Mark Martin had one of the longest careers the NASCAR Cup Series has ever seen, competing for 31 seasons and making 882 starts at the sport’s highest level. Over that span, he collected 40 wins and became synonymous with Roush Racing, yet circumstances beyond performance eventually forced a pivot. Looking back on his storied career, however, Martin has plenty of top-notch moments from which to choose a favorite.
Advertisement
In 2007, NASCAR’s team limits prevented Roush Racing from fielding a full-time entry for the 20 races Martin hoped to contest, nudging the veteran star into a period of transition. That shift pushed Martin into a part-time role with Ginn Racing, where he split seat time with Regan Smith in the No. 01 Chevrolet. He also filled out his schedule by driving several races for Dale Earnhardt Inc., piecing together opportunities during that stretch.
As that uncertain phase passed, Hendrick Motorsports handed Martin the keys to its No. 5 Chevrolet. The union with top-tier equipment sparked something familiar. By then, his most recent victory had come in 2005 at Kansas, still during his Roush days, and the winless drought had stretched for more than two years.
When Martin returned to Victory Lane at Phoenix in 2009, driving for Rick Hendrick’s team and winning his eighth race at the track, the moment carried significance beyond the trophy.
That’s why, reflecting on his career-defining moments, Martin singled out the Phoenix win when asked to name his favorite victory. “That’s not really easy to say, but I always refer to the 2009 Phoenix win,” he recalled on Kenny Wallace’s YouTube channel.
The NASCAR icon expanded on the emotion that followed. “My first win was just a relief. Look, it wasn’t fun. There was nothing fun about it. It was so stressful. It had been so long, been so difficult. It was just a relief, but it was very euphoric at Phoenix after not winning, for and not thinking I was ever going to get to experience that feeling again in my life. That was really, really euphoric,” he recalled.
That afternoon also placed Martin in rare company as he became the first driver aged 50 or older to win a Cup race in 16 years. The previous benchmark belonged to Morgan Shepherd, who won at Atlanta in 1993. Harry Gant remained the oldest winner, having captured a race at Michigan in 1992 at age 52. Before Martin’s Phoenix triumph, only Gant, Shepherd, and Bobby Allison had managed Cup victories at 50 or beyond.
In the race, Martin started from the pole and controlled 157 of the 312 laps, establishing command early. A late caution triggered by a crash involving teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. wiped out a four-second advantage with 11 laps remaining. But then, Martin regrouped on the restart, pulled clear again, and crossed the line ahead of Tony Stewart, with Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Greg Biffle completing the top five.
That Phoenix performance ignited momentum. Martin added four more wins that season and finished second in the championship standings, trailing only Johnson.
