Matt Kenseth (left) with Mark Martin Credit: Chris Stanford/Getty Images

Martin to backup after Happy Hour wreck

Hamlin leads final practice for Sunday's Subway 500

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Mark Martin's weekend at Martinsville Speedway got a little more miserable when he hit the wall early in Saturday's final practice.

"I just got high to let (Bobby Hamilton) go by me and then it just went straight coming off the corner like a right front went down and then I hit the wall.," Martin said. "Then when I hit the wall, I broke a brake rotor and didn't have any brakes, so I couldn't get it stopped."

Martin's team quickly inspected the damaged No. 6 Ford, which had substantial damage to its entire right side, and rolled out the backup. Martin was able to get back on the track with 14 minutes remaining in the practice session and run some of his best laps of the weekend, finishing 25th on the speed chart with a best of 95.371 mph.

However, Martin qualified 35th fastest and was only 36th best in Saturday's first practice. So he'll be at the tail end of the field when the green flag drops for Sunday's Subway 500.

	Denny Hamlin
	Happy Hour Speeds Driver Speed Denny Hamlin 96.869 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 96.259 Ricky Rudd 96.215 Joe Nemechek 96.141 Tony Stewart 96.132 Full rundown, Click here

"Well, it's a few more spots," Martin said. "We're not off to a good weekend so far, but this team is gonna fight to the bitter end."

Joining Martin at the rear of the field will be Michael Waltrip, whose weekend woes continued when he spun his No. 15 Chevrolet in Turn 4 during Happy Hour, but was able to drive away without damage. That wasn't the case Friday, when Waltrip was forced to pull out the backup after backing the primary into the fence.

A few minutes later, DEI teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. looped his No. 8 Chevrolet in nearly the same spot as Waltrip -- but was able to escape without touching the wall.

However, that was about the only thing the two cars had in common. While Earnhardt Jr. was second-fastest in Happy Hour -- at 96.259 mph -- Waltrip's best lap put him 39th of the 43 cars that practiced.

Rookie Denny Hamlin was the only driver faster than Junior. Hamlin, who is putting his Late Model experience at Martinsville to good use, turned a lap of 96.869 mph in the No. 11 Chevrolet to back up his top-five qualifying effort on Friday.

"The way you drive the Late Models and the way to drive the Cup cars is basically the same," Hamlin said. "You want to stay out of the brakes just as much as you can."

Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson, currently tied for the points lead, were also strong Saturday. Stewart, on the pole for Sunday's race, was fifth in Happy Hour, while Johnson, rolling off sixth on Sunday, was seventh-fastest in the final 45-minute warmup.

In addition to the problems suffered by Martin, Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr., Travis Kvapil also brought out the caution flag with a spin, while Jeremy Mayfield and Robby Gordon spun in the first of Saturday's two practices.