Post by dalejrfan on Jun 4, 2005 2:59:44 GMT -5
DOVER, Del. -- Publicly, Mark Martin has always had sketchy plans as it relates to life after retirement.
On Friday at Dover, Martin's plans appeared to clear up significantly when he announced that he plans to run the entire 2006 Craftsman Truck Series for Roush Racing.
Final chapterMartin talks about his final Nextel Cup season"From watching, it looks like the best racing in NASCAR," Martin said. "I like the schedule. They race on Fridays. They race on Saturdays. They have shorter events.
"It looks like fun racing," he said. "Every driver I've talked to that runs the series loves it. That's what I want to do."
Martin said there's no deal in place for sponsorship of the truck, though he also said that the search is in the infant stages.
"I'm sure that's going to work out," Martin said. "It's what I want to do."
He added that while he'll certainly be in the hunt for a championship next year in the Truck Series, it's not uppermost in his mind.
"I'm sure that to Roush Racing and Ford and to our sponsors, the championship is going to be a goal, but I'm not going to get caught up in that because it doesn't matter to me.
"I'm gonna be a fierce competitor, but I really want to focus on having fun and being happy."
Away from the track, Martin said his run in the Truck Series will also help out Roush Racing development programming.
"I'm going to be the benchmark for figuring out the equipment," Martin said. "If a young driver is having problems, we'll at least know that the equipment is good and the setups are good.
"We'll have a better judgment of the drivers that we're mentoring."
Since the beginning of the season, Martin has said that he was interested in running in the Truck Series, but up to this point the plan seemed to be for Martin to field his own trucks.
The subject of running the full Truck Series schedule actually came up as Martin was dispelling rumors that Martin had approached fellow future retiree Rusty Wallace about splitting a Nextel Cup ride next season.
"That's not what I'm interested in," Martin said. "That's not where my heart is. That's not me."
"I'm more interested in having a ball and the Truck Series looks perfect for that," Martin said. "From now on in my racing career, I'm going to do what I want to do, not what's the best business or anything else.
"I look forward to being in the driver's seat for many years to come, but I don't expect it to be Nextel Cup."
Martin said he's been particularly frustrated at the amount of on-track contact and the number of caution flags thrown this season.
He said he doesn't buy the theory that NASCAR's shorter spoiler is the reason for the trouble.
"Let's say the cars don't handle as good with the shorter spoiler. That doesn't mean we need to wreck more. That means we need to be aware of that and keep our cars under control."
Martin said there are several other factors that are contributing to the increase in accidents.
"I think the wrecks are stemming from a lack of respect for one another out there, a lack of respect for the equipment and the high pressure that is put on from the owners, the media, the sponsors, the whole thing.
"The drivers are letting the pressure of being up front overcome their judgment," If you're out of control, instead you give them two feet -- or 20 feet.
Martin does have a solution -- an old-school solution.
"It's been way too long since any of these drivers had to fix any of these race cars," Martin said.
"It wouldn't matter how much pressure was on these guys -- if we had to fix these race cars we're wrecking, the next time there's a wreck, the fight would go down."
On Friday at Dover, Martin's plans appeared to clear up significantly when he announced that he plans to run the entire 2006 Craftsman Truck Series for Roush Racing.
Final chapterMartin talks about his final Nextel Cup season"From watching, it looks like the best racing in NASCAR," Martin said. "I like the schedule. They race on Fridays. They race on Saturdays. They have shorter events.
"It looks like fun racing," he said. "Every driver I've talked to that runs the series loves it. That's what I want to do."
Martin said there's no deal in place for sponsorship of the truck, though he also said that the search is in the infant stages.
"I'm sure that's going to work out," Martin said. "It's what I want to do."
He added that while he'll certainly be in the hunt for a championship next year in the Truck Series, it's not uppermost in his mind.
"I'm sure that to Roush Racing and Ford and to our sponsors, the championship is going to be a goal, but I'm not going to get caught up in that because it doesn't matter to me.
"I'm gonna be a fierce competitor, but I really want to focus on having fun and being happy."
Away from the track, Martin said his run in the Truck Series will also help out Roush Racing development programming.
"I'm going to be the benchmark for figuring out the equipment," Martin said. "If a young driver is having problems, we'll at least know that the equipment is good and the setups are good.
"We'll have a better judgment of the drivers that we're mentoring."
Since the beginning of the season, Martin has said that he was interested in running in the Truck Series, but up to this point the plan seemed to be for Martin to field his own trucks.
The subject of running the full Truck Series schedule actually came up as Martin was dispelling rumors that Martin had approached fellow future retiree Rusty Wallace about splitting a Nextel Cup ride next season.
"That's not what I'm interested in," Martin said. "That's not where my heart is. That's not me."
"I'm more interested in having a ball and the Truck Series looks perfect for that," Martin said. "From now on in my racing career, I'm going to do what I want to do, not what's the best business or anything else.
"I look forward to being in the driver's seat for many years to come, but I don't expect it to be Nextel Cup."
Martin said he's been particularly frustrated at the amount of on-track contact and the number of caution flags thrown this season.
He said he doesn't buy the theory that NASCAR's shorter spoiler is the reason for the trouble.
"Let's say the cars don't handle as good with the shorter spoiler. That doesn't mean we need to wreck more. That means we need to be aware of that and keep our cars under control."
Martin said there are several other factors that are contributing to the increase in accidents.
"I think the wrecks are stemming from a lack of respect for one another out there, a lack of respect for the equipment and the high pressure that is put on from the owners, the media, the sponsors, the whole thing.
"The drivers are letting the pressure of being up front overcome their judgment," If you're out of control, instead you give them two feet -- or 20 feet.
Martin does have a solution -- an old-school solution.
"It's been way too long since any of these drivers had to fix any of these race cars," Martin said.
"It wouldn't matter how much pressure was on these guys -- if we had to fix these race cars we're wrecking, the next time there's a wreck, the fight would go down."