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Mark Martin has eight victories at Darlington, but he's never driven for Rick Hendrick.By the Numbers: Darlington Raceway
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No other car has been up front more than the No. 5 car this year. And at Darlington, no other driver has won more in the Busch Series than Mark Martin. Is Friday a date with destiny?
Kyle Busch has piloted the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in nine of the 11 races this season and has led a series-high 532 laps, nearly twice that of the next closest driver. But he's sitting out this weekend's race at Darlington.
Martin will strap into the No. 5 for Friday's Diamond Hill Plywood 200 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2). It will be the fifth different owner for which Martin has driven a Busch car at Darlington (Bruce Lawmaster, Bill Davis, himself and Jack Roush are the others).
If there's one driver who has tamed the track, it's been Martin. In 27 races there he has eight victories, twice as many as any driver. His performances include winning three in a row and five of six from 1993-1996, and again winning three consecutive events from 1999-2000. But it took him a while to get going.
Interesting Fact
0Victories for Mark Martin at Darlington in his first 11 starts. Since then he has won half of the 16 starts at the track, with 12 finishes of fourth or better.
Fun Fact
16Age of James Hylton when Darlington Raceway opened in 1950. Hylton was born in 1934 and is on the entry list for Friday's race.
All the Facts
03/21/1998Last time Bobby Labonte raced a Busch Series car at Darlington, when he won. It was his last Busch victory before he won two weeks ago at Talladega.
2Worst finish for Matt Kenseth in the last two Darlington races. He won the 2005 event and was runner-up to Denny Hamlin last year when his lowest position during the race was third. He has the highest Driver Rating (131.7).
3.517Average running position for Jeff Burton in the last two races at Darlington. He did not run last year's race but finished fifth in 2005. Burton has four Darlington victories, including three in a row from 2001-2002.
4.4Average finish for Matt Kenseth in 12 Darlington races. Kenseth's worst finish there is 12th in 1997. He has two victories (1999 and 2005).
6Former Darlington winners entered in Friday's race: Mark Martin (8), Jeff Burton (4), Matt Kenseth (2), Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin and Bobby Labonte.
7Tracks on the Busch Series schedule that have hosted races since 1982 when the series took its current identity. Included on that list is Darlington Raceway, which has hosted 46 events.
8Drivers entered in Friday's race who have an average running position of better than 10th during the last two Darlington races: Jeff Burton (3.517), Matt Kenseth (4.296), David Stremme (5.245), Greg Biffle (6.105), Mark Martin (6.429), Denny Hamlin (6.558), Tony Stewart (8.218) and Clint Bowyer (8.952).
8.39Average starting position for Darlington winners. Eighteen of the 46 races have been won from a front-row starting position.
15Victories by a Ford in the 46 Darlington races, more than any other manufacturer. Chevrolet has 14 victories. Pontiac has 10 wins, Buick has four, Oldsmobile two and Dodge one.
38.31Percent of passes made on Darlington's frontstretch in the last two races.
64Green-flag passes by Carl Edwards in the last two Darlington races, 20 more than any other driver. His average start at the track is 5.5 with an average finish of 9.5.
100Percent of laps during the last two Darlington races that Denny Hamlin has run inside the top 15, or all 294 laps.
114Laps led by Kevin Harvick at Darlington, the most by a driver entered in Friday's race who has not won at the track. Jeff Burton leads all active drivers with 705 laps led.
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Mark Martin
Darlington Busch Series Results
| Year | Start | Finish | Owner | Make |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 29 | 38 | Bruce Lawmaster | Ford |
| 41 | 40 | Bruce Lawmaster | Ford | |
| 1988 | 17 | 9 | Bill Davis | Ford |
| 19 | 38 | Bill Davis | Ford | |
| 1989 | 8 | 2 | Bill Davis | Ford |
| 8 | 42 | Bill Davis | Ford | |
| 1990 | 20 | 36 | Bill Davis | Ford |
| 5 | 28 | Bill Davis | Ford | |
| 1992 | 1 | 32 | Mark Martin | Ford |
| 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Ford | |
| 1993 | 6 | 30 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 3 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1994 | 1 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 2 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1995 | 4 | 3 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 5 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1996 | 2 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 1 | 2 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1997 | 4 | 4 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 1 | 6 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1998 | 5 | 24 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 5 | 8 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 1999 | 1 | 39 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 2 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| 1 | 1 | Jack Roush | Ford | |
| 2006 | 8 | 4 | Jack Roush | Ford |
| Average | 7.4 | 14.8 |
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