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. During that span, he collected 40 wins and became synonymous with Roush Racing, but circumstances beyond performance ultimately forced a pivot. However, looking back on his storied career, Martin has plenty of top-notch moments from which to choose his favorite.
In 2007, NASCAR team limitations prevented Roush Racing from fielding a full-time entry for the 20 races Martin hoped to run, pushing the veteran star into a period of transition. This move led Martin to take a part-time position with Ginn Racing, where he split driving time with Regan Smith in the No. 01 Chevrolet. He also supplemented his schedule by competing in several races for Dale Earnhardt Inc., gathering opportunities during this time.
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Once this uncertain phase has passed, Hendrick Motorsports handed Martin the keys to his No. 5 Chevrolet. Uniting with top-tier equipment sparked something familiar. At that time, his most recent victory was in 2005 at Kansas, still in the Roush era, and the winless drought had lasted for more than two years.
When Martin returned to Victory Lane in Phoenix in 2009, driving for Rick Hendrickand winning his eighth race at the track, this moment had meaning beyond the trophy.
That’s why, when reflecting on the defining moments of his career, Martin highlighted the Phoenix win when asked to name his favorite win. “It’s not really easy to say, but I always refer to the Phoenix win in 2009.” he recalled on Kenny Wallace’s YouTube channel.
The NASCAR icon elaborated 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, so hard. It was just a relief, but it was very euphoric in Phoenix after not winning, because I didn’t think I was going to feel that feeling again in my life. It was really, really euphoric,” herecalled.
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That afternoon was also placed Martine in rare company as he became the first driver aged 50 or over to win a Cup race in 16 years. The previous reference belonged to Morgan Shepherd, winner at Atlanta in 1993. Harry Gant remained the oldest winner, having won a race at Michigan in 1992 at the age of 52. Before Martin’s triumph in Phoenix, only Gant, Shepherd and Bobby Allison had won Cup victories at 50 or over.
In the race, Martin started from pole and controlled 157 of 312 laps, taking command early. A late caution triggered by a crash involving teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. erased a four-second advantage with 11 laps remaining. But then Martin regrouped on the restart, got clear again and crossed the line ahead of Tony Stewart, with Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle rounding out the top five.
That performance in Phoenix sparked momentum. Martin added four more victories this season and finished second in the championship standings, behind Johnson.
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