NSCS Race Recap: Graybeard Martin Surges to Phoenix Victory
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Not bad, old man.

The 36th victory of Mark Martin’s career was perhaps his most fulfilling.

The 50-year-old polesitter streaked away from Tony Stewart after a restart with six laps remaining to win Saturday night’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Martin became the oldest driver to win in the series since Morgan Shepherd won at age 51 on March 20, 1993 at Atlanta. Martin’s victory was his first since Oct. 9, 2005 at Kansas Speedway and his first since joining Hendrick Motorsports to start the 2009 season.

Stewart ran second followed by Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle. Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., David Reutimann, Sam Hornish Jr. and Carl Edwards completed the top 10, as a late caution for an accident involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears scrambled the finishing order.

“The thought went through my mind — 1989 with Jack Roush (Martin’s former car owner) — when I got my first win at Rockingham, I said, ‘My life is fulfilled,'” Martin said in victory lane. “I thought about saying that again tonight, but I’ll stop short of that.

Continue reading “Mark Martin shows young guns how it's done”

NNS Recap: Biffle Holds On For Phoenix Victory

Crew members for Greg Biffle’s No. 16 Ford celebrate winning the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
AVONDALE, Ariz. — A spate of late caution periods played into Greg Biffle’s hands Friday night, as the driver of the No. 16 Ford held off Jason Leffler to win the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway, team owner Jack Roush’s 100th victory in the series.

Biffle beat Leffler to the stripe by .339 seconds in a green-white-checkered-flag finish to win his second Nationwide race of the season and the 20th of his career. Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick completed the top five.

Biffle and Leffler finished 1-2 on old tires after 14 of 17 lead-lap cars came to the pits for at least two tires under caution on Lap 181.

In a dramatic reversal, Kyle Busch, who finished 10th, wrested the series points lead from Carl Edwards, who came home 33rd. Busch leads Edwards by 47 points as the series heads for Talladega on April 25.

Continue reading “Biffle grabs 100th NNS win for Jack Roush”

Tony Stewart may have been one of those guys the media feared but tonight, he handled his runner up finish to veteran Mark Martin with class and style.

“The last three weeks have been amazing- its been so much fun. We’ve been in contention,” Stewart said after the race during a media interview. “There’s no shame in losing to a guy like Mark Martin tonight. I mean, I don’t think there is anybody that’s not a Mark Martin fan.”

Kind of makes you wonder though if there is shame in losing to anyone else? Tony goes on to say:

“It was an awesome night for our organization and an awesome night for Mark and I’m really happy for him.”

Stewart seems to have matured a lot, especially when it comes to dealing with the media. He gracefully handled things tonight which probably earned him a lot more respect from fans. Either way it is easy to see that not only has Tony grown and matured but he holds only the highest respect for Mark Martin.

@NASCARGirl14

The opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author and not this website.

After a 97 race winless streak, Mark “The Kid” Martin proves he still has plenty of race left in his treads.

At the tender age of 50. Mark Martin became the second oldest active driver to win at NASCAR’s top series. In nearly two years racing at DEI in the 8 car for a partial season in 2008 and he couldn’t quite get it done though he ran very well and I won’t even bring up the 2007 Daytona 500. It has only taken Mark 8 races under the banner of Hendrick Motorsports to win in that number 5 car. And he did it in style.

Mark led 157 of 312 laps, including the first one in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 on Saturday night. He also became only the third driver in NASCAR history to win from the pole at Phoenix International Raceway. Jeff Gordon did it first in the Spring race in 2007 followed by HMS teammate, Jimmie Johnson in the Fall race of 2008. Add yet another Hendrick driver to the winning from the pole list with Mark Martin.

Mark Martin’s last points win came in 2005 at Kansas. He’s been in the hunt for that elusive win ever since and has come very close several times but always came up short.

Mark- You are a total class act and earned a well deserved win tonight. Congrats from MM Nation!

The opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author and not this website.

Mark Martin wins from the Pole at Phoenix

RACE RECAP | PHOENIX
10 Carl Edwards
9 Sam Hornish Jr.
8 David Reutimann
7 Martin Truex Jr.
6 Denny Hamlin
5 Greg Biffle
4 Jimmie Johnson
3 Kurt Busch 3rd top 5 this season
2 Tony Stewart 3rd straight top 5

VICTORY LANE

1 Mark Martin the pole sitter grabs his first win of the season, his first for Hendrick Motorsports breaking a 97 race winless streak. It’s also Mark’s 400th career top 10 finish. This make the 5th Hendrick Motorsports win in a row at Phoenix.

OTHER STORIES ON THE DAY

-Dale Earnhardt Jr. had pit problems early, lead 63 laps on a gamble call, wrecked and finished 31st…and there were some post race activity with Casey Mears

-Kyle Busch came out the pits 2nd in the last pit stop, but that’s because he was speeding he ends up 17th

-Points leader Jeff Gordon had several tire rubs that sent him to a 25th place finish

Continue reading “Phoenix Cup Series Recap”