CONCORD, N.C. - It’s easy to look at the current lineup of drivers at Hendrick Motorsports and say it’s most talented ever, which you can certainly make the case for. With two wins so far in this very young season the team is already off to a strong start. Going back through the years though, it wouldn’t be difficult to make a compelling argument for the 2009 roster.
Three NASCAR Hall of Famers and a future lock drove for Hendrick Motorsports then. Household names Dale Earnhardt Jr., four-time champion Jeff Gordon, three-time reigning champ Jimmie Johnson and a new-yet-familiar addition, veteran Mark Martin.
Martin was close to putting away the steering wheel in 2005. Giving up racing after 22 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series was a tough decision and Martin had competed for several different organizations after leaving his longtime home at Roush Racing in 2006.
Team owner Rick Hendrick had pursued Martin throughout 2008 and finally convinced the 50-year-old to take over the No. 5 team led by crew chief Alan Gustafson. Martin said he just wanted to win one more race and was drawn into the organization by Gustafson’s skill to manage races and fine tune the car. His most recent victory came in the 2005 season at Kansas Speedway and, after a mixed start to 2009, many weren’t sure if another would come.
By the time the eighth race rolled around at the old configuration of Phoenix Raceway, Martin had put together a string of three consecutive top-10 results after finishing no better than 31st the previous three. He and Gustafson had something up their sleeves for this race.
Martin set the tone for the weekend by securing the pole position and had done so beating out Kyle Busch, whom Gustafson had previously been paired with in the No. 5 from 2005-2007. Gustafson hadn’t won since he and Busch captured the spring Bristol race in 2007.
When the green flag dropped Martin set sail and left the other 42 competitors in the dust. He led 157 of the 312 laps. The only time he relinquished the lead throughout was under caution due to pit stops.
After staying in the middle of the pack for much of the middle part of the race, Martin found himself in second with 59 laps to go behind teammate Earnhardt.
Given how much bad luck had gone Martin’s way throughout his career, FOX announcer Chris Myers even acknowledged it during the race broadcast.
“This is usually the point where something goes wrong for Mark,” he said with 60 to go.
With 57 laps remaining, Martin resumed the lead and didn’t look back until a caution spelled trouble with 12 laps left. He led the field to the pits, minus Ryan Newman who stayed out and had a knack for being hard to pass.
On the restart with six to go, Martin got a perfect jump, blowing by Newman on fresh tires. He didn’t look back, becoming just the third driver in NASCAR history to win a race over the age of 50.
After winning Martin told his crew, “No burnouts for me. Just a backward Polish victory lap for my man Alan Kulwicki.”
Kulwicki was the inaugural winner at Phoenix back in 1988 and a good friend of Martin’s before passing away in 1993.
The win was special for Martin and Gustafson as they embraced in and proudly celebrated in victory lane that night.
Martin would go on to win four more races that season. He finished second in the points to teammate Johnson as he secured his fourth straight championship.
On his podcast, Martin said the 2009 season was his proudest as a driver. At the time, he told his wife Arlene Martin, “It’s like nothing I’ve ever been apart of. The quality of people was incredible.”
Catch all the action at 3:30 p.m. ET Sunday on FOX as Hendrick Motorsports goes for its 13th win at Phoenix.