NASCAR Cup

Charlotte: Mark Martin preview

FRESH OFF ALL-STAR VICTORY, MARTIN SETS SIGHTS ON 600 After a dominating performance in Saturday night's All-Star race, Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will look to make an encore appearance in victory lane this weekend at the Coca-Cola ...

Published: May 24, 2005, 10:17 PM

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FRESH OFF ALL-STAR VICTORY, MARTIN SETS SIGHTS ON 600

After a dominating performance in Saturday night's All-Star race, Martin and the Viagra Racing Team will look to make an encore appearance in victory lane this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600.

Chassis Number: (RK-247) - The team will run RK-247 this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600. RK-247 tested to pleasing results earlier this month at Lowe's. It finished 20th earlier this year at Texas.

Worthy Note: Martin won the 2002 Coca-Cola 600, his fourth win at Lowe's Motor Speedway and first and only Coca-Cola 600 victory.

IN THE POINTS

Martin goes into the Coke 600 in 10th place in the Nextel Cup point standings, 69 points out of fourth place and 218 behind first. He is currently only nine points behind ninth and only 20 out of eighth.

MARTIN AT LOWE'S

Martin has four wins at Lowe's including one in the Coca-Cola 600 (2002). In addition he's won twice in the All-Star race at Lowe's, including his dominating performance last Saturday night. His 15 top-five finishes are the most of any active driver at the 1.5-mile track. The four wins tie Jeff Gordon for the most of any active driver and for the third most ever. In addition he boasts six Busch wins and an IROC win at Lowe's as well.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Martin has led a total of 1,148 laps in his 40 races at Lowe's, the most of any active driver.

MARKMARTINSALUTE.COM

Mark Martin will make his final run at the Nextel Cup title in 2005. Martin has dubbed 2005 as his "Salute to You" tour, a year in which he hopes to take the time to thank each and everyone that he feels played a role in his success, including team members, fans, NASCAR and the media.

QUOTING MARK AND PAT --ON THE 600

"I tell you what I love Lowe's Motor Speedway. In my opionion, it's the greatest place to race in the world. I can remember the first time that I ever went there in 1981 and thinking 'wow' this is just like a small quarter-mile track somewhere, except it's huge, but you could race just like that. Everytime I go there the first thing I do after the first lap is radio the team and tell them how awesome that track is. To me, it just doesn't get much better and after Saturday night we can't wait to take a crack at the 600.

"I love racing in the 600 and this team is excited about what we have going on. We have some great tracks coming up for us, even after the 600, and we'd love to get on a little bit of a role here in the next couple of months. Pat Tryson and this Viagra Team have done a wonderful job and it's just great to be a part of this team. We had a great run in the All-Star and got the victory and we'll be gunning for the same thing this weekend in the Coca-Cola 600. I know we have the team to do it."

PAT TRYSON

"I don't think it's a secret that Mark really loves racing at Charlotte and anytime you can go to a track that the driver loves, it's great. Now it also means that you have a certain amount of pressure, because your stuff better be right. We tested here a couple of weeks ago and really liked what we had, so I'm excited about this weekend and the team can't wait to get that car back out on the track at Lowe's."

-rr-

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