Mark Martin

Birthday: Jan. 9, 1959
Hometown: Batesville, Ark.

Martin

YEAR-BY-YEAR CUP SERIES RECAP

2009 -- Finished second in series points. ... Is a five-time series runner-up, tying Bobby Allison and Richard Petty for the series record. ... Returned to full-time schedule with Hendrick Motorsports after running part-time schedules since "retiring" from Roush Fenway in 2006. ... Won five races after having not won since 2005. .... After finishing 16th in the Daytona 500, finishes of 40th (Auto Club), 40th (Las Vegas) and 31st (Atlanta) dropped Martin to 34th in series points and on the bubble for automatic race entry, but three straight top 10s and a win at Phoenix improved him to 13th. ... In winning his first race of the season at Phoenix on April 18, Martin, 50, became the oldest driver to win in the series since Morgan Shepherd won at age 51 on March 20, 1993, at Atlanta. He became the third-oldest overall to win a race... Joined Bobby Allison, Morgan Shepherd (twice), and Harry Gant as over-50 winners. Victory snapped a 97-race winless streak dating to Oct. 9, 2005... Won at Phoenix, Darlington, Michigan, Chicago and then New Hampshire to begin the Chase. ... Entered the Chase seeded No. 1 and held the spot for three weeks. ... Led the series with seven poles. ... Was second in the series with five victories, trailing only teammate and champion Jimmie Johnson (seven). ... Announced he will drive full-time for Hendrick Motorsports through 2011.

2008 -- Finished 28th in series points in a part-time role for Dale Earnhardt Inc. ... Competed in 24 of 36 events with 12 top-10 starts. ... Top finish was third in the spring Richmond race. ... Announced in July that he would move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2009 and run a full schedule.

2007 -- Finished 26th in series points. ... Finished with five top-fives and 11 top-10s in a part-time role. ... Competed in 25 of 36 events. ... Finished second behind winner Kevin Harvick in the season-opening Daytona 500; the 0.020 margin of victory is the ninth-closest in NASCAR history. ... Led standings for three consecutive weeks before taking off the season's fifth event, at Bristol.

2006 -- Finished ninth in series points. ... Had seven top-fives and 15 top-10 finishes. ... By qualifying for the Chase, Martin became one of only three drivers to make the Chase in each of the format's first three years.

2005 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Won his 35th career race, at Kansas, in October. ... Had 12 top-fives and 19 top-10s. ... Won the All-Star Race in May. ... Had seven top-10 finishes in the 10-race Chase.

2004 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Finished in the top five for the 11th time and in the top 10 for the 14th time. ... Won the June event at Dover. ... Earned a berth in the inaugural Chase.

2003 -- Finished 17th in series points. ... Worst result since 1988, his first season with Roush Racing. ... Winless for only the fifth time in 17 full-time seasons. ... Finished with five top-fives and 10 top-10s. ... Best was second at Pocono in June. ... Seven DNFs was his worst total since eight in 1994. ... Ran final 22 races without a top-five finish.

2002 -- Finished runner-up in series points, 38 behind champion Tony Stewart. ... His fourth series runner-up finish (1992, '94 and '99) and 13th among the top eight in points. ... Had one win, the Coca-Cola 600 in May at Charlotte, which broke a 73-race winless streak. ... Scored 22 top-10 finishes, which tied for series lead with rookie Ryan Newman. ... Led standings for two weeks late in the season.

2001 -- Finished 12th in series points. ... First non-top-10 finish since a 15th in inaugural season with Roush Racing in 1988. ... Went winless for only the second time in past 13 seasons, the other being 1996. Did not record a top-three finish for the first time since joining Roush. ... Finished with 15 top-10 finishes, including pair of season-best fourth-place results. ... Earned two poles, the ninth multiple-pole season of his career. ... Poles came at Richmond and Bristol, the latter his seventh there, his best at any series track.

2000 -- Finished eighth in series points. ... 12th consecutive season with a top-10 final finish, but snapped run of seven consecutive years among the top five. ... Martinsville victory gave him at least one win for four consecutive seasons and 11 of the past 12. ... Finished with 20 top-10s. ... Did not win a pole, the first time since joining Roush Racing in 1988. Ended a run of 12 consecutive seasons with at least one pole.

1999 -- Finished third in series points. ... Third consecutive season among the top three and seventh time of his career. ... Seventh consecutive top-five finish. ... Posted two victories -- at Rockingham and Dover -- for his eighth multiple-win season. ... Finished with 19 top-fives and 26 top-10s. ... His pole at Rockingham extended his streak to 12 consecutive seasons with at least one pole.

1998 -- Finished second in series points, 364 points behind champion Jeff Gordon. ... Sixth consecutive top-five finish. ... Seven wins was a single-season career high. Previous best was five in 1993. ... Trailed only Gordon (13) in wins. ... Victories came at Bristol, Las Vegas, Fontana, Charlotte, Dover, Michigan and Texas. ... Wins at Las Vegas (inaugural event), Fontana and Texas were career-firsts at those tracks. ... Finished with 26 top-10s, 17 among the top three. ... Won from the pole at Dover. Also won poles at Rockingham and Darlington.

