Mark Martin’s Daytona 500
Written by Scott Keller · February 18, 2007
Back in the day when Mark Martin started racing Winston Cup cars, there was no such thing as the “green-white-checkers’ rule. Today it probably cost him the Daytona 500.
The race was a typical NASCAR race. Hours of boredom followed up by moments of sheer insanity. Junior admitted in a TV interview that everyone is just riding around making laps for 400 miles. I’m beginning to wonder why anyone watches anything but the first 25 miles and last 100 miles of any restrictor plate race, because the rest is pretty much pointless. The de-tuned cars combined with debris cautions keeps everyone bunched up until it is “anybody’s race” to luck into at the end. And speaking of lucky, I think Kevin Harvick is lucky that m
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Thats it! I have been a hard core fan for over thirty years, but this one race just ended that.What was that red green checkerd white red chec, or was it wht red green chec oh who in there right mind realy gives two hoots & a hollar anymore. I shure as hell dont. Mark your a Good man and you deserved that win………….NOT the lucky dog!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Martin has been a wonderful role model for years& was (bridesmaid)runner up to the championship cup when it was still Winston.He’s raced hard & gave us fans a good show always!I agree100% Nascar’s changing of rules especially in the last 10 yrs.is out of hand!!When Bill France SR. started it he didn’t envision an outcome like todays race I’m sure!Longtime fans of Mark’s from southeast Wisconsin.
Mark Martin has been a wonderful role model for years& was (bridesmaid)runner up to the championship cup when it was still Winston.He’s raced hard & gave us fans a good show always!I agree100% Nascar’s changing of rules especially in the last 10 yrs.is out of hand!!When Bill France SR. started it he didn’t envision an outcome like todays race I’m sure!Longtime fans of Mark’s from southeast Wisconsin.
Mark Martin has been a wonderful role model for years& was (bridesmaid)runner up to the championship cup when it was still Winston.He’s raced hard & gave us fans a good show always!I agree100% Nascar’s changing of rules especially in the last 10 yrs.is out of hand!!When Bill France SR. started it he didn’t envision an outcome like todays race I’m sure!Longtime fans of Mark’s from southeast Wisconsin.
NASCAR has a history of stripping points, etc., from Mark Martin for things that it lets other drivers and teams get away with. In 1990, it cost him the championship. In 2002, it almost cost him another one.
Unfortunately, what happened at Daytona was business as usual, NASCAR style.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that Martin is now with a team that pays him like the champion that he is.
NASCAR has never changed, it is all about “the show”.
Those of us old enough to have known “Big Bill” know that the “rules” are what ever NASCAR says they are.
If you want to get a flavor of the “real NASCAR” get Smokey Yunick’s three book set “Best Damned Garage In Daytona”.
Driver safety? Who cares, as long as the “show” puts butts in the seats that is the true NASCAR Motto.
Now that I’ve slept on it, I’m still as angry about the outcome as I was last night! Mark won that race and I too am tired of Nascar bending their own rules for the sake of the almighty dollar. Mark is a class act and Nascar can take some lessons from him.
Nascar screwed up AGAIN. Mark had the race won and if it had been any other time in the race, the yellow flag would have been thrown as soon as they started wrecking. To me and I think thousands of others, this race belongs to Mark.NASCAR, you need to grow up and treat everyone the same and quit bending the rules for just a select few.
Wow, what a multi million dollar Demo Derby. Mark Martin as usual was the class of the field when it came to responding to the media’s stupid questions. I look forward to the day when Mark can get the break he deserves. I for one am tired of the never ending rules and rule violations that Nascar issues but never seems to follow. The reason the stands fill is because the fans of today haven’t ever experienced REAL Nascar racing as it was intended to be by its founding father France Senior. The racing of today is a joke. It has turned into a giant martini glass/beer stein, a place to party until you puke your guts out on your neighbors motorhome. Nascar used to be about racing, but not anymore and God forbid should you go against their wishes. Its almost like a basket ball game, watch the first 10 minutes and the last 5 minutes or just have a great day and wait for the highlights on the evening news and guess what, you have seem the whole damn race. I let my Atlanta tickets go last year and am letting the Bristol tickets go this year. I am done supporting an organization that can’t follow their own rules and continues to try and fix something that wasn’t broke to begin with, back when it was real racing. No wonder people are racing lawn mowers now…!!
