MARTIN, VIAGRA RACING TEAM LOOK FOR SPEED IN ATLANTA
Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will visit one of the circuit's
fastest race tracks this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This will
mark Martin's 35th run at Atlanta, dating back to Nov. 7, 1982, when he
finished 10th.
THE CAR
The Viagra Racing Team will take RRC-15 to Atlanta this weekend.
RRC-15 is the same car that Martin ran to an 11th-place finish two weeks
ago at Charlotte. The car also finished 22nd at Dover in September.
IN THE POINTS
Martin is currently 17th in the Winston Cup point standings, 200 points
outside of 10th place.
GETTING STARTED
Martin has started the Atlanta race inside the top five in 16 of 35
races and inside the top 10 22 times. Despite having only one pole ('92)
at the superspeedway, Martin has started on the front row on six
occasions at the 1.54-mile track.
DID YOU KNOW?
FAST FACTS
· Martin posted a pair of eighth-place finishes at Atlanta in
2002, but finished 42nd there in the spring after early mechanical
problems.
· Martin has scored 17 top 10 and nine top-five finishes in 35
starts at Atlanta.
· Martin has won twice at Atlanta, with both wins coming in the
fall ('91 and '94).
· Martin's lone pole at Atlanta came in 1992, but he has started
in the top four in three of the last five races there.
· Martin has started inside the top 10 in Atlanta in 22 of 35
races and inside the top five 16 times.
QUOTING MARK AND BEN
MARK MARTIN ON ATLANTA
"Atlanta is the fastest racetrack that we go to, that doesn't require
restrictor plates and that makes it a lot of fun. It's really fast and
you just about have to hold your breath when you qualify. It's one of my
favorites and I've been racing there a long time. If you can get the car
set up to go fast in the corners, then you'll be in great shape on the
straight-aways and you'll be in for a pretty good day."
CREW CHIEF BEN LESLIE ON ATLANTA
"Atlanta is a fast track and it will be our challenge to give Mark a
fast enough car to run with the leaders. We had a pretty good car there
in the spring, but we had mechanical issues and didn't get to finish the
race. Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to go there and build on that
for a good finish."
LAST SEASON AT THE ATLANTA FALL RACE
OCTOBER 27 - Atlanta Motor Speedway - NAPA Auto Parts 500 - Started
3rd, Finished 8th
Martin and the team struggled with the car for most of the weekend, but
started third -based on the point standings - after qualifying was
rained out on Friday evening. The beginning of the race was no
different, as Martin found himself back in ninth place by only the fifth
lap. After only 17 laps the field was red-flagged for rain, with Martin
in 14th place. The race resumed almost two hours later. The car started
to come in by lap 109. The team used a quick pit stop to break into the
top-10 on lap 144. After 241 laps caution was again called for rain and
seven laps later the race was called, with Martin running in eighth
place.
