Race 2 Win: Food City 500 - Mark Martin Notes

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Food City 500 - Mark Martin Notes

MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS * Bristol

MARTIN, VIAGRA RACING TEAM PREPARES FOR SHORT TRACK CHALLENGE OF BRISTOL

After a strong run in Darlington, Martin and the No. 6 ViagraR (sildenafil citrate) Racing Team head to Bristol, Tenn., for the circuit's first short-track race of the season. Bristol racing is intense and Martin will not only be looking for his third win at the track, but to break into the Nextel Cup top 10 for the first time in 2004. Martin had the car to beat in last spring's Bristol race, leading 49 laps before getting wrecked on lap 346.

Chassis Number: (RK-215) - The team will run RK 215 at Bristol. This will be RK-215's first run in 2004. The car finished 10th last season at Phoenix and also ran at Martinsville. RK-231 will serve as the backup.

Worthy Note: Martin's seven poles tie for the most ever at Bristol. Martin has started in the top five in 16 of 34 races at Bristol.

ON THE MOVE - IN THE POINTS
Martin has climbed from 43rd to 12th in the Nextel Cup point standings in just four races. Currently Martin is 53 points outside of 10th place and 160 points behind the leader. Martin moved up five spots after the team's strong effort in Darlington.

MARTIN AT BRISTOL
Martin's treck at Bristol is tale of streaks. In 34 races at Bristol, Martin had finished top 10 20 times (59%) and inside the top five 15 times. From 1995-2000 Martin had a total of 10 straight top-10 finishes at Bristol. He won four straight poles in 1995 and 1996. However, Martin had not finished inside the top 10 at Bristol in the past seven races, five of which he was involved in accidents that put an end to his chance of a strong run.

GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START AT BRISTOL
Martin's seven poles at Bristol ties for the most of any driver (Rusty Wallace). Martin just narrowly missed his record eighth pole there last spring. All-in-all Martin has started inside the top five in 16 of 34 races at Bristol and inside the top 10 25 times.

QUOTING MARK...

ON BRISTOL
"Bristol in an intense place to race. I used to like it a lot, but it's been pretty tough on us lately. We've gotten wrecked the last five or six times we've been there, including last spring when we had a really good car there. It's a different type of track and 43 cars are a lot of cars for the room you have there, so you have to expect trouble and just hope it stays away from you.

"I always equate Bristol to trying to fly a jet fighter around the inside of a basketball arena. That's pretty crazy, but that's what it's like. You just have to do your best to stay away from troube and it always helps to qualify well, or you'll find yourself a lap down when the thing starts.

"Our race team has done an outstanding job so far this year and I consider them the best team in the business. The guys did one of the best jobs on pit road last week that we've ever had and they helped us get a top-10 finish at Darlington. We have more work to do to make the cars a little faster, but I couldn't be happier or more proud of Pat Tryson and this team this year."

CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON:
"Bristol is a good track for Mark and this team and of course it will always be a special place for me because we were able to win there with the Wood Brothers and Elliot Sadler in 2001. As for this weekend, we can't wait to get out there and do it again. We had great stops last week and we need to give Mark a better car to go with those stops and we'll be on our way to winning some races this year."

Mark Martin Fast Facts

Martin has two victories at Bristol (8/98 and 8/93 from the pole).

Martin's seven poles at Bristol tie for the most ever. He just narrowly missed the pole there last spring.

Martin won four consecutive poles at Bristol in 1995-96.

Martin has posted 20 top -10 and 15 top-five finishes in 34 races at Bristol.

From 1995-2000 Martin scored 10 straight top-10 finishes at Bristol, but a rash of accidents have prevented him from finishing inside the top 10 since.

Crew chief Pat Tryson led the Wood Brothers to a victory at Bristol in 2001. Tryson's pit strategy was vital in the No. 21 car's victory there.

LAST YEAR AT BRISTOL..
March 23, 2003 * Bristol Motor Speedway - FOOD CITY 500 * Started 19th, Finished 29th

The race saw 17 cautions before the checkered flag dropped, but it was the day's ninth caution that proved to be the most costly for Mark Martin and the ViagraR Team. The accident, which occurred on lap 198 of the 500-mile race, halted what had been a strong run for the No. 6 team. Martin went on to fight his way to a 29th-place finish. Martin had rebounded from an early problem with his throttle, and was steadily moving his car through the field, where he was running in 19th-place on lap 198. Martin's car was running some of the most competitive times on the track, when several cars in front of him started 'checking up.' The cars behind Martin were unable to stop and Martin's No. 6 Ford was struck from behind and sent into a tailspin towards the apron. After being struck by another car, Martin's Ford had received considerable damage on the left side and the No. 6 Viagra Racing Team was forced to go behind the wall for repairs. The No. 6 crew worked feverishly to repair the severely damaged car, and Martin was able to return to the track 48 laps later; 47 laps down and in 33rd position. Martin's car proved to be so strong on Sunday, that despite the severe damage he was able to run lap times comparable to that of the race leaders.

ONE OF NASCAR'S ALL-TIME ELITE, MARK MARTIN

Martin's 33 Nextel Cup wins put him fourth on the win list among active drivers.

Martin has currently started 514 straight Nextel Cup races, the third-longest current streak and the seventh-longest streak in Cup history.

Martin's 41 Nextel Cup poles are the fifth most in Cup history.

Martin ranks fifth all-time in the Nextel Cup point standings.

Martin has started 569 Nextel Cup races, finishing inside the top 10 on 327 occasions, inside the top five 206 times and visiting winner's circle 33 times.

Martin's 45 career wins in the Busch Series are a NASCAR record.

Martin's 11 victories in IROC competition ties Dale Earnhardt for the most ever. In addition Martin has won four championships in the IROC series, including a record three straight.

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