At 51-years of age most star athletes are comfortably resting on their laurels. Mark Martin isn’t one of them.
He proved it last year; coming back from semi-retirement to finish runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.
When the season began there were expectations of, at least, making the Chase. But that will likely not happen. And Martin admits that.
“Expectations are really tough to deal with when you don't meet them. And that's why I've tried so hard to limit and keep my expectations in check. But still, yet, even as much as I do that, you know, I couldn't have ever been prepared for having as tough a year as what we've had,” said Martin.
Although he continued to jell with crew chief, Alan Gustafson; team owner, Rick Hendrick, threw him a curve ball when he signed Kasey Kahne to drive starting in 2012.
The problem was, at the time, Kahne had no deal for 2011. Speculation through the garages was that Martin would be asked to take a bullet for the team and retire from the team at the end of this year. But Martin’s contract takes him through 2011.
The tension in Martin’s mind grew to the point he uncharacteristically lashed out at the media. And while that was going on the team’s performance was suffering, he’s had only two-top 10 finishes since Talladega. Last year at, this time, he had four wins. Whether one can attribute that lack of results to mind games, or something else, we won’t know.
That tension is gone now that Kahne has been sent to the Red Bull Racing Team and Martin is assured that he will drive out the final year of his contract.
Only the damage was done. While Martin has a mathematical shot at the Chase he’s all but given it up in his mind, if not his heart.
“This is my first time to miss it. I didn't run for it in '07 or '08. So certainly being in it is big.” He’d love to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and make the chase but he’s 15th in the standings 146-points out of 12th place. Historically, it’s too much of a difference to make up.
This allows Martin and his team to work on the next season.
“But for us right now, our focus is to get back up on the level that we were on last year and actually this allows us in one way missing The Chase will allow us to go out there and take chances on different hardware and different setups and those kind of things that we wouldn't necessarily if we were in the hunt for the championship,” he said.
Towards the end of the teleconference Martin is asked about what missing a cup title means to him and he answered.
“When I look back on it, I've been very, very fortunate to have been incredibly successful at doing what I have passion for and love. And I'm no champion. I'm just lucky I got to win a pile of races. I'm no champion.”
On that most observers of the man disagree.
Even if he’s not racing for the Cup this year he’s not giving up on racing just like champions do even if he is 51.
He proved it last year; coming back from semi-retirement to finish runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.
When the season began there were expectations of, at least, making the Chase. But that will likely not happen. And Martin admits that.
“Expectations are really tough to deal with when you don't meet them. And that's why I've tried so hard to limit and keep my expectations in check. But still, yet, even as much as I do that, you know, I couldn't have ever been prepared for having as tough a year as what we've had,” said Martin.
Although he continued to jell with crew chief, Alan Gustafson; team owner, Rick Hendrick, threw him a curve ball when he signed Kasey Kahne to drive starting in 2012.
The problem was, at the time, Kahne had no deal for 2011. Speculation through the garages was that Martin would be asked to take a bullet for the team and retire from the team at the end of this year. But Martin’s contract takes him through 2011.
The tension in Martin’s mind grew to the point he uncharacteristically lashed out at the media. And while that was going on the team’s performance was suffering, he’s had only two-top 10 finishes since Talladega. Last year at, this time, he had four wins. Whether one can attribute that lack of results to mind games, or something else, we won’t know.
That tension is gone now that Kahne has been sent to the Red Bull Racing Team and Martin is assured that he will drive out the final year of his contract.
Only the damage was done. While Martin has a mathematical shot at the Chase he’s all but given it up in his mind, if not his heart.
“This is my first time to miss it. I didn't run for it in '07 or '08. So certainly being in it is big.” He’d love to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and make the chase but he’s 15th in the standings 146-points out of 12th place. Historically, it’s too much of a difference to make up.
This allows Martin and his team to work on the next season.
“But for us right now, our focus is to get back up on the level that we were on last year and actually this allows us in one way missing The Chase will allow us to go out there and take chances on different hardware and different setups and those kind of things that we wouldn't necessarily if we were in the hunt for the championship,” he said.
Towards the end of the teleconference Martin is asked about what missing a cup title means to him and he answered.
“When I look back on it, I've been very, very fortunate to have been incredibly successful at doing what I have passion for and love. And I'm no champion. I'm just lucky I got to win a pile of races. I'm no champion.”
On that most observers of the man disagree.
Even if he’s not racing for the Cup this year he’s not giving up on racing just like champions do even if he is 51.