CONCORD, N.C. -- Throughout his storied career as a Nextel Cup driver, Mark Martin has thrived on consistency.

So it should be no surprise that he remained consistent with his plan for this season.

With six races left in the 2007 Cup season, Martin can't believe it's almost over. And he's saying exactly the same thing now that he said back in the spring -- that he's having the time of his life, running a part-time schedule that ultimately prevented any chance he might have had of crashing the Chase for the Nextel Cup party currently under way.

After finishing second in dramatic fashion in the season-opening Daytona 500 and then taking the points lead in the second week by finishing fifth at Fontana, he kept telling everyone that the points lead didn't matter to him. Almost day after day for the next three weeks as he continued to hold it, he was asked if he really was going to stick to his plan of running a total of 26 races -- 24 points events, the Bud Shootout and the Nextel All-Star Challenge.

And every time he was asked, he surrendered the same answer. Yes.

Yet a seemingly large segment of the racing world population did not appear to believe him until, as scheduled, he sat out races at Bristol and Martinsville after leaving Atlanta with the points lead following the fourth race of the season there.

"It was funny to me at the time because I just let you guys [in the media] keep asking me about it," the 48-year-old Martin said Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he was preparing to run in this Saturday night's Bank of America 500. "It was interesting. I never had a second thought about my decision from the first race to leading the points leaving Atlanta and not going to Bristol [the following week].

"It's exactly what I wanted to do, and it was the best decision of my life. I'm the happiest I've ever been, and I couldn't have a better life right now."

Despite sitting out a total of 10 races thus far, Martin still sits 26th in driver points -- and the No. 01 Chevrolet ride he now shares with rookie Aric Almirola is 14th in owner points.

But much of what was out of Martin's control this season has been a roller-coaster ride for him. He began the season employed by Ginn Racing and sharing his ride with rookie Regan Smith. But in late July, Ginn Racing basically was folded into Dale Earnhardt Inc., and Martin's world changed.

He says now that, for him personally, it changed for the better.

"I've really enjoyed working with the U.S. Army team," said Martin, who will share the No. 8 DEI car being vacated by Dale Earnhardt Jr., with Almirola next season. "Making the move to a new group, working with Chevy, all the changes have all been positive for me. Being able to be a part of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated is a real honor for me.

"It opens up a new challenge. There are things there that I will be able to do probably for a long time, based on my amount of experience that I have and all the youth that is there at the company at this time. They are great, fabulous people. They have talent in all aspects of the company -- and they have welcomed me with open arms. ... I'm living a dream."

He said he loves working with young drivers such as Almirola.

"Aric's got it. He's got talent, he's got incredible desire," Martin said. "He does have more patience than a lot of young people. That's appreciated. From my standpoint, I appreciate the patience that he has. The dedication and the desire are there. We just have to continue to get him more experience.

"Impatience is a real hard thing to deal with and to work with. Impatience is waste of time. It's a diversion. If you're impatient, you're worrying about things you can't control. If you stay focused on the things that you can control and accept the fact that it may take a little more time than you wish it would, then you keep your eye on the target."

It is Martin's way. He never wavered when it came to keeping his eye on his target this year -- and the bull's eye was the time he planned to spend away from the racetrack with his family, including wife, Arlene, and his teenage son, Matt. He also has four older stepdaughters.

Asked the best part about running his part-time schedule this year, which he intends to duplicate next season, Martin did not hesitate one iota before answering.

"Quality time with my wife and son. That's by far been the best. It's just been so good," Martin said. "This year has passed without a whole lot of pressure. I'm not saying there hasn't been any pressure; there has been huge pressure for me. But it's been a drop in the bucket compared to what I've dealt with the past 15 years.

"It passed really fast. It's incredible that it's gone this fast. Instead of dragging out and being a grind, it's been a great year for me. I am so lucky to be driving this car, and working with these people, and doing what I love so much -- when I want to do it."

Asked what the best activity he has been able to do with his son that he couldn't do in previous years, Martin smiled and replied: "Nothing special. Just being able to hang out and take him to the baseball field, or just be there in the same house with him, so that if he did have a question or if he did want to do something with me, I was available. That was huge for me."

Matt also races, but not so much at the moment.

"He's raced three times this year," Martin said. "He's doing what I'm doing -- racing when he wants to. And that's not much right now."

Not when he can hang out with his father instead.