Martin out-brakes Dallenbach at The Glen in '95

With 16 top-10 finishes in 20 starts, Watkins Glen is statistically Mark Martin's best track. And every time he's sat on the pole there, he's won. But former teammate Wally Dallenbach Jr. made Martin work hard for his third consecutive victory in the 1995 The Bud at The Glen.

It was a rare victory for Ford that season, much like how 2010 has played out for the blue oval brigade, which finally snapped its season-long winless skein with Greg Biffle's victory at Pocono last weekend.

Dallenbach, an accomplished road racer who had finished second to Martin in the 1993 event, was asked by owner Bill Davis to fill in for Jimmy Hensley. He did that and more, despite suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation during the first half of the race.

"Smoke was really getting to me," Dallenbach said. "I got really sick. Slowing down during the first caution period really helped. I could hold my hand out the window and direct some air onto my face.

"The smoke was worst when I was behind another car. Out front, I had a lot more air."

Unfortunately for Rusty Wallace, who may have had a car equal to Martin's, the second caution ruined his day. With an opportunity to add enough fuel to go the remaining distance, the leaders ducked onto pit road for service on Lap 61. But at the pit exit, Martin slowed to blend back into line behind the cars still on the track, setting off a chain-reaction fender-bender.

Geoffrey Bodine, immediately behind Martin, slammed on his brakes in an attempt to avoid the No. 6 Ford. That left Wallace, third in line, with nowhere to go. He suffered heavy damage to the right front bumper and suspension of his No. 2 Ford, lost two laps for repairs, and finished a distant 26th.

"I hate it happened," Martin said. "I felt I had to slow down. Rusty got upset, and I understand, because he ran good and might have won. He came by after the race and congratulated me. Everything is OK."

Jeff Gordon stayed out and led a road-course race for the first time in his career before Dallenbach roared past three laps later. Dallenbach eventually built up a six-second lead on Martin and appeared to be headed for what would be his first Cup victory. But oil on the track forced NASCAR officials to bring out the caution for the third and final time, allowing Martin to close up for the restart on Lap 83.

"Wally was really hauling," Martin said. "I'd have loved to seen him win, but not at our expense. Without the last yellow, I don't know whether I could have caught him or not. I was gaining, but he was out there pretty good."

Dallenbach did his best to keep Martin at bay, but with six laps to go, Martin ducked to the inside of Dallenbach's No. 22 Pontiac under braking in Turn 1, and was never headed the rest of the way.

"I knew Mark was going to be hard to hold off," Dallenbach said. "I had used my brakes hard for those laps I was leading. It looked like Mark had a lot more brake at the end, and that's critical.

"I couldn't do anything with him in Turn 1. I could have blocked him, but it's just a matter of time until someone gets around you when their brakes are so much better."

Martin was more than complimentary when he climbed from the winning car.

"This was a big win for us and a huge relief," he said. "It's hard enough to win one of these races, much less three in a row at the same track from the pole. Steve Hmiel, my crew chief, and his guys have given me an absolutely wonderful car to work with up here. The same car has won all three of the races here."

Gordon finished third and doubled his points lead over Sterling Marlin, who finished 21st.

"This was a big place for us to gain points, because I'm still learning as a road racer," Gordon said. "I'm glad I didn't have an in-car camera today, because I made a lot of mistakes, but I'm beginning to enjoy road racing."

Gordon would go on to win the first of his four Cup championships. Martin's Watkins Glen winning streak would be snapped by Bodine the following year. Two weeks later, Davis would hire Ward Burton to drive the No. 22, and Burton would score his -- and the team's -- first victory at Rockingham later that year.

Dallenbach's near-miss eventually paid dividends, as he landed a full-time ride with Bud Moore the following season and stayed active through 2001, although that day perhaps was the closest he ever came to celebrating in Victory Lane.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.