Oh come on! Stop! We finaly got to see a race that WAS a race. Mark Martin has nothing to be apoligetic about,he should stop this nonsense of apoligizing for his performance and just absorb the moment. Why does he have such a dark outlook on everything. These days races are so over aynalized by the press, and the fans that the true sport has been forgoten. Give me the old ” just get out there and race for the win.” I’ll take the allison/yarborough finish’s anyday.
Dri8verfan,
Thanks for reading.
I too will take the Allison/Yarborough finish, but I don’t like to see them ‘manufactured’ by NASCAR week after week.
Today’s NASCAR ‘finishes’ are more and more contrived, and I believe they detract from the historical finishes that occurred spontaneously in the past.
Just my humble opinion.
Regards,
Scott Keller
fastmachines.com
Say what you will, but the last lap of that race was BADASS. If you deny that, you’re not a racing fan.
Probably some of the best tv coverage imagineable, too. With a wreck behind the top two cars, fox panned out to show both the race and the wreck, then cut back for a spectacular shot of the finish (felt like the flash bulbs were in my living room), then went right back to Boyer’s car, upside down and on fire crossing the finish line.
What’s not awesome about that?
(As long as everyone’s ok, obviously)
I’m an open-wheel/sports car fan (IRL, CCWS, F1, mostly), but I do watch the restrictor plate races.
I know it’s artificial, I know it’s not “racing” the way it’s meant to be, but they are the only nascar races worth my time. At least something interesting happens.
I thought the last lap was great!!! I was glad Harvick won, he crossed the finish line first, that is what it is all about. Why stop the race when the wreck was behind the two leaders. If NASCAR would have given the win to Martin, that is all it would have been, “given to him” Harvick won fair and square, he beat him to the finish line and that is the way it should be. NASCAR needs to go back to racing the line, do away with lucky dogs and keep the green, white, checkers as I do believe the fans deserve to see the race end under green not yellow.
hhmmmmmmmm….Harvick was ahead of the 01 when Busch was sideways when there “usually” would be a caution. NASCAR gives both drivers the opportunity to duke it out, Martin gets ahead while the chaos increases but Harvick seals the deal.
Harvick won the race in both scenarios. If one race is going to make you stop watching because “your” driver lost, why are you a NASCAR fan?
The only reason Harvick won was because Mark Martin is a nice guy. Anybody else would have put Harvick into the wall, especially Edwards or Stewart. If Harvick had any class, he would have backed off. Didn’t like Harvick before, like him even less now. Mark Martin, your a class guy and in my heart you are a real winner, even though I am a Jimmy Johnson fan.
The same thing happended at a spring race in Talladega a few years ago and Gordon won (with the field frozen) while Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line first. It seems like precedence is not important in this scenario. The caution “trigger person” botched this - NASCAR should investigate exactly when the caution should have been thrown and examine the positions of Mark and Kevin at that moment (either could be the winner, but at least there would be consistency). I’m mostly glad that none of the “regulars” won it!
Martin’s team was obviously cheating anyway. A second tier team magically has 50hp more than everyone else. Ok.
Watch the race on tape the way Martin was concealing all the extra power he had, only pulling away from Bush when he got close.
Typical Nascar WWF wrestling race, the storybook finish of Martin and the Army car spread across all the papers raising Patriotism and giving Martin a storybook finish to his career.
Too bad he choked and the whole thing went down the toilet.
Nascar is a big joke, and we’re seeing why it isnt taken seriously as a motorsport beyond the trailer.
CALL THE COPS!!! MARK MARTIN WAS ROBBED!
i think you shouldent have won jimmy johnson sould have
Lots of opinions, lots of facts from all the comments above, except for one glaring oversight; if Mark hadn’t bobbled the car in turn 3, Harvick never would have caught him.
And it may have been okay to let Martin and Harvick duke it out for the win, but what about the rest of the drivers in the pack behind them? Those are the drivers who probably lost points and position if they didn’t freeze on the yellow or throw the yellow.
There are very few perfect circumstances in racing but NASCAR really blew this call. And unfortunately it was a split second decision required, whoever was responsible ‘effed up big time, with no way of going back.
OK Guy’s we all wanted to see MArk MArtin win the race (sentimental) So why would many of the drivers feel the same? Why did the well back drivers like AAA Ragan think to himself- Hmmmm!! green white checker– “If I wrenck into the wall as soon as they throw the green Mark Wins Take one for the team. Harvick the pr-ck should have thought I will have other ops to win this race and Mark M. is no factor in the champoinship Let Mark Win And the 2 x-team mates Biffle/Kenseth they should have made the track 500ft wide (block) But Mark finished 2nd with NASCAR screwing the yellow flag. I’ve seen the yellow come out for a glove on the track- But not a 20 car pile-up! NASCAR dropped the ball.
