Mark Martin Named to 2017 Hall of Fame Class

Mark Martin is among the five nominees for the 2017 Hall of Fame class, the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday.

Martin is joined by Benny Parsons, Rick Hendrick, Raymond Parks and Richard Childress in the 2017 class.

Martin, who was nominated for the second-straight year, is regarded as one of the greatest drivers to never win a championship.  He has five runner-up finishes in the championship standings to four current and future Hall of Famers: Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.

Photo courtesy NASCAR

Throughout a career that spanned parts of four decades, Martin had 40 career Sprint Cup Series victories and 56 career Sprint Cup poles.  Martin, however, never won NASCAR's biggest events, the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400.  He came close in 2007, finishing second to Kevin Harvick by .002 seconds in the Daytona 500.

Martin also had 49 career Xfinity Series victories, even though he never raced a full season in the series.  He held the record for most Xfinity Series wins before Kyle Busch won race No. 50 in 2011.  Along with 7 Truck Series victories, Martin has 96 NASCAR victories across the three national touring series, which puts him seventh on the all-time list behind Richard Petty, Busch, David Pearson, Gordon, Darrell Waltrip and Earnhardt.

Martin made his Sprint Cup debut on April 5, 1981.  After running off-and-on in the Sprint Cup Series for most of the decade, Martin teamed up with Jack Roush to become the first driver for Roush Racing in 1988.

Martin originally announced his retirement in 2005, with that year deemed his "Salute to You Tour."  But Roush needed a driver to fill the seat of the No. 6 car for 2006, so Martin returned for another full season.  Martin left Roush following 2006, and he raced a partial schedule for Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007 and 2008.

In 2009, Martin returned to a full-time schedule with Hendrick Motorsports for the next three years.  In 2009, Martin picked up his final five career victories, and was part of a 1-2-3 team finish in the championship standings with Johnson and Gordon.

Martin retired following the 2013 season, after running a partial schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012 and 2013. 

NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees Announced

The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced the 20 nominees for the 2017 Hall of Fame class on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy NASCAR Hall of Fame

Below are the nominees, with new additions in italics.

Mark Martin
Photo courtesy NASCAR

Buddy Baker
Red Byron
Richard Childress
Ray Evernham
Ray Fox
Rick Hendrick
Harry Hyde
Alan Kulwicki
Mark Martin
Hershel McGriff
Raymond Parks
Benny Parsons
Larry Phillips
Mike Stefanik
Robert Yates
Ron Hornaday Jr.
Jack Roush
Ricky Rudd
Ken Squier
Waddell Wilson

NASCAR Hall of Fame voting day will be Wednesday, May 25, 2016.  The 55-person voting panel will convene at the Hall of Fame and cast their votes for the 2017 class.  A 56th ballot will be cast based on a fan vote.

The nominees for the Landmark Award were also announced on Wednesday.
H. Clay Earles
Janet Guthrie
Raymond Parks
Ralph Seagraves
Ken Squier

While the fan vote hasn't begun, below are the five nominees I will be voting for.  Obviously, Mark Martin is among my votes, as is Raymond Parks, who I will continue to campaign for until he gets into the Hall of Fame.
Mark Martin
Raymond Parks
Red Byron
Buddy Baker
Ray Fox

What do you think of the nominees? Who will you vote for this year? Let me know in the comments!

Voting for 2016 Hall of Fame Now Open

The fan vote for the NASCAR Hall of Fame is now open.  Fans are allowed to choose five nominees from the list of 20.  The top five with the most votes will be submitted as the Fan Ballot on Voting Day.

Voting Day this year will take place on Wednesday, May 20 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  Later that day, the Class of 2016 will be announced live from the Hall of Fame on NBC Sports Network.

Below is my ballot, which should totally be your ballot.

