flashed a rare smile and faced a tough question. His
thoughts poured out. For a moment, he was no longer a
driver. He was a father, a husband and a son. He
was happy and sad and proud and frustrated.He was infinitely human.
Just what is it about this driver and Rockingham? North Carolina Speedway seems to loosen Mark's hold on personal thoughts. Every season, he spends Friday afternoon at the track assessing his weekend, his season, his life and his heart. It's a rare and enlightening glimpse into the man that powers the driver.
Mark has spent his life listening to what could have been or what almost was. One of the greatest pure drivers in NASCAR, Mark's career will be remembered more for what it wasn't than what it was. The winningest driver in the history of the Busch Grand National series, he's marked as the man who has yet to win a Winston Cup championship.
He doesn't care.
For 41 years Mark has judged himself by his own standards. Why should that change now? If he has regrets about his career, he keeps them quiet. But he isn't superhuman. Mark admits to missing parts of a "normal" life.
"I'd like to have some friends," Mark said. "When I have family members die, I'd like to be able to go and see my family and do things like that. You have to maintain friendships, and I don't really have time for that."
He laughs about the predicament, but there's serious thought behind the statement. A family man, Mark spends as much free time as possible working with his son. Matt, 8, has started his own racing career, which his father is carefully watching.
The elder Mark doesn't plan a future on the pit cart or in an owner's role. If he's at the track, he wants to be racing. And racing competitively. When he's done, he truly will be finished - at least in the Winston Cup arena.
"I don't want Matt's friends to not know that I ever won any races," Mark said.
He's willing to give it all up when the time comes. That may not be far away.
Mark's focus is shifting. The future still will be about adjustments, mechanics and gaining the edge - but the driver's seat will be filled with smaller feet. Mark already is thinking about his post-Winston Cup years. He's thinking about a Martin championship - only this one will belong to Matt.
Laughing delightedly, Mark shook his head about comparisons between his style and Matt's. It's one thing to be a meticulous racer. It's quite another to be the father of such a man.
"He'd aggravate me to death if he was like me," Mark said. "I hope he's not."
It's somewhat ironic for Mark, having this racer in the house. Just when Mark's ready to walk away from the career 0 that has controlled his life, he'll find himself pulled back to the track. He doesn't mind.
"The thing is that's a double-edged sword, him racing," Mark
said. "Just about the time I'm ready to step out of the
circle, he's going to be just about ready to come in. . . .
I can tell you this, in the last six weeks he has really,
really impressed me. He has really turned the corner, and I'm
real proud of him."Matt isn't the only young racer Mark is watching. He plans to bring more young talent into NASCAR, finding 16-years-olds who can compete in the Truck Series, move through the ranks and be winning Winston Cup drivers by the time they reach 21. Mark is the mentor of the future, the bridge between what NASCAR was and what it will be.
But not yet.
He's still not done. Racing is in his blood and on his mind. He can't walk away while he's still winning and feeling competitive. Whether he gets that championship isn't foremost in Mark's mind. Whether he'll continue to win races is.
"I will bleed to win," he said. "That's my sickness. As long as I race I'll be that way."