First off, Mark your a champion in everyones heart. You are one of the last few great drivers left today. You are a role model everywere you go. Kurt Busch who is becoming known as a ruff and wreckful driver didnt even try to race you dirty Sunday at the 500, in my eyes he culd have bumped u a lil coming off of 4 and left u out to dry dropping back to maybe 20th! but he didnt. he knew that you wuld neevr do that to him on his best or worst day, he knew that you are the class of the sport… martin left roush were he was an hall of famer and was treated like a average veteran…under paid and under appreciated…but he never complaind he never said i want more money i want more this and that a lot of people in other sports (T.O.-basketball players-baseball players) Mark suffered 3 or 4 2nd place finishes in the points, 2 he should of won but was penalized for things other cup drivers wuld have ben put in timeout by nascar-no martin got a good spankin that left him out to dry-in my eyes, after what 25 daytonas, he finally had his 500 win!! no more bridesmaid for him witht he wreck !! when i was watching and i saw the wreck i said yes!! we did it as me and my father b4 the race returd to action under red were standing in the middle of our room arm over eachothers shulders…then when martin was leading coming to turn 4 my dad and i had tears in our eyes bczz we have loved amrtin racing since 1987.!(me since 1994 when i first watched it i was 4!) as martin enterd i felt happy as my heart which had ben beating louder then the t.v.s volume since lap 20 began to hit so hard i felt out of breath! my dad who never cries tearing up! and as i saw the crash with martin about 4 iches ahead of harvick i jumped up and yelled at last!!! bczz i knew when a crash happened the flag was frozen automatically and amrtin was gnna win!! whew! finally we did it! yeahh…but no…NASCAR not only ripped the flew from the flag mans hand, they took it and burned it rite there then scattered the ashes over the track after harvick and martin crossed the line making it seemt ehy did call the yellow but it was after harvick passed…you not only made amrtin feel embarressed to have run that last 2 laps…you amde all nascar fans)even harvick and martin haters) embarressed to watch that race end that way! we all knew it was martins under conditional rules if that had ben lap 30, it wuld have came out - and martin wuld ben in first place leading them to pit road! but no-todays racign is about the fans and entertainment! guess what!! watching martin finally be a bride and not get screwed by u, wuld have ben….idk lets say……………. …. DAMN ENTERTAINING!! coem on nascar…when u went to bed you know you screwed up we know it we understand but u shuldve post poned the victory lane and announced a review for the flag throwing, and crowned the most respected driver in the field that day and possibly the classiest guy that may have ever put on a fire suit, stepped into a garage, and talkd to a newsreporter…thanx nascar for letting me stand in front of my t.v. stunnd and enraged with a tear going down my face that was suppose to be joy and victory, but was for anger and being confused and ragd at nascar…and for eltting my sister take pictures of me like that bczz shes a harvick fan…thanx nascar your the best!
P.S.
if you want to become like the NFL great spectacular ratings and get fan support back and more talk on monday morings bout you…go abck and watch the 1979 500 finish, and when dale sr. son in ‘99 and all the great racing inbetween …that was racing, and entertainment at its best for nascar! you are killing it slowly to wear people will watch clips on sportscenter and say darn martin go ripped again gosh darn nascar, and force us to take out our frustrations on our video games and tractors-tke off restrictors-the stupid 1st car lapped down gets lap back lucky dogg rule(he didnt earn it)and let racing be racing…i cant imagine what dale sr. is tinking i bet he wuld give his restin bed to martin rite now becz he knows he deserves it!! tanx nascar!…tanx
you can talk to me at lil_man7777@hotmail.com and thats the same for my msn
To the Heroes at Ginn Racing:
You guys are a class act. By all news accounts, most people in the free world believe Mark Martin should have won the race. He is a champion and you guys are champions.
This is one of those rare moments in history where losing as created a national groundswell of support for an individual and a team. (Remember Rocky I)
Should Mark Martin leave Fontana #1 in points by virtue of a strong finish you guys may be participating in the sports story of the century. (Part time racer beats all odds)
You might have a national referendum to draft him into Bristol if he continues to run this good.
My monies going out to buy the kids 01 Army stuff.
Good luck and God’s speed to Mark and Ginn Racing,
Scott
Mark Martin has won more IROC championships–five–than any other driver, dead or alive.
