Johnson cruises into Victory Lane

NASCAR veteran breaks 97-race victory drought, becomes third-oldest winner

By Jenna Fryer | The Associated Press • Published April 19, 2009

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AVONDALE, Ariz. – Mark Martin puts in long hours in the gym and thinks the last time he ate fast food was a Burger King run some 15 years ago.

He lives his life like a man half of his age.

And drives like it, too.

The 50-year-old Martin became the third-oldest winner in NASCAR history Saturday night, snapping a 97-race winless streak with a dominating run at Phoenix International Raceway.

"I told the guys I don't have any problem keeping up with a 25-year-old — at least not for the next 15 minutes," Martin said. "I feel really good."

Martin, who has waffled on retirement several times in the last four years, started from the pole and led 157 of 312 laps. But a late caution erased his 4-second lead over Tony Stewart with 11 laps to go, sending the leaders into the pits and putting his victory on the line.

Ryan Newman stayed on track to assume the lead, and Martin won a frantic race off pit road to emerge in second. But he had Tony Stewart — Newman's car owner and teammate — right behind him, and only six laps to race to the front.

Martin only needed about 6 seconds.

Martin shot past Newman on the restart, then drove away to his first win since Kansas in 2005.

The last 50-year-old to win a Cup race was Morgan Shepherd in 1993 at Atlanta. Harry Gant holds the record as the oldest driver to win a Cup race. He was 52 when he won at Michigan in 1992.

Before Martin, only three drivers 50 or older won Cup races: Gant, Shepherd and Bobby Allison.

"Age is irrelevant with Mark," crew chief Alan Gustafson said. "I don't even think about it. It doesn't even come into the equation. Mark's enthusiasm, his energy, his drive ... he's incredible. He's as good as any of them."

Martin was visited by NASCAR president Mike Helton and several competitors in Victory Lane, including former boss Jack Roush and former teammates Kurt Busch, Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth.

It was Martin's 36th career victory, but first without Roush. He spent 18 years driving for Roush, but left after the 2006 season because he had planned to retire at the end of that season, but Roush had filled his seat before he changed his mind.

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