Mark Martin Backs Off 2010 Commitment

Friday afternoon, ESPN's David Newton drafted a story with Sprint Cup Series veteran and pole-winner for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway talking about how he wanted to hang around as a full-time NASCAR driver in 2010.

Mark Martin, back in his first full-time gig after choosing to go for a part-time schedule in the past few years, apparently wanted to take what was originally a plan for going back to part-time in 2010 and make it a plan to run the whole 36-race schedule.

But after winning the pole for Sunday's race, Martin again met with the media and downplayed -- or denied -- such a plan was in place to go full time for Hendrick Motorsports again in 2010.

"I'm not in any shape ready to talk about 2010 and haven't discussed it with any person in my family or in my business circles," said Martin. "The word had not been uttered. I hope that's fairly clear."

Other options exist for Martin, as well. Warm, tropical options.

"I could be anywhere in the world today on a beach. Anywhere," said Martin. "This is where I want to be. I'm very happy to be here. I'm really happy to be driving the No. 5 car. I have not talked to one human being about 2010, not one person, about 2010 or any plans about that."

Naturally, Martin was asked if he's actually a beach person.

"That's why I'm here," laughed Martin. "This beats any beach in the world."

In reality, though, Martin felt his words were taken a little out of context, but as Martin is, artfully and respectfully denied that he was misquoted and didn't flame inflammatory arrows at the media. Martin meant to say that he's enjoying his ride with Hendrick Motorsports in 2009 and that he's thinking about a full-time return in 2010.

In the mean time, all he's worried about is getting his team off the brink of the Top-35.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-21-2009 @ 4:55AM

obamaizadope said...

2010?! you're 34th in points in 2009! what is this, AIG? give the losers another contract? here's a novel approach for you nascar morons: perform in '09 or there won't be a 2010!

3-21-2009 @ 9:03PM

mbsenlick said...

screw you obamaizadope. mark martin will rebound from this. just look what he has done: he has lead laps, won 2 poles in a row. mark is one of the best drivers out there.

3-21-2009 @ 9:48PM

robert said...

The words 'loser' and 'mark martin' do not belong in the same sentence! the only loser here is the idiot who post under the name obamaizadope! (even if i think obama is a dope)

3-22-2009 @ 12:32PM

LUCKY said...

MARTIN IS A CONSERVATIVE RACER BUT CONSISTANT.AT 50 HE'S RACING ON BARROWED TIME,BUT HEA!EARNHARDT JR. IS RACIN LIKE HE'S 50 WITH REDNECKS ACROSS THE CONTRY THINKIN HE'S THE GREAT ONE! ANOTHER KYLE PETTY!

3-22-2009 @ 11:15PM

Greg said...

obamaizadope, YOU HAVE ISSUES!
Why are you so full of hate? First you rave about Toyota now you are going after my favorite driver.Why are you so negative about everything?
Martin is a class act and my wish is before he retires he wins the title one time.
obamaizadope, be happy and be postive for life is too short to hate everything.

3-23-2009 @ 8:40AM

Kim said...

Greg,

Trying to reason with Mr. Dope is like trying to climb up a tree with no branches to cling to. The guy makes no sense and only exists (i.e. posts) to light a fire under someone's butt to offend and have a tit for tat with him/her. In my experience on these boards (for 4 years now), you have to just ignore someone like Dope. When no one banters back with him or gives him the time of day, he will go away because it isn't fun anymore if he can't get someone's goat. He's an Internet bully because in real life, he has no balls!

Mark Martin is a class act and is anything but a loser! I too would love to see him climb this obstacle he is currently facing and rise above.

Kim

3-23-2009 @ 4:23PM

I know Kim,

It is just a shame what this world has come to.

It is so easy to hate but so hard to be positive around people.

I guess some people did not get any attention when they were growing up and have to ruin everyone else's time.

Mark was grateful to us Marines back in the day when we came back from Desert Storm while we were in Daytona drinking the night away. We saw him at 0330 running on the track looking at every crack, bump and the track conditions. I yelled him over and he was impressed with us big Marine wrestlers/athletes back from duty overseas.
Someone asked him if he would be as great as Dale SR. because all of us had Earnhardt's shirt/hats on. Mark said NO! Earnhardt will be a LEGEND, PETTY THE KING I am just greatful that God let me do something that I love to do and that was to race a car. From that moment we took all of our Earnhardt shirts/hats and threw it in the fire and waited til the Martin trailer opened up in the morning to sell us his shirts/hat.
In other words he was a humble class act that made all of us respect him. Even here in Japan, Martin is respected. Japanese do wear his shirts.

Greg

3-23-2009 @ 7:19PM

I know what you mean, Greg! It is depressing to see how ignorant, petty and just plain mean some people are. Unfortunately as Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid" (I love that guy!).

Thanks for sharing your story about the time at Daytona you met Mark Martin. That is awesome and I can totally understand why you would be an instant fan. He is and always has been a class act. He's so cool, too.

By the way, my hubby was stationed in Okinawa, Japan for three years. Is that where you are? BTW, a HUGE Thank you for serving our country, Greg!

Kim

3-24-2009 @ 12:27PM

Ah Kim,

Thanks for the kind words, but it is hard to deal with the everyday of cilivian life now.
I was indeed at "THE ROCK" I spent 23 years in the Corps, Got out in 2006, I was 8541 (Scout-Sniper) with 3rd Force Recon. I work for Toyota in Japan now because Iam fluent in Japanese 100%. I was lucky to be married to a very BEAUTIFUL Japanese lady that tolerates me and my war torn mentality exposure from all these years of fighting for America. It took it's toll alright.

Martin, will always be a champion because it is not how many awards he has won, it is how many lives you change for the better. So many drivers have respect for him and that says alot about his character. He would have been a damn good Marine if he had joined. Tell your husband "Semper Fi brother!"
"Live life to the fullest today, for you may not be living tomorrow" General Pace USMC in Iraq 2004

Greg

3-24-2009 @ 4:58PM

Greg,

I will indeed tell my hubby "Semper Fi" and I am sure he would tell me to say, right back at ya!

William (my husband) sometimes referred to Okinawa as "the rock," too but mostly tried to refer to it as "the island." Somehow that made him feel better about being stranded there with very little to do, LOL. He loved his job there, though. William was a water safety survival instructor. He really enjoyed that. When he was stationed here in the states, he was simply a Combat Engineer. He liked to blow things up though, so it suited him, too. He served 8 years but after we started having children, felt it was time to get out as it's hard to raise a family while in the military. Although civilian life is no walk in the park either. It gets better. :-)

That is so cool that you were a sniper! Your job was certainly more stressful than my hubby's, I am sure. I can't imagine the toll that 23 years in the service must take. Again, thank you for that! I am sure you don't hear that nearly enough!

William also speaks some Japanese, although he is rusty. That is so cool that you were able to stay and work for Toyota, however there are a lot of Toyota bashers on these pages, just a fair warning.

Anyway, it was really cool to hear your story. Thanks for sharing it and thanks again for your committment to our country, the corps. and to us!

Kim