While younger drivers struggled with the cool weather and blowing winds, the ageless Mark Martin continued to amaze and amuse by winning the pole at Kansas Speedway, relegating teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr, to second place.
Martin, 50, was heard on the radio telling his crew chief Alan Gustafson, “Keep giving me cars like this and I’ll be racing til I’m one hundred!” Winning his seventh pole this year was a career best for Martin, giving him a total of 48 poles in career.
He later explained that this relationship with Gustafson might be the reason he’s having the best season of his career “What we have is something really special ... We believe in each other.”
Meanwhile Earnhardt, Jr. looking for his first pole in a year showed his admiration for Martin. “He's one guy who's been deserving to win a championship.”
Brad Keselowski, driving another Hendrick Motorsport car, was third fastest. Talking about Martin, Brad added, “He's got the magic ... He's just good, he's like the perfect storm right now.”
Jamie McMurray, who is looking for a full-time ride next year was fourth fastest in a Roush Fenway Ford. “We ran a little bit different set-up stuff, and it seemed to have worked,” he explained
Kasey Kahne was the fastest Dodge driver, qualifying sixth. “Starting in the top 10 here is awesome. I had a really good practice; we just didn’t make that qualifying run which made us look bad.”
One of the surprises of the day was Joe Nemechek. The part-time driver was the fastest in a Toyota in seventh.
For Martin the dream season rolls on, as he said, “It's been Christmas everyday for me.”
Martin, 50, was heard on the radio telling his crew chief Alan Gustafson, “Keep giving me cars like this and I’ll be racing til I’m one hundred!” Winning his seventh pole this year was a career best for Martin, giving him a total of 48 poles in career.
He later explained that this relationship with Gustafson might be the reason he’s having the best season of his career “What we have is something really special ... We believe in each other.”
Meanwhile Earnhardt, Jr. looking for his first pole in a year showed his admiration for Martin. “He's one guy who's been deserving to win a championship.”
Brad Keselowski, driving another Hendrick Motorsport car, was third fastest. Talking about Martin, Brad added, “He's got the magic ... He's just good, he's like the perfect storm right now.”
Jamie McMurray, who is looking for a full-time ride next year was fourth fastest in a Roush Fenway Ford. “We ran a little bit different set-up stuff, and it seemed to have worked,” he explained
Kasey Kahne was the fastest Dodge driver, qualifying sixth. “Starting in the top 10 here is awesome. I had a really good practice; we just didn’t make that qualifying run which made us look bad.”
One of the surprises of the day was Joe Nemechek. The part-time driver was the fastest in a Toyota in seventh.
For Martin the dream season rolls on, as he said, “It's been Christmas everyday for me.”