NASCAR Nationwide Series: Darlington Preview

May 07, 2008

MARTIN AT DARLINGTON: In 28 NASCAR Nationwide Series career starts at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Mark Martin has recorded eight wins, eight pole positions, 14 top-five finishes (50 percent of the time) and 18 top-10s (64.3 percent). He has led a total of 575 laps and has an average start of 8.1 and an average finish of 14.3.

DARLINGTON SUCCESS: Martin, driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, has won three of his last five Nationwide Series races at the 1.366-mile South Carolina oval, including two victories from the pole in 2000. Most recently, he started 26th and finished second at Darlington in May 2007 driving the No. 5 Chevy.

IN THE SERIES: Martin, who ran his first full season in 1987, is the winningest driver in the Nationwide Series with 48 wins. In 226 races, Martin also has recorded 30 poles, 108 top-five finishes and 145 top-10s. His average start is 10.2, and his average finish is 12.3. In a 2006 NASCAR poll of both fans and media, Martin ranked No. 1 among the “25 Greatest NASCAR Nationwide Series Drivers.” Martin made his debut in the series on Aug. 13, 1982.

JR MOTORSPORTS’ FIRST WIN: Martin won during his last outing in the No. 5 Chevrolet, which was March 1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He led 81 laps en route to giving JR Motorsports its first win.

NATIONWIDE LINEUP: This weekend marks the second of five times this season that Martin will pilot the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Martin’s next race will be Aug. 16 in the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway. Martin also will drive the No. 5 Chevy at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 27 and at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 1.

JR MOTORSPORTS CHASSIS: Crew chief Chad Walter has chosen JR Motorsports Chassis No. 473 for this weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Darlington. This is the same Chevrolet that Martin won with in early March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Martin led 81 of 202 laps at the 1.5-mile oval. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also drove this car at Texas Motor Speedway on April 5. Earnhardt finished the race seventh.

UP NEXT FOR THE NO. 5: Jimmie Johnson will pilot the No. 5 Lowe’s Chevrolet on May 24 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and rookie Landon Cassill will be behind the wheel of the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet on May 31 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.