Mark Martin

Mark Martin
This one is a serious no-brainer.  I could not push the vote button faster.  I even made sure I selected him first, even though he's way down on the list.  Seriously, with 96 NASCAR wins across the top three touring series, Martin deserves to be in the Hall of Fame regardless of his lack of championship or Daytona 500 victory. 

Raymond Parks
I have been a huge supporter of getting Parks in the Hall of Fame.  NASCAR may have been built by Bill France, but it was funded by Parks.  If not for Parks' moonshine money, NASCAR may have been bankrupt in those early years.  In my opinion, there is no one more deserving of the Hall of Fame on this list.

Red Byron
Speaking of Raymond Parks, his driver Red Byron should be in the Hall of Fame as well.  Byron won the sanctioning body's first race on the Daytona Beach road course in 1948, and went on to become the sport's first Strictly Stock champion.  Plus, this guy drove with a special brace after being wounded in World War II.  Talk about tough.

Raymond Parks

Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons was a champion in everything he did.  He won 21 races and ran up front most of the time, finishing in the Top 10 an astonishing 54% of the time.  After he retired from driving, he became a commentator for NBC and TNT.  As a major voice of the sport, Parsons remained a commentator until his death in 2007 at the age of 65.

Bobby Isaac
Bobby Isaac won 37 races in his career and the 1970 championship, but it may be his prowess in qualifying that sets him apart.  His 49 poles put him 10th on the all-time list, including 19 in 1969 alone.  19 poles in a single season is still a record, an impressive mark considering that only 38 drivers have 19 or more poles in their entire careers.  In September 1971, he also set 28 world-class records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in his Dodge.  I don't know what that means, but it sounds impressive.



To vote, head here before May 20 to submit your ballot.

Mark Martin Among 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominees

Mark Martin was among the 20 nominees the NASCAR Hall of Fame announced for the 2016 class on Friday.

2005 All-Star Race

Martin's career began in 1981, but it didn't take off until 1988 when he teamed up with Jack Roush.  Martin stayed with Roush Racing through the 2006 season, and he won 35 races and 41 poles with the team. 

Martin cut back to a partial schedule and drove for Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007 and 2008, but he returned to full-time racing in 2009 with Hendrick Motorsports.

Martin had a career resurgence in 2009, winning five races and seven poles in the No. 5 car.  He finished second in points to teammate Jimmie Johnson that season.  During his final two years at Hendrick Motorsports, he won three more poles, but those five victories in 2009 would be the last of his career.

In 2012, he returned to a part-time schedule, splitting the No. 55 car at Michael Waltrip Racing.  He won another five poles over the final two seasons in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.  Following the 2013 season, he decided to step away from racing, and instead spend time with his family.

Though he has 96 career NASCAR victories across all three major touring series, Martin may go down as one of the greatest drivers to never win a championship.  He finished second in points five times in his career to a list of Hall of Fame drivers that includes Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.

Martin also never won NASCAR's biggest events.  He failed to win the Daytona 500 in his career, but he came within inches in 2007.  He was beat by Kevin Harvick by .02 seconds in a finish that is still a thorn in the side to the group of Mark Martin fans who call themselves "Markaholics."

Martin does hold the record, however, for the most victories and championships in the now-defunct International Race of Champions.  IROC pitted the best drivers from racing series around the world in equally prepared cars in a four-race season.  Martin picked up 13 victories and five championships during 12 seasons in the series.  

It was announced earlier in the year that Martin would be inducted into the National Motorsports Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2015.

