Martin deserves to go out on top

By Chris Willis
Western Herald

Mark Martin is one NASCAR Sprint Cup driver that doesn’t get a lot of press. That was before this season. Martin is known by many of his fans and counterparts as “the best driver to never win a cup.”

Sunday, 50-year-old Martin made history by starting on the pole position in the 16th running of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He became the oldest driver to win a pole in track’s 100-year history. He finished the race second.

Martin has never won a Sprint Cup points championship, although he’s been runner-up four times.

He’s become a media darling this year because he’s won so many races at an old age.

The five-time International Race of Champions (IROC) champion is currently in ninth place in the Sprint Cup point standings.

He leads all drivers this season with four victories, which is the most he’s accumulated since his 1998 cup-runner-up campaign.

If it wasn’t for a couple of engine failures, and some unavoidable crashes, Martin would be closer to the top of the standings.

After 36 races, only the top 12 drivers in the Sprint Cup points standings will make it into the Chase for the Cup.

Martin has his work cut out for him with only six races left before the chase begins Sept. 20 in New Hampshire.  Ninth place isn’t a cemented spot with many drivers gaining on him.

I hope the “last of a dying breed” driver can make it into the chase and then make a run for the cup. He deserves to go out on top. Just ask anyone.

Chris Willis, a Western Herald sports writer, is a junior majoring in communication, and can be reached via e-mail at christion.a.willis@wmich.edu

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=6852

Posted by heraldstaff on Jul 26 2009. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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