Mark of a champion

Martin remains steadfast in pursuit of first championship

Highlights of Sunday's New Hampshire 300 were immediately followed by "and Sterling Marlin lost the points lead to ... Mark Martin," as if the anchor were questioning the words on the TelePrompTer.

Why not Mark Martin? If anyone deserves a Winston Cup championship, it's the lil' man from Arkansas. After all, if a fella from the Natural State can be president ...

Martin has been this close before, finishing second in 1990, '94 and '98. He's also posted four thirds. But this one -- in the year of the "young guns" -- would be special for the 43-year-old in his 15th full season.

Getting his first Cup start in 1981, Martin arrived full-time in 1988 with Jack Roush. In the past 14 seasons, Martin has finished outside the top-8 only twice, including last year's disappointing 12th. His average points finish: fifth.

And through it all, the highs (Martin is the Busch series' all-time leader in wins) and lows (the death of his father, back surgery), he has remained steadfast. "Anybody who is successful at anything for a long time wants to be the best," Martin said. "I want to accomplish whatever the best is, and that would be a championship."

As for the rest of the top five entering Dover this week, Marlin has been close a couple times, too, including a third-place points finish last year. And he's also deserving, so we can't take umbrage with him. Jimmie Johnson? He's gonna win his share. Tony Stewart? We just can't punch his ticket; who knows, he might punch back. Jeff Gordon? He's got four, and no one likes a trophy hog.

Which brings us back to Arkansas' favorite son.

I was on hand when Martin won the fall race at Talladega in 1995. It was a gutsy performance, 188 laps rewarded with a pound of flesh and enough sweat to drown a lesser competitor. He stood before the cameras doing the right things, politely answering questions (while dropping in sponsor names), thanking his crew and congratulating the team.

Once the bright lights in Victory Lane dimmed, Martin was shuffled to the main press box high above the 2.66-mile asphalt ribbon he'd spend the previous four hours battling. Again, doing the right things, politely answering questions (while dropping in sponsor names), thanking his crew and congratulating the team.

I remember watching as Martin wiped the sweat from his face in the ice-cube cold press box. He'd heard all the questions before, yet never seemed to get hot under the collar because some reporter wanted him to answer Question X for the second time. No, Martin was collected, much like his driving style.

Retirement has been mentioned more than once in conjunction with Martin in recent years, though never from the driver's mouth. Unless it has been to refute the latest driving-into-the-sunset buzz, which he has done numerous times. But still the thought must enter his mind. After all, a 36-race season does take its toll on even the youngest.

The Tampa Tribune noted this week that since 1998, either the championship has been wrapped up going into the last race or the leading driver needed only to start the race to clinch. The 1996 and '97 battles provided intrigue, but in 1994 and '98-2001 the average final margin between first and second was 325 points.

In a year of hot-shot rookies and big-name drivers jumping to high-dollar rides, wouldn't it be nice for a 5-foot-6 mountain of stability to finally be able to give his car owner that much sought-after first Cup title? It would be the mark of a true champion.

B. Duane Cross is a senior producer for CNNSI.com.

 

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