Sunday, April 19, 2009

Mark Martin a popular winner

All you had to see Saturday night was the parade.

After Mark Martin's victory in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, victory lane was a very crowded place. Martin's fellow drivers and others in the sport lined up for an opportunity to congratulate the race winner, demonstrating both their respect for Martin and their happiness upon his return to victory lane.

Martin started first and led much of the evening. He and crew chief Alan Gustafson ran their own race and didn't panic when it seemed that strategies employed by some others might work against them.

Martin might have got a big break when Kyle Busch was hit with a penalty for speeding as he left pit road on the final caution. Then again, the reason Busch appeared to put himself in position to make a late challenge to win was that he exceeded the allowed speed. It seemed that Busch decided the only way he could win would be to take a shot hoping NASCAR wouldn't make the call in that situation. But it did.

Ryan Newman stayed out -- it was good to see that somebody at least tried that -- but Martin made quick work of him and went on to win for the 36th time in his career. Martin hadn't won since 2005 and had run 97 races since then. Only 14 times in NASCAR history has a driver won a race after running more than 100 races since a previous victory.

As you've probably heard by now, Martin is just the fourth driver to win a Cup race after reaching his 50th birthday. At 50 years, three months and nine days, he's the third oldest to win. Only Harry Gant and Morgan Shepherd have won at an older age. The remarkable Gant won eight times after he turned 50. Shepherd and Bobby Allison each won once after that milestone and those 10 races are the only time that's happened until Saturday night.

After beginning the season with a string of bad luck, Martin is now just nine points out of the top 12 in the Cup standings. Only 110 points separates Jeff Burton in 11th from Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 19th after eight races, so this year's race to the Chase is shaping up to be a good one.

Martin is right in the middle of it, and that makes things very interesting. If you think his peers were happy to see him win Saturday night's race, imagine the outpouring of support and respect Martin would get if he could finally win is first championship this year.

We're a long way from that, of course, and the fact that Martin's victory at Phoenix made as much history as it did only emphasizes how great the odds are against him. But whenever I tell people about what the statistics show, I also try to remind them that the numbers only tell you what has and hasn't been done. They don't tell you what can or can't be done.

14 comments:

Steve Arnaudin said...

And, it has been 16 years since an AARP-eligible driver has won. That is a long stretch. Having adopted Mark Martin as my favorite driver 20 years ago, I was especially proud of Mark Martin for his Phoenix win and happy for the well-deserved admiration and respect that was shown him.

Anonymous said...

Hey Poole:
Why is it when Martin drove a Ford for Roush you never reported a positive thing about him?I remember when he went to DEI and you started pumping him up,then when he went to HMS you couldn't brag on him enough.You did the same thing with Jeff Burton.And you do the same thing with all the drivers that drive for Roush now.
If a Roush driver wins your writing shows that it's a struggle for you to report the win.
Why are you so biased toward Chevy teams?Why don't you give an equal amount of credit to teams when credit is due.
Anyone can say what they want to.
I've been a fan for 35 years and I know a fake when I read one and Poole you are a Fake.
Fair weather fans are one thing,but fair weather reporters are another.Poole you need to get off the bandwagon cause you ain't foolin no one.
Heres another i.e.
When Kyle Busch drove for HMS and didn't win you loved him because he drove for HMS.Now all you do is bash him.
Your tactics are too obvious.

Lloyd said...

As a long time Tony Stewart fan I was pulling for him to get his first win as driver/owner. However, on the last restart I found myself actually hoping to see Martin pull it off. My hat goes off to Martin. Obviously, a 50 year old Mark Martin can do more with Hendrick equipment than everyone's favorite Dale Jr.

Holleracha said...

It was really a good race... Was especially proud to see that Newman didn't block for Stewart. I would have been tempted. They are a class act as is the winner.

Anonymous said...

David,



Loved your comments and columns over the years, loved your TV analysis…WHEN, David, are you going to get out of that clouded, jaded world of Charlotte and join the rest of the country?



