Busy weekend awaits Mark Martin in California

FONTANA, Calif. – Mark Martin has a busy schedule ahead of him this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. In addition to racing in both the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series events, Martin will have the opportunity to meet and work alongside Jillian Michaels.

Michaels, Go Daddy Girl and America’s Toughest Trainer, will join Martin for some laps in the track’s Chevrolet Camaro pace car on Friday. After her on-track experience, Michaels and Martin together will train members of the media in the track’s workout facility.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting Jillian,” Martin said. “She’s intense with her diet and workout routine, and I’m anxious to talk to her about that, because I’m kind of into that stuff, too. I’ll take her out on the track and see if I can scare her a little bit with what we do, and then we’ll go to the gym and see if she can scare some of these media members with what she does. It should be a fun time for sure.”

The 52-year-old NASCAR veteran places a high importance on physical fitness and health. Martin’s daily routine always includes a workout and strict adherence to his diet.

“My diet and workout are incredibly important to me,” Martin said. “Not just for my career and what we do out on that racetrack, but for my life. I don’t miss a workout. Ever. That’s my time.”

Lance McGrew, crew chief of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, believes Martin’s dedication to his health has played an important role in his career as a NASCAR driver.

“Marks dedication to fitness, I think, has been the key to his success and longevity in NASCAR,” McGrew said. “With all of the conditions that the drivers have to endure, fitness is paramount. He has to maintain 100 percent focus for, sometimes, more than four hours, and that takes an enormous amount of physical stamina.”

Martin’s ability to focus should serve him well as he races the Turner Motorsports Chevrolet on Saturday and the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet on Sunday. Martin’s most recent start for Turner Motorsports resulted in a win on March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  In two previous Nationwide starts at the Fontana racetrack, Martin has one win (2005) and one third-place finish (2006). Coverage of the Nationwide event begins Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Martin will make his 20th NASCAR Sprint Cup start at the Auto Club in Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-647. In his previous 19 appearances at the two-mile oval Martin has earned one win, six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. Currently, Martin and the GoDaddy.com team rank 11th in the Cup standings as they head to Fontana this weekend. Pre-race coverage of the Sunday Cup event begins at 2:30 p.m. on Fox, and the race starts at 3 p.m.