Here is the full list of nominees for the class of 2016 (new nominees in italics):
1.Ray Evernham
2. Harry Hyde
3. Alan Kulwicki
4. Mark Martin
5. Hershel McGriff
6. Buddy Baker
7. Red Byron
8. Richard Childress
9. Jerry Cook
10. Ray Fox
11. Rick Hendrick
12. Bobby Isaac
13. Terry Labonte
14. Raymond Parks
15. Benny Parsons
16. Larry Phillips
17. Bruton Smith
18. Mike Stefanik
19. Curtis Turner
20. Robert Yates

As a lifelong Mark Martin fan, this is great news.  I believe Mark has the ability and the stats to become a first-ballot hall of famer this year.  Last year was a tough year because it was the first time Mark hadn't been in a car at all during the season.  If he is inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, I think I might have to make my first trek to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

2009 victory at Darlington Raceway

Numbers Change, Class Doesn't: Thank You Mark Martin

Next year won't be the same without Mark Martin on the track.  Thank you for all the memories.

Top 5 Mark Martin Moments: IROC

I've reached the final moment in my countdown of my Top 5 Mark Martin Moments.  For this moment, I'll take a look at something that Martin is extremely proud of.

1. IROC

Mark Martin was the King of IROC.  IROC stands for International Race of Champions, and it was a series that put the best drivers in the world -- in cars prepared the exact same way -- to see who was the best.  And Mark Martin was the best every time he got into a car.

Each season was only four races long, so you had to be extremely consistent to win a championship.  One bad race and your season was over.

Martin raced 12 separate years in IROC, for a total of 47 career races.  He won 13 of those races, a record in IROC.  He won five championships, also an IROC record. 

Mark Martin's 2005 Championship IROC car sits in his museum in Batesville, AR.  Martin won a record five championships in the now-defunct series. (Photo courtesy Mark Martin Museum and Gift Shop Facebook Page)

The amazing part of those stats are who he raced against.  The list of drivers he beat include Dale Earnhardt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Rahal, Scott Pruett, Al Unser, Steve Kinser, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Helio Castroneves.

Martin has won many races, but he still says that his IROC stats are one of the things he is most proud of.  If IROC were still around today, I'm sure Martin would still be kicking butt and proving why he is one of the best drivers in the world.

Thank you for all the great memories Mark, and good luck going into this new phase of your career.

What is your favorite moment of Mark Martin in IROC? Let me know by leaving a comment!

What did you think of my Top 5 Mark Martin Moments?  What would you have included? If you missed any of them, check out moment #5, moment #4, moment #3 and moment #2. 

Top 5 Mark Martin Moments: 2005 All-Star Race

I continue to look at my Top 5 Mark Martin Moments today, with moment number 2!

2. 2005 All-Star Race

This race was honestly the best.  I remember watching this and being so excited that Mark Martin was going to win in his final All-Star Race of his career.  Now, we all know that he came back the next season, but this was in the middle of his "Salute to You" tour.

Martin had a dominant car, and it was a sweet throwback Valvoline paint scheme.  As he led the field around the track, fans flashed back to memories of Martin in a similar paint scheme winning races throughout the '90s.

Mark Martin crosses the finish line in the 2005 All-Star Race.  The win was extra-special because of the throwback paint scheme Martin ran as a part of his "Salute to You" tour. (Photo courtesy Chris Stanford/NASCAR)

But the reason I mostly remember that race was what he said after taking the checkered flag: "I'll be back next year if ya'll give me a ride."

Those words gave every Mark Martin fan hope that maybe 2005 wasn't the last season we'd see him in a Sprint Cup car.  The smile on Mark's face in victory lane was priceless, and everyone knew that he still had a few more wins up his sleeve if he came back in 2006.

Of course we all know that Martin didn't retire in 2005, and he won't dare utter the word "retire" this weekend at Homestead.  And if he does return to the track at some point, we'll all be there to cheer him on.

What is your favorite memory of Mark Martin?  Comment below and let us know!

Check out moment #5, moment #4 and moment #3, and check back tomorrow for the final moment on our countdown!

Top 5 Mark Martin Moments: Roush Racing

The countdown of the Top 5 Mark Martin Moments continues today with number three!

3. Roush Racing

No matter how many times Martin changes teams, many will still think of him as the driver of Jack Roush's No. 6 car.

