MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS – Auto Club 500, Feb. 27th
RACE 2
CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY (2.0 MILES, 250 LAPS)
FRESH OFF STRONG DAYTONA RUN, NO. 6 TEAM HEADS OUT WEST
After a challenging Speedweeks that culminated in Martin's sixth place Daytona 500 finish, the No. 6 Viagra Team takes the show out west to Fontana, where Martin will look for yet another strong showing.
Chassis Number: (RK-231) - The team will run RK-231 at California. RK-231 was the star of the stable in 2004, with top five runs at Dover, California 2, Michigan 2 and Las Vegas. The car also had strong runs at Charlotte 2, Pocono 1, Indy and Chicago.
AT CALIFORNIA
Starts: 9
Wins: 1
Top 5's: 3
Top 10's: 4
Poles: 0
Highest finish: 1st (5/3/98)
First time: 6/22/97 (10th)
Last time: 9/5/04 (3rd)
Worthy Note: Martin has currenlty been running at the finish of 23 straight races. The longest current streak in NASCAR.
MARTIN AT FONTANA
Martin has posted four top-10 and three top-five finishes in nine starts at California. In addition, Martin has started inside the top 10 in four of the seven races. Martin finished third last fall at Fontana and 11th a year ago in the Spring race.
Martin actually finished 10th in the inaugural race at Fontana, despite running out of gas on the race's final lap, while in the lead. Martin came back the next year to win the second ever Cup race at Fontana in 1998. Martin has led a total of 259 laps at Fontana, including 65 in a third place finish last fall.
MARTIN GETS RECORD 12th IROC WIN AT DAYTONA
Martin earned his record 12th win in the IROC Series at Daytona last week. This season he will also look to break the record for championships in the series, as he goes for his fifth. He is currently tied with Dale Earnhardt with four. The IROC Series returns to action on on April 15 at Texas.
THE SALUTE TO YOU TOUR HEADS OUT WEST
Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.
QUOTING MARK AND PAT …ON FONTANA
"Fontana is pretty awesome right now. We have a great record out there in the past and we really have our cars figured out right now for those types of race tracks and I can't wait to get out there and do some downforce racing with my Viagra Team.
"I've been excited about this part of the schedule since it came out. We survived Daytona and made it out with a solid finish and now we are headed into the style of racing that better suits my style. We can't wait to get moving towards the next three races at Fontana, Las Vegas and Atlanta. We ran strong at Fontana last fall and I can't wait to get out there with the new rules package. We are just looking forward to going out there and seeing what we can do against everyone else. "
PAT TRYSON
"We had a really good test at Fontana and after two weeks at Daytona, we can't wait to get out there and see what we can do. We ran really well there last fall and it's one of those type of tracks that really suits the way mark likes to race. Hopefully we can go other there and notch the first win of the 'Salute Tour'."
Mark Martin Fast Facts – FONTANA
Martin has posted four top-10 and three top-five finishes in nine races at California Speedway.
Martin has led a total of 259 laps at California Speedway, including 65 laps last fall.
Martin finished 10th in the inaugural California race, despite running out of gas late and posting a DNF. Martin rebounded the following year to win the race.
Martin has currently been running at the finish of 23 straight races, the longest current streak.
Martin will drive the No. 9 Pennzoil Busch car at Fontana this weekend as well.
LAST YEAR AT THE AUTO CLUB 500
MAY 2, 2004 – California Speedway
AUTO CLUB 500 – Started 26th, Finished 11th
In a wild finish that saw several cars run short of fuel late in the race, Martin brought home an 11th-place finish. Martin’s car was indeed strong early, but wavered during the last two runs of the day. The No 6 was running in 13th place when a wild and wooly end saw several cars either run out of gas late or pit for fuel in front of Martin. That activity moved Martin all the way into ninth place, before his car came up just short on fuel itself coming out of turn two. Martin lost two of the positions gained and coasted across the line for the 11th place finish.
ONE OF NASCAR’S ALL-TIME ELITE, MARK MARTIN
Martin’s 34 Nextel Cup wins put him fourth on the win list among active drivers and 17th on the all-time list.
Martin has currently started 546 straight Nextel Cup races, the third-longest current streak and the sixth-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 603 Cup races, finishing inside the top 10 on 341 occasions, inside the top five 215 times and visiting winner’s circle 34 times.
Martin’s 45 career wins in the Busch Series are a NASCAR record.
Martin’s 12 victories in IROC competition are the most over. Martin has won four championships in the IROC series, including a record three straight.
