It’s no surprise that NASCAR fans stand among one of the most emotionally invested communities compared to all the other sports fans. Their passion doesn’t end at the checkered flag; they carry the weight of past injustices just as much as they celebrate present-day wins. One such lingering moment is Mark Martin’s heartbreaking loss to Dale Earnhardt in 1990 — a memory that continues to stir strong opinions.
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Widely regarded as one of the finest drivers to grace the sport, Martin earned the respect of fans and fellow competitors alike. Yet despite his impressive resume, he is often dubbed “NASCAR’s Greatest Bridesmaid” for his repeated near-misses on the biggest stages. The 1990 season marked one of five years in which he finished second in the championship standings.
Coming off a strong 1989 campaign, where he secured third in points and a win at Carolina Motor Speedway, Martin entered the 1990 season riding the same momentum. He quickly made his presence felt by capturing a win in just the second race of the year — the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond Raceway.
Following the race, Dale Earnhardt, who finished second, raised an issue claiming that the #6 team [Mark Martin’s] had used a bolted-on carburetor spacer instead of welding it to the intake, as required. NASCAR handed down a 46-point penalty and slapped the team with a $40,000 fine.
The ruling stirred up a hornet’s nest, as many believed the punishment far outweighed the infraction, especially since there was no conclusive proof that the part offered any performance edge.
Though the penalty didn’t immediately derail Martin’s campaign, the cracks began to show in the season’s final stretch. At Phoenix, a late pit call for fresh tires dropped Martin deep in the running order, and he failed to claw back lost track position, ultimately surrendering the points lead.
A week later, in a decision ahead of the Atlanta finale, the team ditched its own equipment in favor of a Robert Yates Racing car they had tested. That gamble didn’t pay off.
Martin wrapped up the season with a sixth-place finish in Atlanta, falling short of the championship by just 26 points. To this day, many argue that had NASCAR not lowered the hammer with that early-season penalty, Martin might well have walked away with his first Cup Series title.
Mark Martin won the 1990 Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond 35 years ago today.
After the race NASCAR penalized Martin’s team for bolting a carb spacer to the intake instead of welding it. The penalty was 46 points. Martin lost the championship to Dale Earnhardt by 26 points. pic.twitter.com/s1Y6vVlbCh
— NASCAR Legends (@LegendsNascar) February 25, 2025
Several fans chimed in when the NASCAR Legends page on X took a trip down memory lane, revisiting the controversy that cost Martin his title shot.
One called the moment “This was a travesty,” while another accused, “All because Richard Childress ran to nascar and cried about it, knowing dam well it didn’t add any performance to the car.”
One fan bluntly declared, “The point in time I lost all faith in NASCRAP,” while another added, “That still irks me to this day.”
Though time has helped many fans come to terms with the fact that Martin never captured a championship, the notion of seeing him hoist the Cup remains a missed moment that still stings for the sport’s loyal followers.