Roush gave Martin a fresh start in the Cup Series when Roush picked Martin as the driver for his start-up Roush Racing team in 1988.  Together, they paired for 35 wins and 41 poles between 1988 and 2006.

Martin was the face of the team, and was a teammate to many drivers in the garage who came through Roush Racing.  Some of the drivers he mentored include Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards.

Martin celebrates his final victory with Roush Racing with his team in Kansas in 2005.  Martin won 35 races while at Roush Racing.  (Photo courtesy Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

Unfortunately, the pairing split up after almost 20 years together when Roush did not have any room for Martin in 2007.  The rules stated that no one could have more than four teams, but Roush was grandfathered in because he had five at the time.  As much as he would have liked, Roush could not add a sixth team so that Martin could run a partial schedule like he wanted.  Instead, Martin headed to Ginn Racing, which eventually became DEI.

Martin's tenure at Roush was long and successful, but all good things must come to an end.  Fans everywhere will always remember the great things that Roush and Martin did together.

What is your favorite memory while Mark was at Roush Racing? Comment below!

Be sure to check out number 5 and number 4 on our countdown, and check back tomorrow for #2 on our list of Mark Martin memories!

Top 5 Mark Martin Moments: Nationwide Series

Today I continue to look back through Mark Martin's career with my favorite moments.  Today, we look at moment number four:

4. Nationwide Series

Before Kyle Busch dominated the Nationwide Series, the greatest driver of the series was Mark Martin.  It seemed that every time Martin got into a Nationwide car, he would win the race.  His stats for the series are absolutely remarkable.

In a 23-year career, Martin has run 236 races.  He's won 49 of those, which is a remarkable 20.7%.  He also has 30 career poles and 112 career Top 5's.  All of those used to be records before Busch began to dominate the Series.

The fact that Martin has those numbers is made even more impressive by the fact that he only ran one full season in the Nationwide Series, in 1987.

His last win came in 2011, and it was one of the most exciting finishes I can remember as a fan.  After taking the white flag, Brad Keselowski cut down a tire while leading to hand the lead over to Martin.  Check out the last few laps below:

Even though Kyle Busch has surpassed Martin as the king of the Nationwide Series, I don't think we will ever see someone be as dominant as Martin was for such a long period of time.  From his first seasons in NASCAR to his last seasons, he could win in a Nationwide car if he was given the chance.

What is your favorite memory of Mark in the Nationwide Series?  Comment below to let us know!

Be sure to check out Moment #5, and check back tomorrow as our countdown continues!

Top 5 Mark Martin Moments: 2009 Season with Hendrick Motorsports

This weekend, Mark Martin will make his final start before moving on to a new phase in his career.  While he will still be around the track -- and won't use the word "retire" -- the chances of seeing Mark in a Sprint Cup Car on a regular basis are very slim.

So to celebrate his great career, I'll take a look at some of my favorite Mark Martin moments.  So to start off, here is the number five moment on my list:

5. 2009 Sprint Cup Season with Hendrick Motorsports

The 2009 season was a great year for Mark Martin fans.  After running a partial schedule in 2007 and 2008, he returned to full-time competition to drive the No. 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports.  Joining Hendrick Motorsports seemed to be a good move for Martin, but no one expected the paring to produce like they did.

Martin quickly got into victory lane in just the eighth race of the season at Phoenix in April.  He won again in May, this time at the historic Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway.  He took the checkered flag again a month later at Michigan in June, and then he won at Chicago in July for his fourth win of the season.

Mark Martin celebrates his win at Darlington in May 2009.  That season he had five wins on his way to a runner-up finish in the points. (Photo courtesy Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)

He had to race his way into the Chase because of some very bad finishes early in the season, but he continued his winning ways once the Chase began.  He won the Chase opener at New Hampshire for his fifth and final win of the season.