1997 -- Finished third in series points. ... Fifth consecutive top-five finish. Also finished in 1989 and '93. ... Bounced back from a winless '96 with four victories -- at Infineon, Dover, Michigan and Talladega. ... The Infineon win came from the pole. ... Coupled with three wins at Watkins Glen (1993-95), all four career road-course wins have been from the pole. ... Finished with 16 top-fives and 24 top-10s. ... Shared series lead for poles with Bobby Labonte, with three -- at Dover, Rockingham and Sonoma.

1996 -- Finished fifth in series points. ... Fourth consecutive top-five season. ... Finished with 14 top-fives and 23 top-10s, but no wins. ... Snapped a run of seven consecutive seasons with at least one win. ... Finished second a series-high four times. ... Four poles trailed only Jeff Gordon (five). ... Poles came at Bristol, where he swept the top spot for both events for the second consecutive year, plus Pocono and Richmond.

1995 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Four wins and four poles; the latter trailed only Jeff Gordon (eight poles).... Finished with 13 top-fives and 22 top-10s. ... Won at Charlotte, North Wilkesboro, Talladega and Watkins Glen, the latter from the pole for the third consecutive season. ... Other poles came at Bristol (twice) and New Hampshire.

1994 -- Finished second in series points for second time in five seasons, 444 points behind champion Dale Earnhardt. ... Won twice, from the pole at Watkins Glen for the second consecutive year and at Atlanta. ... Finished with 20 top-10s. ... Watkins Glen was only pole of the season, but extended streak to seven consecutive seasons with at least one pole.

1993 -- Finished third in series points. ... Finished with five wins and five poles, trailing only Ken Schrader (six) in poles. ... Wins came at Watkins Glen, Bristol, Darlington, Michigan and Phoenix. ... Poles came at New Hampshire, Bristol, Watkins Glen and a sweep at Rockingham. ...Won from the pole at Watkins Glen and Bristol. ... Extended string of seasons with at least one pole, to six.

1992 -- Finished sixth in series points for second consecutive year. ... Won twice -- at Martinsville and Charlotte -- and finished with 14 top-fives and 17 top-10s. ... Had one pole (Atlanta), giving him at least one pole for five consecutive years.

1991 -- Finished sixth in series points. ... Had one win -- Atlanta -- and 14 top-fives. ... Five poles was a series-high. ...Swept poles for both races at Charlotte and Martinsville. Other pole came at Pocono. ... A total 14 poles in the past three seasons.

1990 -- Finished second in series points, 26 points behind champion Dale Earnhardt -- the series' fifth-closest margin of victory at the time. ... Tied for second in series for wins (three) and poles (three). ... Wins came at Richmond, North Wilkesboro and Michigan. ... Poles came at North Wilkesboro, Pocono and Martinsville. Made 10 front-row starts.... Finished with 16 top-fives and 23 top-10s.

1989 -- Finished third in series points. ... Became championship contender in his second season with Roush and third full-time season overall. ... Earned first series victory Oct. 22 at Rockingham (his 113th career start). ... Added five runner-up finishes, 14 top-fives and six poles, the latter tying Alan Kulwicki for the series' season high.

1988 -- Finished 15th in series points. ... His first with owner Jack Roush. ... Finished with 10 top-10 finishes, including career-best second at Bristol. ... Earned a pole at Dover.

1987 -- Finished 101st in points, starting only one race. ... Ran for Roger Hamby.

1986 -- Finished 48th in series points after not running the Cup Series in 1984 and '85. ... Ran five events for Gunderman Racing. ... Had two second-place starts.

1983 -- Finished 30th in series points. ... Ran partial schedule for four different teams: J.D. Stacy (seven races), Morgan-McClure (six), D.K. Ulrich (two) and his own (one). ... Best finish came with Stacy, as he matched his career-best with a third-place effort at Darlington.

1982 -- Finished 14th in series points. ... Competed in first full-time season as owner/driver and finished runner-up to Geoff Bodine for rookie of the year. ... Ran 30 races, including one for Bob Rogers, with two season-best fifth-place finishes and eight top-10s.

1981 -- Finished 42nd in series points. ... Debuted as a owner/driver. ... Competed in five races, including a third-place finish at Martinsville and poles at Nashville and Richmond Fairgrounds. ... His first career pole (Nashville) came in his third career start. ... First career start came April 5 at North Wilkesboro, where he started fifth and finished 27th.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

Won his record-extending 48th Nationwide Series race in 2008 at Las Vegas. ... Won his record fifth IROC championship in 2005. ... In 2006, he had 14 starts in the Truck Series, winning a series-high six times, with 11 top-fives and 12 top-10s. ... Grew up racing short tracks throughout the Midwest. ... Won three consecutive American Speed Association championships from 1978-80 before moving to NASCAR; returned to ASA and won 1986 title before permanent move to NASCAR.

NOTEWORTHY

Owns Mark Martin Performance, a company which sells quarter-midget racing chassis. ... Helped build the quarter-midget track at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. ... Teenaged son, Matt, is an aspiring driver.