 | | Mark Martin said Jack Roush is not trying to convince him to return next season. Credit: Autostock |
By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
August 19, 2006
02:57 PM EDT (18:57 GMT)
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Jack Roush isn't convinced that Todd Kluever is ready to slide into Mark Martin's seat in the No. 6 car next season. "We need to see how he does in these [Nextel] Cup races and see what our sponsors say,'' Roush said after watching Kluever qualify 38th for Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway.  |  | | Mark Martin says he won't be driving the No. 6 car in 2007. Credit: Autostock |
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| Inside the Numbers |
| Mark Martin's career stats |
| Starts |
660 |
| Wins |
35 |
| Top-5s |
231 |
| Top-10s |
369 |
| Poles |
41 |
| Laps Led |
11,337 |
| Avg. Start |
11.5 |
| Avg. Finish |
13.2 |
|
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The outcome could have an affect on whether Martin, 47, runs a part-time or full-time schedule in NASCAR's premier series next season. Martin is going under the assumption Kluever will be in the 6 and he'll be running a part-time schedule, although Roush said he wouldn't hesitate to put any of his veteran drivers in the car if Kluever isn't ready. Martin said there have been no discussions with Roush about him staying in the 6. "The 6 car is set right now,'' he said before qualifying 14th. "Todd's going to drive the car. ... The whole plan for 2006 has been to work as hard as we could to get Todd ready to take over the 6 car. We're still doing that.'' Martin said no decision has been made on what he might do in Cup along with his full-time Truck Series schedule in '07, although he's leaning toward a part-time schedule. "We're just in the early talks of the possibility of a limited [Cup] schedule,'' he said. "Then there are some wild and crazy things that are starting to swirl around out there that I never expected.'' Martin said the addition of eight or more new teams next year with Toyota entering the mix has driven the supply of proven drivers way ahead of the demand. "It is actually honestly going crazy and I've told you guys all year it's going to be like that,'' he said. "And it's still not hit its peak. It hasn't heated up to the point it's going to. "It's really going to get interesting as crunch time nears [in November].'' Martin initially planned to make 2005 his last full season in Cup, but was talked into another year when Roush Racing lost Kurt Busch to Penske Racing South. That forced Roush to put Jamie McMurray, who initially was hired to replace Martin, into Busch's car. Earlier this year, Martin said there were serious talks to put him in a Ford for another owner -- likely Robert Yates -- in '07. "It looked to be exciting enough to do, but then that didn't materialize, or it's not going to materialize for 2007, so then that sort of went away,'' said Martin, who is sixth in points. Martin said he still may wind up driving a part-time schedule for another team. "It's an exciting time in NASCAR racing,'' he said. "It's probably more exciting than I've ever seen it before. And there's a greater demand for experience, which really surprises me. For the longest time all anybody wanted was the next young kid driver. "Right now that's really changed. That's something that really surprises me, because I thought those days were pretty much over with.'' But to say Kluever isn't ready for Cup, Martin said, is premature. "He's only in his second Cup race of seven,'' Martin said. "We really haven't given him a Busch car that enabled him to show what he can really do, and I'm sorry about that. "I had hopes that we would do a better job with that. It's a tough business, and sometimes you can't have everything the way you want it.'' Slugger to Petty? Richard "Slugger" Labbe, who recently was fired as Dale Jarrett's crew chief at RYR, is on the short list of people being considered for Bobby Labonte's crew chief next season at Petty Enterprises. Labonte recently lost crew chief Todd Parrott to RYR and replaced him with interim crew chief Greg Steadman. Robbie Loomis, who oversees the running of Petty Enterprises, said he hopes to hire a young crew chief with strength in motivation within the next few weeks. Waltrip update Michael Waltrip didn't rule out the possibility of signing David Reutimann to be his third driver for his new Toyota-based Cup team next year. The 2004 rookie of the year in the Craftsman Truck Series, Reutimann currently is testing Waltrip's Car of Tomorrow Camry that will be unveiled during a Monday test at Michigan. Waltrip said Domino's, one of the primary sponsors for his vacant ride, is looking for a young, entertaining driver that can replace him in commercials. Waltrip and Dale Jarrett will drive the other two cars for Michael Waltrip Racing. COT session Teams expected to participate in Monday's Car of Tomorrow test include: Bill Davis Racing (Michael Waltrip, Dave Blaney), Joe Gibbs Racing (J.J. Yeley), Hendrick Motorsports (Jeff Gordon), Roush Racing (Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards), MB2 (Joe Nemechek), Haas (Jeff Green), Team Red Bull (Bill Elliott), Evernham Motorsports (Scott Riggs), Chip Ganassi Racing (David Stremme) and Penske Racing South (Kurt Busch). | 