He gave Jimmie Johnson a run for the Championship, but he too fell during Johnson's historic five-championship run.  He finished second in the points for the fifth time in his long career.  But with Jeff Gordon finishing third in points, it was the first time a team had swept the top three positions in the points.

While five wins wasn't a career high for Martin -- he won five times in 1993 and seven times in 1998 -- it was a career resurgence for the veteran driver.  He whipped the young guns into shape, and proved that the "old man" could still get it done.

What did you think of Mark Martin's 2009 season?  Let me know by commenting below!  Be sure to check back tomorrow for the fourth moment in our countdown!

First 2012 Aaron's Commercials Rolling Out

With less than a week before the Budweiser Shootout, the NASCAR season is almost upon us!  Today, the first four Aaron's commercials came out featuring Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip.  Here's a collection of the first four commercials; "Wound Tight," "Above Me," "Not Like Me," and "Salsa."



"Wound Tight"

"Above Me"

"Not Like Me"

"Salsa"

Well, I know these commercials have made me excited for the start of the 2012 NASCAR Season, and it's almost here!

Current Winless Streaks in NASCAR

While many in the NASCAR community continue to talk about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s winless streak in the Sprint Cup Series, many other drivers are also currently in winless droughts.  I'm going to shed light on ten Sprint Cup Series drivers who have not won a race in at least one season.

Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray had a wonderful 2010; he won the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, and the Bank of America 500.  He followed that up with a less-than-stellar 2011, when he failed to win a single race in NASCAR's top division.  I expect McMurray to continue to struggle in the Cup Series this season, but he may be able to pull off an upset victory if everything works in his favor.
WINLESS FOR: 41 Races

Jamie McMurray talks to the media during testing at Daytona (Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Greg Biffle
After going winless in 2011, Greg Biffle failed to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship for the first time since 2007.  In fact, Biffle was the only driver from Roush-Fenway Racing that did not record a win last year.  I expect Biffle to return to Victory Lane this year, as well as making a return to the Chase.  Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth were strong at the end of last season, and that should help Biffle find success.

WINLESS FOR: 43 Races

 Juan Pablo Montoya
A force to be reckoned with when the Sprint Cup Series races at road courses, Juan Pablo Montoya failed to impress in 2011.  Along with teammate Jamie McMurray, he failed to give Chip Ganassi a victory in NASCAR's premier series.  His last win came at Watkins Glen in 2010.  I expect Montoya to contend on the road courses this season, but don't be surprised if Montoya can find a way to win on an oval.
WINLESS FOR: 50 Races

David Reutimann
David Reutimann recorded two victories in his tenure with Michael Waltrip Racing.  His last victory showed promise when he raced Jeff Gordon for the victory at Chicagoland in July...of 2010.  He did not have a victory in 2011, and was released from MWR at the end of the season.  He now finds himself at Tommy Baldwin Racing, where his only chance of winning this season will be on a restrictor-plate track.  Chances of doing that? I'd say very slim.

WINLESS FOR: 53 Races

Brian Vickers
Now, let me start off by saying that Brian Vickers has had a lot against him these past few seasons.  In 2010, he only ran 11 races before he was sidelined with blood clots that kept him out of the seat for the rest of the season.  Then in 2011, Red Bull Racing decided that they would close their doors at the end of the season.  So it is no surprise that Vickers has not been able to win since 2009.  And he will not win a race in 2012; Vickers is still without a ride with just a few weeks before the start of the season.  Because of Vickers' health problems, I have excluded the races in which Vickers did not participate in from his winless tally.

WINLESS FOR: 60 Races

Joey Logano (20), Mark Martin (55), and Kyle Busch test at Daytona (Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Mark Martin
Markaholics everywhere had high hopes heading into the 2010 season for their driver; Mark Martin was coming off a season where he won five races and finished a runner-up to then four-time champion Jimmie Johnson.  But then it all went downhill for the No. 5 Team, a downhill slide that would plague Martin for the rest of his tenure at Hendrick Motorsports.  Now, Martin finds himself at Michael Waltrip Racing, where he will run a part-time schedule, much like the one he ran in 2007 and 2008.  I think it is very possible that Mark Martin will make his return to Victory Lane in 2012 driving the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota.

