were tossing about possible candidates for their
monthly feature, "Where Are They Now." The stories
highlight the career of a racer who's faded from
the public spotlight, such as Donnie Allison, Dick Brooks and
Ron Bouchard, all recent subjects."I've got a perfect 'Where Are They Now' subject," noted one writer.
"Who?" another staffer asked, taking the bait. "Mark Martin."
It was that kind of year for Mark, who turned 42 on Jan. 9. A fixture in the top six of the point standings throughout the 1990s and a serious threat to win the title most of those years, the Arkansas native suffered through a disastrous - at least by his standards - 2000 campaign.
Mark finished eighth, well off the pace set by champion Bobby Labonte and the rest of the top five drivers. What made it even more disappointing was the fact that entering the 2000 season, Mark was favored by many to win the Winston Cup championship.
The Roush Racing driver started off in fine form, collecting several top fives before winning at Marksville in the eighth race. A sixth place the next week at Talladega left him sitting atop the series point standings.
Then, the bottom dropped out of his season. In the next 11 races, he finished 32nd or worse five times, including back-to-back disasters at Pocono and Indianapolis, where engine woes and an accident left him with consecutive 43rd-place finishes.
What went wrong? Without question, Mark suffered more than his share of bad luck, resulting in six DNFs. When he wasn't getting swept up in other drivers' accidents, mechanical woes were taking their toll. Mark recently noted the team had seen parts fail that hadn't failed in the history of Roush Racing.
As a result of his tough season, Mark is almost an afterthought when talk turns to contenders for the 2001 series title. To be sure, the competition will be tough. Defending champion Labonte and former champs Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon are seeking another trophy. Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton won six and four races, respectively, and veteran Ricky Rudd has experienced a rebirth piloting Robert Yates' Fords.
With such a loaded field, it's easy to forget about Mark, especially given his struggles in 2000. Yet Mark could be the surprise of 2001. He's got several things going for him. First, he's shown the ability to bounce back from adversity before. He failed to win a race in 1996, and says he honestly thought his career was finished at that point. He proceeded to win 13 times from 1997-99.
He's primed for a similar comeback now. Although Mark's another year older, he still follows a rigorous training regimen and is in great shape. He's in the flagship ride of the Roush Racing organization, and veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig is one of the best in his profession. It also doesn't hurt having a teammate such as Burton around to talk racin'.
The assets that can't be measured are Mark's tremendous desire and work ethic.
"I'll drive that car broken in half, if I'm sick or in personal disaster. Those are the things that I can guarantee you," he noted in a recent interview.
Mark's place in the Winston Cup history books is secure. He has 32 career wins, tying him with Fireball Roberts for 17th on the all-time list. On the other hand, with the notable exception of Junior Johnson, every driver ahead of him on the career victory list has won a Winston Cup championship.
Mark doesn't need to be reminded of those facts. He's
come close on several occasions, placing second or third in
the points seven times. Rather than dwell on what he hasn't
done, he prefers to look at the positive aspects of his
career."I shouldn't have to explain to anyone why I haven't done as much in racing as Bill Elliott or Rusty Wallace or Jeff Gordon," he said recently. "Because I've had my share of success. My success doesn't compare to Terry Labonte's, although I've won twice as many races. He's won two championships, but half the races.
"What's more important? To him, two championships. To me, 32 races. ... So what's important to me? To keep on doing what we're doing."
Forget about Mark's woeful 2000 season. The veteran should be back to his usual standard of excellence this year.