The difference? Same equipment as everyone else, and no political interference from NASCAR.
hasn’t been racing since the 80’s. it’s now totally WWF-nascar..
I was a huge NASCAR fan in the 60’s and 70’s, but they lost me when they took the car out of the equation. I loved all the cheating - at least someone’s trying to get an advantage! NASCAR is toy cars driven by Barbie Doll’s Ken. BORING cartoons for the trailer trash, not real racing.
I love it, “WWF - Nascar”, wow, I couldn’t of said it better myself, I love it…nothing and I mean nothing could be closer to the truth…WWF - Nascar..!!!!!! I guess next we are going to have France and Trump picking drivers to see who’s is biggest….Nascar “You Suck”..!!!!
Consistency regarding the rules is what Nascar lacks the most. I believe it was last year in the truck series where the same thing happened, a crash coming out of the last turn and the yellow flew immediatly and the winner was decided on that. A crash, yellow is out, Martin is the winner. Not this time. If the field is frozen as it should have been there would have been less crashing in the wreck, but the drivers saw green and kept going to get a better finishing position. The cars who did not cross the line also got screwed by the lack of yellow.
Even in the truck race , the second place car was clearly under the yellow line advancing his position, yet it stood. Don t tell me he was forced there, its called blocking and he should have let up. All weekend we were told the line was out of bounds as per the ‘rules’. Selective enforcement seems to be the norm for Nascar.
And while I am at it, Nascar..there is no reason to throw the yellow after the checkered flag as you stated because the race is over, they will slow down on there own….Duh.
Thank you Scott! You hit the nail directly on the head. I agree w/you 100%. That caution flag/lights should have been used immediately after the first contact between those cars behind the leaders. I’m obviously not alone in my opinion, and I have to say it: Harvick, you lost!!!!!!! Mark, I don’t care if you were wheeling a Chevy, You won that damn race. I have to admit, I’d have rather seen you in a Ford or a Dodge, but that’s your choice to make, not ours.
I have been an avid NASCAR fan for only 5 years. I have taken the time to be an informed fan, thus reading everything I can get my hands on. I too agree Mark had that race won. If the green, white, red checkered flag is in the rules now…well NASCAR administrators…..GET RID OF IT!!!! I am going to watch all 250 or 50 lap races I can, but fair is fair and Mark was treated unfairly.
My husban my children my friends and family were all over for the Dayton 500, We watched the end of the race, and everyone threw there hands in the air. “Where is the yellow?” 17 fans, 24 fans, 12 fans, 8 fans, were all discusted because of what we had just seen and heard. NASCAR just prior to the end of the race was letting everyone know how the race would end with the flags, and then there was no yellow during the last crash. Mark Martin by NASCAR rules was the rightful winner of the Daytona 500. I would like to add that I would not enjoy looking at this trophey if I was on the Harvick team.
I used to love and respect the NASCAR of old and would never miss a race. But now it is like the WWF, E
mark martin is the winner of the daytona 500 year 2007!
Response to DJ.
Yes Harvick was in front Martin for an instant when Busch started spinning. Martin was back ahead before it would have been humanly possible to throw a caution under even the fastest scenario. The field is not frozen when the wreck starts it’s when the caution is displayed. There is just no way a caution could have been thrown in the fraction of a second Harvick was ahead of Martin. The caution obvisosly should have been thrown somewhere within the 5+ seconds Martin was ahead of Harvick.
All fans want is consistent rules applied and not Vince McMahnon rules applied.
(According to the way the ‘rules’ have been interpreted in the past…)Mark won. Period. NASCAR sucks.
I began losing a lot of interest in nascar(I refuse to put it in caps they don’t deserve it)but this tops a lot of stupid things I’ve seen done. I’m sure many long time fans can remember seeing rule’s being enforced selectively not only during a season but in the same race. Mark Martin, you are one class act. I couldn’t have held it together the way you did with the moron press. Maybe it’s time for a new stock car racing league. I know I will be following something else.
nascar is quickly becoming the formula 1 of the US. In other words, money and politics determines the winner, not talent. So, for me its off to the local 1/3 mile track come April.
i was there with my husband. we are long-time MM fans. our seats were right at the pit row entrance…where the wreck started. MM was in the lead…caution should have been thrown. He is the winner…and not just in this race, his attitude and professionalism is what makes him a winner every day. He will always keep MM fans steadfast support and respect from all other fans as well. Way to go Mark and GOOD LUCK.