Mark Martin celebrated his sixth Craftsman Truck Series win of the season Friday night at Homestead. Credit: Autostock

Martin to run limited truck schedule for Wood

Veteran driver says he'll run from five to 10 races in '07

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- In the aftermath of his sixth Craftsman Truck Series victory this season, Mark Martin on Friday evening said he would race in "five to 10 truck races" next season in a No. 21 Ford F-150 fielded by Wood Brothers/JTG Racing.

Final lapsMark Martin gets the final checkered NCTS flag of the season Victory LaneMark Martin celebrates his win in Victory Lane Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Earlier in the day, team co-owner Eddie Wood said Martin and the organization, which this season fielded full-time efforts for rookies Marcos Ambrose and Bobby East, had agreed to the program, with the only holdup being sponsorship.

Martin won Friday night's Ford 200 season finale in Roush Racing's No. 6 Ford, his sixth victory in 14 starts.

"I think it's pretty cool, pretty exciting to drive the Wood Brothers truck next year, the No. 21," Martin said. "History means an awful lot to me.

"I knew those boys [Eddie and Len Wood, team co-owners with Tad and Jodi Geschickter] when I was a boy. When I first came [to NASCAR] in 1981, I was 21 years old and that's probably about what those boys were, too -- if that.

"We've been around a long time and I've admired them, and this is our first chance to work together on any project and it's a real special honor and a real special opportunity for us to do something together."

After 19 years with owner Jack Roush, driving Fords, Martin this fall announced he would drive Chevrolets for MB2 Motorsports in 20 Nextel Cup races in 2007.

Martin owns a Ford dealership in Arkansas and wanted to remain in a Ford vehicle in some capacity. Roush was unable to provide a program suitable to Martin, which created the split after Martin raced full time in the 2006 Nextel Cup Series as well as part time in Roush's Busch cars and trucks.

"[The schedule will be] between five and 10 [races in 2007], probably closer to 10 than five," Martin said. "We're just working on all of the details.

"They haven't secured a sponsor for it, but they've made a commitment to do a minimum of five races. They're working right now. They're pretty close on some things and hopefully it will work out."

Earlier, Wood/JTG announced that Ambrose would move to the Busch Series in the team's No. 59 Ford, with its current driver, Stacy Compton, returning to the Truck Series, where he's a two-time winner.

Kelly Bires from Hartland, Wis., who made one truck start this season for Wood/JTG as well as several ARCA RE/MAX Series races, is scheduled to drive one of Wood/JTG's trucks in 2007, possibly in conjunction with Martin.