Does Mark Martin really want to retire?

[kingfloopy]

Okay I'm getting the distinct impression that Mark doesn't really want to quit driving in Cup and I've had that feeling since he first announced his retirement two years ago. I saw this article today and Jayski's site and it seems to confirm this is true.

http://www.scenedaily.com/stories/20...e_daily54.html

It looks like he will run trucks next year and 10-12 races or so with Boris Said's #60 team. But he isn't denying that he may return in 2008 to drive fulltime.

It would certainly be different if he ended up driving for someone other than Roush or Ford wouldn't it?

J.D.

[muggle not]

It may be that the rigors of the schedule and the stress of competing for the chase simply took its toll on Martin. A part time schedule and driving for a team where he isn't expected to win or finish in the top 10 may be what he is looking for. It seems pretty obvious, at least to me, that he still loves racing, and probably the big $$$$ that goes with it.

[Foster]

Simple reason why he wants out of the limelight.....Matt his son.

IMO he just wants to be with him at his ractrack as much as posible.

[rustyfan]

I think Martin is being torn between his love for racing in the NEXTEL Cup and the strain racing there full-time brings. I doubt we'll see him return to full-time in the NEXTEL Cup after this year though, and he'll probably primarily race trucks with a handful of Cup starts tossed in at the tracks he like the most (the latter sort of like Bill Elliott is doing these days).

[jimmer]

I hope mark doesnt retire he is still one of the best drivers in cup

when will jarret, schrader and marlin retire ??? all the best names are at the end of their racing career

[rustyfan]

I reckon Schrader will retire from NEXTEL Cup within a few years. That said, I reckon we can expect to see him tear up the tracks in late models, ARCA and other smaller championships for many years to come.

[kingfloopy]

I think next season will be Marlin's last. He said he would consider retirement after 2007 and his performance the last couple seasons hasn't been the best. Schrader will retire from Cup next season, but he will never retire completely. Hopefully he'll run some more late model races around here so I can get his autograph again. Jarrett will retire when his contract with Micheal Waltrip racing is up as he's kind of indicated in the past. The only way that wouldn't happen is if he started winning a bunch of races, but even with Toyota backing I don't see that happening.

J.D.

[rustyfan]

According reports posted by Jayski it seems Mark Martin will drive the MB2 #01 car part-time next year, sharing it with Regan Smith. Martin would drive the car in 22 races, while Smith would drive the other 14. Nemechek would remain with the MB2 organisation, moving to a new third team.

An announcement regarding this might come later today.

[kingfloopy]

Yeah I saw that rumour too. It sounds far fetched to me, Martin is a pretty big Ford guy and I imagine they would do as much as possible to keep him. But I suppose most rumours have some basis in fact so it may be true. I haven't been too impressed with MB2 this year. Neither team has run well and they don't exactly have bad drivers. I find it really hard to believe that they can even find sponsorship to run three teams when the #14 hasn't had a full time sponsor all season.

J.D.

[StuiE]

It's looking more and more like it's happened... quite a shock, after all the other rumours of where he would go, this came out of left field.

Will be interesting to see how they go, he could revitalise that organisation.

[muggle not]

OFFICIAL: Mark Martin announced today that he will continue in the Nextel Cup Series next season, driving the #01 MB2 Motorsports Chevy on a limited basis in 2007. “I consider Mark Martin a personal friend and over the last 20 years we have had a fantastic relationship professionally and personally,” Roush said. “Mark will always hold a special place in my heart and a special place in Roush Racing, and I truly wish him all the best in his future plans.”
“Jack Roush and I have enjoyed a very special relationship for the past 20 years,” said Martin. “Jack afforded me the opportunity to chase my dreams, and there is no way to put in words what he has meant to me, my life and my career. The deal to come back with Roush in the #6 with AAA really worked out great and gave me one of the best and most rewarding years of my career, AAA has been great to work with and it’s really been awesome to work on such important issues. I’m really glad I was able to come back a year and help those guys and Jack out, and we are going to do everything we can to keep chasing after that Nextel Cup for the next seven races.”
"When Mark finally reconciled his somewhat conflicting desires, he settled on staying in Cup and running a 20-race schedule. We had no way of accommodating that desire since all of our Cup programs were previously committed," said Roush Racing president Geoff Smith. And, NASCAR team limits prevented Roush Racing from putting together an additional team for Mark, so in the end Mark had to move on - in order to stay in the Cup series. He's meant a great deal to this organization and we certainly wish him the best in whatever he chooses to do down the road." Martin reiterated that his focus over the next seven races will remain on the “Chase” for the Nextel Cup Championship. “Our focus is on winning this championship,” Martin said. “I’ve been fighting this fight in the #6 car for 19 years now, and we aren’t about to give up anytime soon. It’s the complete focus of our attention, and we’ll fight down to the very end for it.”(Roush Racing Site/PR)(10-6-2006)

[kingfloopy]

That certainly is an interesting development. But the man loves to drive and still has the ability to get it done. So more power to him. Hopefully this won't hurt Nemechek since he's one of my favorite drivers.

J.D.

[Hazza]

Yeah, didn't someone say Front Row Joe would move to a new MB2 team?

[kingfloopy]

Yeah that's what the plan is. The new #13 car. Sponsorship is supposed to be announced later, but for some reason I find it hard to believe they'll have a full time sponsor.

J.D.

[muggle not]

Regan Smith will move up to Cup and drive a partial season for MB2. Mark Martin will be a great mentor for Regan. Regan has been racing since he was 5 yrs old but has never had good equipment in Busch.

I talked with my son today and he told me he talked with Regan a few weeks ago when he met him in a grocery store. Son is friends with Regan's parents and Regan used to come and help my son work on his car in his garage. I wish Regan the best of luck in Cup.

[kingfloopy]

Rumours are now saying that Martin may take at least partial ownership of the MB2 team in addition to driving for them. The team also may switch to Ford before next season. May be a bad thing for Robby Gordon if that happens.

J.D.