Have you not been looking at the ratings; the ratings cliff dive all over the country is alarming!



Have you not been watching the so-called racing? I believe the first actual GREEN FLAG PASS for the lead happened well into to middle third of the race! Naturally, it looked as though an actual pass was about to occur, so FOX took the opportunity to go to a commercial break and showed us the thrilling half-second it took when they came back.



I am not a come-alonger, David. I have been watching racing my entire life; I was born and raised three blocks from a dirt track in Southern Minnesota, my grandfather and I drove to Boone for all five nights of the Supernationals every year from its inception until his death in 2001. Yet, I can honestly [and sadly] say, David, I am about at the end of my rope when it comes to NASCAR.



There is nobody willing to take NASCAR biggies to task. A lady friend of mine from Oklahoma City, along with her husband, drove to Texas for the 500. Their seats were 13 rows up from the flag stand and she told me that – SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE YELLOW FLAG FLEW – people were yelling, “Booooo-ring.” (You know the one, three seconds held on the first syllable, with a drop to the second syllable.)



That putz in the #11, Denny Hamiln – the one to constantly blame everyone on his team for every shortcoming, is the only one seemingly willing to acknowledge the OBVIOUS, David. Following the Texas 6 hour snooze-fest, he said that race fans should be bored to tears; NASCAR has everything going the way they want it. Everyone’s a winner, nobody’s feelings get hurt – therefore everyone is equal and ZERO PASSING occurs because of it.



I have spent 9 months out of every year glued to the set on the weekends, going all the way back to the race-delayed days of TNT, Larry Neuber and ESPN and so forth…this, I fear, will be the first summer I DVR the race to speed through it when I get home from actually enjoying my Sundays now to see who took the checkered and turn it off before the LITANY of sponsor plugs happens in Victory Lane. Could you imagine Tiger Woods strolling into Butler’s Cabin: “Ya, I just couldn’t have done it out there without sponsor 1 and sponsor 2 and sponsor 3 and the guys at sponsor 4. Oh, and last weekend I forgot to mention sponsor 5, so if you need a good fill-in-the-blank, get to sponsor 6 for their $19.99 sale.”



It’s pathetic, AT BEST, anymore David – and you – possibly the best true journalist of all in NASCAR – stand by with another tired, boring story about how wonderful it is to see Mark Martin at age 150 win. For the moment, you and very few others are watching.



Wake up, David, and write about the obvious.

Anonymous said...

2:09
Great Saga.
Poole is NASCARS CNN.
He is a fake.He is biased and he will not say a negative word about NASCAR or HMS.
His rankings are a joke.
How can a driver because of a win move up 6 spots in rankings?
Because he drives for HMS.
How can Poole write he commands respect,when Poole never gave him the time of day when he drove for Roush?
Poole convicts himself with every stroke of the key pad.
What we need is someone who tells it like it really is.Reports fairly about all teams.And in no way shape or form ranks teams and drivers on a weekly basis to give them an edge with the fans.
Poole you are Guilty as charged.

Spanky said...

Damn I am feeling old!! Some of us remember when Mark was the kid!!! Now he is the Man. Talk about a role model. Other athletes should look at a true winner and gentleman.

Anonymous said...

Martin's win may have been "popular", but it didn't inject any life into Nascar.
I still think Martin is still feeling the side effects from all that Viagra he took years ago, nobody smiles THAT much...

Anonymous said...

My condolences Mr. Poole. TMD will never be the same.

tjfleck said...

Thanks for the classy post on MM. Your insight and common sense will be missed.

RIP David Poole

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cheap electronics said...

And, it has been 16 years since an AARP-eligible driver has won. That is a long stretch. Having adopted Mark Martin as my favorite driver 20 years ago, I was especially proud of Mark Martin for his Phoenix win and happy for the well-deserved admiration and respect that was shown him.si

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