WINLESS FOR: 81 Races

Joey Logano
"Sliced Bread" has yet to live up to the hype that followed him into the Sprint Cup Series.  With just one win in three full-time seasons, Joey Logano may be one of the biggest disappointments in the Sprint Cup Series.  This year, Logano gets a new crew chief, and this may be his last chance.  Joe Gibbs Racing can either re-sign Logano at the end of the season, or let him go and move on.  Logano needs to win at least one race this year, and I think he will be able to pull it off.  Don't expect him to do anything spectacular, but I think Logano will do enough to keep his ride at Joe Gibbs Racing.

WINLESS FOR: 91 Races

Joey Logano in the garage at Daytona (Photo courtesy Getty Images)

 Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton has fallen on hard times at Richard Childress Racing.  He has seen Kevin Harvick compete for the Sprint Cup Championship for the past two seasons, while he has remained winless.  In fact, Burton hasn't won a race since 2008.  RCR has shrunk to just three teams once again, and it should help Burton regain his old ways.  I expect Burton to win at least once this season.
WINLESS FOR: 113 Races

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
What can I say about Dale Earnhardt Jr. that hasn't been said already.  The Most Popular Driver of the Sprint Cup Series moved to Hendrick Motorsports so that he could win a championship that eluded him at Dale Earnahrdt Incorporated.  But until last year, he hadn't made the Chase since 2008.  In fact, he only has one win with Hendrick; a fuel-mileage race at Michigan in 2008.  Earnhardt Jr. seems to have turned a corner, and he seems poised for a win.  I believe that Junior Nation will be able to celebrate a victory this season.

WINLESS FOR: 129 Races

Burton (31), Truex (56), McMurray (1), and Marcos Ambrose (9) test at Daytona (Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr. has a winless streak even longer than Dale Jr.'s.  In fact, Truex only has one win in six full-time seasons.  That win came at Dover in 2007, and Truex has failed to return to Victory Lane since.  Truex Jr. has not yet won since coming to Michael Waltrip Racing, but he should be even more competitive this year for two reasons: Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer.  With Martin and Bowyer joining the fray at MWR, it should help Truex Jr. return to victory lane.  I see a victory in Truex Jr.'s future, just maybe not right away.
WINLESS FOR: 167 Races

I know by now, you may be thinking to yourself, "Wow, I didn't know all these other people had long winless droughts!  I thought it was only Dale Earnhardt Jr.!"  Or sadly, some may be thinking, "There are other drivers other than Dale Earnhardt Jr.?!"  Whatever you're thinking, I hope this post has opened your eyes.  Maybe it will make you think differently when one of these drivers is in a position to win this season; you never know, you may find yourself rooting for them a little bit.

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I would like to apologize for the limited posting since the season ended.  I decided to take some time off over my winter break from school, but I had been meaning to write this post before I went back to school.  I had actually started thinking about this blog while the season was still going on.  I hope you enjoyed it, and I can't wait to get the 2012 season started!  And if it's anything like 2011, we're in for another great year!

Happy Birthday Mark Martin!

Today is Mark Martin's birthday!  He was born 53 years ago today, on January 9, 1959.  Obviously, I had to post something about this due to the fact that he is my all-time favorite driver.  I really can't wait to see him pilot the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in the Daytona 500 on February 26th.  In case you missed it, Mark will also be driving a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the Nationwide race at Las Vegas on March 10th.  The car number/sponsor have not yet been announced.

I would also like to apologize for not blogging a lot over the off-season.  But I'm working on a new blog that should be up in the coming weeks, and I will have regular weekly blogs as soon as the season starts again.  On one last note, if you haven't gone to Michael Waltrip Racing's Website, you probably should.  They're updating the site, and following picture is on the homepage. 

