Mark Martin the sentimental favorite among his peers

MARTINSVILLE — In the past three years, no driver has found luck catching Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Cup. That, however, isn’t going to stop Mark Martin from trying this season.

“I’m going to race him for it. I am not giving up, not one bit,” Martin said, as the 50-year-old displayed a hint of feistiness during Friday’s press conference at Martinsville Speedway.

Martin’s determination has made him one of the most successful drivers on the circuit for decades. Yet, a Cup championship has eluded the savvy veteran. When the opportunity to drive for the dominant Hendrick Motorsports this season came about, Martin came out of retirement to chase the dream at least one more time.

Martin’s blue-collar work ethic and the classiness he displays both on and off the track are traits that have endeared him to fans over the years and have made him the sentimental favorite to win this season’s Chase. But those sentiments aren’t just limited to the people in the stands. Some of his peers feel the same way.

“It’s amongst the fans and I think it’s pretty common in the garage as well that he’s definitely the sentimental favorite,” driver Kevin Harvick said. “He’s such a good guy and he’s meant so much to NASCAR racing in general. He’s won so many races and now has come back out of retirement. To be able to do what he’s done is neat to watch. It’s kind of that great American story.”

Even teammate Jeff Gordon, who sits third in points behind Martin and Johnson, acknowledged that some drivers are pulling for the old guy.

“I don’t think there is anybody in the garage area that wouldn’t like to see Mark Martin win it as a sentimental favorite,” Gordon said. “I’ve raced with Mark so many times over the years and seen him come so close to winning the championship. I don’t think there is anybody more deserving than Mark Martin.”

Martin noted that it’s “an incredible honor” to be considered the sentimental favorite.

“And it’s also a little bit of pressure,“ he admitted. “It means so much to me that they feel that way that I desperately don’t want to disappoint them. That is that. It means a lot to me.”

Entering Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500, Martin trails Johnson by 90 points with six races to go. It’s an uphill battle to say the least, considering Johnson has thwarted off any challengers for three consecutive years.

Martin believes the outcome from Sunday’s race at Martinsville will provide somewhat of an indication about the championship, but the following race at the always-unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway will paint an even clearer picture.

“I think it will be clearer after this race, but it’s really going to require Talladega to clean it out and shuffle it — see if it shuffles. I have a feeling that I’m going to have a great Talladega race,” Martin said with a confident grin. “I don’t know if our competition will or not. But I wrecked on Lap 5 last time there. I’ve got a feeling that this just isn’t going to happen this time. The law of averages is going to get you sooner or later and I think I’ve got some good karma going in there so I’m very optimistic. It could be a great equalizer.”

While some would love to see Martin win his first Cup title, there’s at least one person who would like nothing more than to ruin the party. Johnson, Martin’s Hendrick teammate, is attempting to become the first driver to win four consecutive Cup titles.

“If I’m the spoiler I’m going to be very proud of being the spoiler because I’ve earned it and I’ve had to beat the best in the business,” Johnson said. “That’s really the way I’m looking at it.

“Mark’s been a great teammate and we still have five races to go and anything can happen. He’s 90 points back but man you can lose 160 or 165 in a race weekend. It still isn’t over. Mark is going to fight until the very last lap at Homestead and the same with Jeff. ... It’s going to be a long five weeks I can tell you that much.”

There’s no doubt in Martin’s mind that he’ll give Johnson a run for his money. From a fan’s perspective, that would make for an exciting finish to the Chase, which has been anticlimactic in recent years. Regardless, Martin’s fans will be cheering him on down the stretch — and maybe a few peers, too.

“I think it would be pretty cool to see Mark Martin win the championship,” said Harvick, who isn’t in this year‘s Chase. “He’s had such a career. A championship would be the icing on the cake.”