Mark Martin

Car:

Number 5 Chevy

Team:

Hendrick Motorsports

Sponsor:

Kelloggs / CarQuest

Birthdate:

January 9, 1959

Rookie Season:

Started 5 races in 1981. Ran full season in 1982 out of his own pocket as his sponsor never paid finishing second in Rookie of The Year standings to Geoffrey Bodine.

Career Highlights:

1982 - Finished second in Rookie standings

1989 - First career win North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham).

1990 - Finished second in points

1994 - Finished second in points

1998 - Finished second in points

2002 - Finished second in points

2007-2008 - Retired from full-time competition

2007 - Ran 24 races for Ginn Racing

2008 - Ran 24 races for Dale Earnhardt Inc.

2009 - Returned to full-time racing with Hendrick Motorsports

Perserverance and Work Ethic:

Mark Martin works hard. From his early days in ASA, Nationwide Series and finally Sprint Cup racing nobody has worked harder and been more focused than him.

When he's in the hunt you can feel the intensity with which he attacks, yet he's known in the garage area as a nice guy and as polite on the track as he is off. He is the first guy to move over to let a faster car pass early in the race, but when the race is on the line nobody can get it done better.

Mark retired from full-time race after the 2006 season but he returned in 2009 with Hendrick Motorsports ready to tackle The Chase and try for that elusive title.