Happy Birthday Mark!!

Martin to Drive 00 for Michael Waltrip Racing

The news has become official: Mark Martin will drive the 00 for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2012.  The news was leaked earlier in the week, but until now, the details of the deal hadn't been known.  The deal puts Martin in the No. 00 car for 25 races in 2012; 24 points races and the All-Star Race.  Martin will make his MWR debut in the 2012 Daytona 500.

From left to right: Ken Butler, Mark Martin, and Michael Waltrip (photo courtesy NASCAR.com)

 Aaron's will sponsor Mark Martin in all 25 of his races, and 5 more races for Michael Waltrip.  Waltrip will race in the Budweiser Shootout, the other 3 restrictor plate races, and the race at Kentucky.  The deal will have Martin in the car for 25 races not only in 2012, but also 2013.  Aaron's also has an option to return to the car in 2014, in which Mark Martin will be the driver once again. Mark Martin said he had other options, but they were all "wait and see."

Mark Martin will now be teammates with Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer, whom Martin calls "two of the brightest stars in NASCAR."  The contract talks did not take long.  The contract has been worked on the past three weeks, and it was signed on Wednesday.  One thing many Martin fans were hoping for will not happen; Mark Martin will not race in the Nationwide Series or Truck Series.  Many believed that he could drive a truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports.  "I've got plenty to do and get to do what I really love to do," says Martin.

Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip during the announcement (photo courtesy NASCAR.com)

 As a Markaholic, I am very happy to see Mark Martin continuing to race for the next two, possibly three, years.  Michael Waltrip Racing statistically has not been a great team, but they have gone through an entire facelift in their driver lineup.  I am optimistic that Mark Martin could possibly win a race in a car owned by Michael Waltrip.  I think this is the end of Martin Watch: 2012, for now.  The page will still be up, and continue to check back; I will be linking to stories there in the coming days.

Martin Watch: 2012

The silly season is about to get a little sillier.  Mark Martin, who is leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season to make room for Kasey Kahne, may have signed a deal.  It is being rumored that Martin will drive the 00 for Michael Waltrip Racing on a partial schedule.  These ideas were set off by tweets from NASCAR writers Jim Utter and Jenna Fryer.

@jim_utter: Hearing David Reutimann will not return to Michael Waltrip Racing next season and No. 00 may run partial schedule #NASCAR

@jennafryer: One more thing ... Mark Martin may have a deal done for a partial schedule in 2012.

@jennafryer: Yeah, put two and two together between my tweet and @jim_utter and you can see what might be happening with Mark Martin...

Could this be the car Mark Martin drives next year in the Sprint Cup Series? (Photo courtesy Getty Images)

These tweets are very surprising.  Many believed, including myself, that Mark Martin would be racing a full-time season in the Nationwide or Truck Series, or  split the ride with Danica Patrick at Stewart-Haas Racing.  MWR has a news conference scheduled for Friday, when they will announce their firm 2012 plans.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I'm sure Mark Martin will help bring MWR up a little bit.  MWR has already signed Clint Bowyer and 5 Hour Energy for a full season, and Martin Truex Jr. and NAPA will return for another year.  As of right now, there is no word on who Mark's sponsor could be.  I guess we'll just have to wait until Friday.  But if there is any news on this issue, there will be a blog about it.  Until an announcement is made, Martin Watch: 2012 will continue...

Kyle Busch, Nifty 50

On Friday night, in Bristol, Tennessee, history was made.  Kyle Busch won a Nationwide race for the 50th time, breaking the record he shared with Mark Martin.  The last Nationwide race won by Busch was on July 16, where Mark Martin joined him in Victory Lane.  This weekend, Martin was not in Victory Lane after Busch beat Joey Logano by .019 seconds. "It was great to have Mark with us in victory lane at Loudon and take some photos for tying it," said Busch.  "Tonight, it was our night."

