Final Turn: Martin now a threat in the Chase talk

For the first time this season Mark Martin is in the top 12 in points, standing in the 11th position following his second victory in the past four races Saturday night at Darlington.

It wasn't too long ago Martin languished in points, thanks in large part to consecutive DNFs (engine failure). More bad luck followed at Atlanta, where he started on the pole. He cut a tire and hit the wall, finishing 31st. After that race Martin was 34th in points.

His season has turned around since. Martin started on the pole the following week at Bristol and turned that into his first top-10 of the season by finishing sixth. He's had one finish worse than seventh since, when he crashed out after six laps at Talladega and was credited with last place.

Martin won from the pole at Phoenix and finished fifth at Richmond before winning again at Darlington. Now, the debate isn't whether he will make the Chase but, in his first full season in four years, can he pull off what seemed just a few short weeks ago to be unthinkable and finally hoist that championship trophy at the ripe age of 50?

Upon the time of his departure from full-time racing after the 2006 season, Martin was one of just three drivers -- along with Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth -- to make the Chase every year. He finished fourth in final points the first two years and ninth in '06, when he raced as a favor to longtime owner Jack Roush.

Now, Martin's equipped in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Chevrolet, a car in which Kyle Busch established himself by winning four times and qualifying for the Chase twice, and that Terry Labonte drove to the 1996 title.

Martin's race with destiny has been well-chronicled: a four-time series runner-up, 12 times finishing in the top five, four other times in the top 10. He was 30 years old in 1989 when he finished third in points. In 2009, he became the third-oldest driver to win a Cup race. The oldest driver to win a Cup title is Bobby Allison, who was 45 in 1983.

Martin has made a remarkable recovery not only to be in the Chase equation, but make history in the process.

Final Turn: Should Martin qualify for the Chase, is he a legitimate threat to win it?
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