Martin forced to backup car after Sat. practice accident

JOLIET, Ill. -- Mark Martin will be forced to go to a backup car for Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, after wrecking his 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet in Saturday's first practice session. Martin will have to give up his fourth-place starting position and start in the back of the field for Sunday's race.

Martin spun out and clipped the wall with the rear of his car coming off of Turn 2. The veteran was hard on himself after the accident.

"It's just absolutely inexcusable," Martin said. "This U.S. Army team built me one of the best cars I've ever had in my life and there is just no excuse for me letting that happen.

"I'll probably never get over it as long as I live. I've really never seen a shock change make that much of a difference, but that should not have happened."

The car involved in the accident was a new chassis. The backup car last ran at Michigan where it finished 29th. It finished seventh at Pocono in its run before that.

The team is working at this moment to get the car ready for the next practice session.