Kyle Busch beats Joey Logano by .019 seconds, the closest at Bristol. (Photo courtesy SceneDaily.com)

Busch led 186 laps of the 250-lap event.  But it was almost undone when Logano ran his fast car up to the front and challenged Busch for the lead.  "I don't know where he came from.  He had a rocket ship there at the end," Busch said in Victory Lane.  Logano was once again beaten by Kyle Busch in the Nationwide Series and had to settle for another runner-up finish.  "We want to beat him.  It's frustrating to be so close.  He's just a really good driver." 

Kyle Busch - 50 Nationwide Wins (Photo courtesy SceneDaily.com)

 I, unfortunately, couldn't watch the race because of Freshman Orientation things here at school.  It figures, I make it a point to watch every Nationwide race all summer so I can watch it when he wins.  Then, the first race I miss, he breaks the record.  I am sad to see Mark's record fall, but I am happy as a fan of Kyle Busch that he won number 50.  I already had my mom order the commemorative shirt from the NASCAR.com Superstore so I can celebrate as a Mark Martin fan and a Kyle Busch fan.  I will definitely wear it when Kyle wins Number 100.

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Countdown to Pocono - Mark Martin

Tomorrow morning, my mom and I will get in the car and make the 5 hour trip to Pocono Raceway for a fun-filled weekend of racing.  And Larry the Cable Guy (I won tickets on Twitter).  This weekend also mark's a major milestone for Mark Martin at Pocono; along with racing in his first Truck race since 2007, he will be making his 50th Cup Start at the track.  So in the final blog post before I go up, I'll take a look into his prior 49.

The first time Mark raced at Pocono was on June 6, 1982.  He finished 26th, but when he returned in July, he finished 10th.  His next Pocono race would not be until June 19, 1988, when he and Jack Roush teamed up for a 4th place finish.  That started a stretch from 1988-1993 that saw 5 Top 5s and no finish worse than 15th.  After inconsistency from the duo from 1993-1995, they finally found their groove in July of 1995.

Starting with the race on July 16, 1995, Mark Martin only had 1 finish outside the Top 10 until July 28, 2002.  Unfortunately, that one finish was a 43rd on July 23, 2000, after blowing an engine only 25 laps into the 200 lap event.  The most dominating race in that stretch was on July 21, 1996.  After starting from the pole, he led 122 laps en route to a 9th place finish.  His stats throughout this stretch are amazing.  An average finish of 7.5 (including the 43rd place finish), an average start of 5.8 and 227 laps led. In the first race I ever saw at Pocono on TV, run on June 9, 2002, Mark led 7 laps on his way to a runner-up finish.

 The final race he ran with Roush Racing was July 23, 2006, and he ran a dissapointing 19th place.  With his time at Ginn Racing/Dale Earnhardt Inc., he had finishes of 7th, 9th, 10th and 8th, which are his most consistent finishes with any team.  His first race with Hendrick Motorsports was June 7, 2009, and he finished 19th.  But he bounced back in July with a 7th place finish.  This June-July trend would continue in 2010 with, after a 29th place finish in the June race, another 7th place finish in the July race.  This past June, Mark finished a dissapointing 18th, continuing the trend of bad finishes in the June race.

After 49 races, Mark Martin has an average finish of 11.2 and an average start of 8.9.  He has completed 93.4% of the total laps run at Pocono, and has led 445 laps.  He has also been running at the finish of 42 of his 49 races entered.  With a strong run at Indianapolis and the trend of running poorly in June and running well in July, Mark's chances of a good finish this weekend are looking up.  Hopefully I can cheer loudly as the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet pulls into Victory Lane for the first time in 50 starts.

**On Twitter?  Add me @mmar0260185.  On PSN?  Add me as a friend: mmar0260185.  Maybe we can race sometime.**