PERSONAL PROFILE Spouse: Arlene Kids: Amy, Heather, Rachel, Stacey, Matthew Clyde Hometown: Batesville, AR Birthdate: January 9, 1959 Personal Vehicle: Ford Mustang, Lincoln Mark VII Hobbies: Weight Training, Flying For the first time in 14 years, Mark Martin is concentrating solely on the Winston Cup Series and it remains to be seen whether that focus can bring the Batesville, Ark., native back to the front of the pack in his No. 6 Roush Racing Ford. Martin finished eighth in the Winston Cup points, marking the 12th consecutive season he has been in the top-10, but everyone in his organization would have to classify that as a disappointment after Martin had finished no worse than sixth the previous 11 years. Martin won the spring race at Martinsville and held the points lead nine races into the season after recording seven top-10 finishes in the first nine events. Three accidents and three engine failures plagued the team, however, and Martin dropped to 10th in points by the Brickyard 400. He closed the season impressively, scoring top-7 finishes in four of the last six races. For the season he had a victory, 13 top-5 and 20 top-10s. Martin has at least temporarily retired from Busch Series competition, leaving that series as its career victories leader with 45 wins. Martin dominated the Busch Series, despite not running a full schedule in the series, since 1987. A four-time ASA ACDelco Challenge Series champion, Martin started Winston Cup Series racing in 1981 and ran a full season in 1982 with a family-owned team. After running only 22 races between 1983 and 1987, he ran a full Busch Series schedule in 1987 for car owner Bruce Lawmaster and became the first driver in a Ford to win at Dover. That win attracted the eye of Jack Roush, who was setting up his NASCAR Winston Cup team for 1988.
