For the first time since September, 2002, Mark Martin (No. 01 U. S. Army Chevrolet) sits atop the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship points standings. Through the season’s first two races, Martin has posted finishes of second (Daytona) and fifth (California) and currently holds a five-point lead over Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet).
In his first season with Ginn Racing, the veteran Martin spent the previous 19 seasons as a fixture with Roush Fenway Racing. He is a four-time series runner-up and winner of 35 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races. His first-place standing also marks the first time a Ginn Racing driver (formerly MB2 Motorsports) has led the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series point standings.
“It’s nice to lead the points, but it’s even better to be competitive, †said Martin. “All in all, we have potential to get up there and win a race. I think we’ve shown that the past two weeks. â€
This marks the first time in Martin’s storied career that he has had top-five finishes in his first two races of the season. Next up: the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 11.
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