Mark Martin (left) with wife Arlene at the press conference. Credit: Autostock

Martin: 2005 will be my final full season

'I've had enough of this full schedule'

CONCORD, N.C. -- When Mark Martin started to think about how he wanted to handle his impending retirement, he thought about IndyCar driver Gil de Ferran.

De Ferran stepped out of racing last year, a season in which he won the Indianapolis 500 and finished second in the Indy Racing League points standings.

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That's how Martin wants to go out, running up front, winning races and challenging for the Nextel Cup championship.

"I think the biggest thing in my career right now is that I don't want to go out on the decline," Martin said Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he announced his intention to get out of Nextel Cup racing full-time after the 2005 season.

"I want to be right up there. Gil de Ferran brought a tear to my eye. He went to his final race and sat on the pole, won the race, and he won the Indy 500 and finished second in the points.

"Now my deal could never be that dramatic because I'm not retiring at the end of 2005, but when I step back from Nextel Cup, I want to leave at the top of my game."

Martin's win at Dover this spring broke a two-year losing streak. Credit: Autostock

Martin won't get totally out of the driver's seat after his "Salute to You" tour, as it's being called. He isn't sure what he'll be driving in 2006 and beyond but mentioned the Craftsman Truck Series as a possibility.

Wherever he goes, Martin will bring an unwavering drive and exceptional talent. Even in Martin's first foray into NASCAR in 1981, he showed signs of brilliance, winning two poles and finishing in the top five twice in five races.

But Martin wasn't ready for Cup racing then and eventually went back to the Midwest.

By then, Jack Roush had his eyes on NASCAR's top series and was looking for a driver. He wanted to hire Bobby Allison, but Allison declined.

Allison pointed Roush in another direction, though.

"Mark Martin is the guy," Allison told Roush.

Quote "Obviously, this is a tough day for us, but, at the same time, I think that there are great times to come. First of all, I'd like to stress that I am not announcing retirement today, but 2005 will be my final year to race for the Nextel Cup. I don't have 2006 plans totally in order yet, but, certainly, I look forward to continuing driving race cars. Hopefully, I'll have a little bit more time on my hands.” – Mark Martin

Roush listened, hiring Martin to drive the No. 6 Ford for 1988. Now, 16 years and 34 NASCAR victories later, the pair is still together.

"Mark and I struggled often and mightily in the early days, but Mark always came to my side whenever the team's long-term interests were threatened or when my own often shaky positions on matters between us were unwavering," Roush said. "Through it all Mark has been true to himself, true to his passion for perfection in himself, and true to his relentless competition with those seeking to occupy his space.

"My association with Mark has been made up of keeping the faith in one another and carrying on the good fight against all who would challenge us. My enduring relationship with Mark has been the proudest accomplishment of my business life.

Jack Roush

"Perhaps most importantly, Mark has been the second brother I never had, the best friend and the cornerstone of the effort to which I pursued my own competitive ambitions."

The Martin/Roush relationship is unique in a sport that changes so much, often on a daily basis. Yet Martin brought plenty of glory for Roush, winning 34 races, 41 poles and finishing second in the points standings four times.

"We had a discussion before we came in here today, and I told Jack that the best times that we had we didn't know we were having them at the time," Martin said. "But through those 17 years that we've been together have been the most incredibly years of my life. I feel the same way about Jack that he does me.

"He corrected me one time when I told him that I looked up to him as a second father. He wanted to make sure that I understand he wasn't old enough to be my dad, but he's wise enough to be. I've always looked to Jack Roush for that kind of advice and leadership. He's an incredible leader, and he's made my career."

Martin's career, up to this point, has been known as one of the best without a championship. Perhaps he's unappreciated by many fans and critics, but Martin's fellow drivers count him as one of the best.

NASCAR president Mike Helton compared Martin to the fictional character George Bailey of "It's a Wonderful Life."

Mark Martin Age: 45  Career Starts: 596  Wins: 34  Top Fives: 213  Top 10s: 337

"George Bailey is this guy who has kept his nose to the grindstone for all the right reasons and he has an opportunity at the end of his rope to see what his world would be like had he not existed, and it's amazing how many people that he has touched and their life is better because of his existence," Helton said.

One of the drivers Martin helped a great deal has been Matt Kenseth. To call Kenseth Martin's protégé wouldn't be a stretch, and Kenseth is clearly thankful of Martin's influence.

Matt Kenseth

"There hasn't been a bigger influence on my career in the Cup Series than Mark Martin," Kenseth said. "He's the one that talked to Jack Roush about me and kind of took me under his wing and made sure I had a home here at Roush Racing. I owe my success to Mark and have always tried to conduct myself like Mark Martin both on and off the racetrack."

Roush said his plans for the No. 6 car are an "evolving process," but he said he needs the team to make his five-car program work.

"It's part of our model," Roush said. "We don't have the plans formalized for that yet, but that's certainly our objective."

Meanwhile, Martin's objective is to win the 2005 championship. After that, who knows?

"In 2006 I'll still be in the driver's seat," Martin said. "I just don't know exactly what seat that will be just yet. We don't know what we're going to be doing exactly yet. We are definitely looking at and I'm actually even looking at the Craftsman Truck Series. That looks kind of interesting.

"I'm too young to retire, but I've had enough of this full schedule and this battle. It's been really tough on me and it's been tough on my family, and I look forward to opening the next chapter."