Mark Martin, currently the oldest active NASCAR driver at age 50, has enjoyed quite a career in NASCAR racing. Sponsored by Pop Tarts and Carquest, his Chevrolet is owned by Mary Hendrick of Hendrick Motorsports.

 

His early racing career, before breaking into NASCAR, was in the American Speed Association (ASA) championship circuit where he won championships in 1978, 1979 and 1980. He then drove in NASCAR racing for 5 years before returning to ASA and taking the 1986 championship. After that victorious year, he permanently moved to NASCAR for his continuing racing career.

 

By 1989 he was making his mark in NASCAR and finished the season series in third point position. He also earned his first NASCAR victory at Rockingham during his 113th career race start. In both 1990, 1994 and again in 1998 he placed second in series points, moving up in popularity and rankings but not taking the coveted cup.

 

With a strong, consistent record of Top 10 finishes, Mark Martin has yet to reach the dream of holding the cup trophy above his head at the end of the NASCAR season. Mark is a winning driver, taking home at least one win during most seasons yet the magic of winning the Sprint Cup continues to evade him.

 

Will 2009 hold the same season end for Mark Martin? Perhaps this is his year to change things. With six races in the Chase for the Cup remaining, Martin is only 12 points behind leader Jimmy Johnson. Johnson is vying for his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup trophy, but there's plenty of time for Mark Martin to take that trophy away from him this year.

 

During 2009, Mark Martin joined Michael Waltrip and Richard Petty as the three NASCAR drivers to have started in 1,000 races in their career. NASCAR quoted Martin, "I honestly didn't know this milestone was coming until I had a few reporters bring it up lately," Martin said. "Wow. That's a lot of races." NASCAR races have accounted to 746 of those races to date.

 

With a long, lusturous career already behind him, Martin may well reach his goal of taking home the magnificent Sprint Cup this year. But he won't retire and stop there. He has already signed on to race for Hendrick Motorsports at least through the 2011 NASCAR season.

 

We will have to wait until the final race at Homestead, Florida to learn if this is really Mark Martin's year to take the Cup home. But even if he doesn't reach that goal, he's still a winner among winners and a true sportsman in very way. All Martin's fans will be glued to the racetrack, whether in person or on television or other media sources to find out if this is the year for him to reach the recognition he so richly deserves.