Calm, cool and calculated, he controls his No. 6 Ford
with the dexterity of a pilot - which he is also,
flying his plane to each race from his home in
Florida.The 43-year-old Arkansas native has made it to this, his 500th career start, because of his driving ability, not his looks or family name.
"I love to race, that's all," Mark said, his tone as flat and direct as his personality. "I'm not a great communicator; not by any means."
Mark is, however, a great race car driver, particularly at Bristol Motor Speedway, site of Sunday's Food City 500.
Mark is one of only four active drivers to score more than one victory on this .533-mile bullring. In 20 of the 30 Cup races he has started at BMS, Martin has finished in the top 10, including a streak of 11 straight from 1994-1999.
"I've done it with corner speed and handling," said Mark, whose 32 Winston Cup victories rank fourth among active drivers. "I've had a knack for getting my car set up to do what I need it to do here in order to excel.
"I don't believe if you are psyched or excited that you can just jump behind the wheel of a car and make it go fast. I believe in mechanics.''
Martin knows there will be some beating and banging in Sunday's race. But just as he does at each of the 23 Winston Cup tracks - he has victories at 15 of them - Mark chooses his battles carefully.
"If you get in someone's way who is faster, you might get wrecked, and I can't win the race if I'm on jack stands in the garage,'' Mark said. "You get out of the way, it costs you three-tenths of a second on that lap. You race them, fight to hold them back, it costs you three seconds over three laps, and you've lost a straightaway to the leader or maybe you're in jeopardy of going a lap down.
"It's a waste of time in the middle of the race to contend for a spot that doesn't matter.''
