say Mark is the best available driver for the #5

Wheel_Man - 05 July 2008 08:34 AM

Truex in the same races has an average of 16.5 1 top 5 and 4 top tens. Not as good as Mark but better than Newman in average but lacks top 5 finishes.

You can disagree on the state of equipment I will give you that is debatable, but I sill say Mark is the best available driver for the #5

oh, like I said, I was with you.. Mark is definitely the guy for the job. Hendrick is looking for an interim driver as I see it, someone to fill the seat for one year and run it competitively and build the team. Mark's perfect for the job.