[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Associated Press
Posted: 3 hours ago
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) - The only thing Mark Martin knows for sure about his racing future is that he will be part of NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup championship that begins with Sunday's race at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Next year remains a big question mark for the longtime driving star.
"I don't need a job," Martin said Friday. "If I needed one, I'd already have something worked out, you can believe that. I'm not the kind of guy that waits."
But Martin, whose announced plan is to retire from full-time Cup racing to concentrate on a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ride, revealed he has not yet signed a contract with the Roush team to drive the No. 6 truck in 2007, and he has no other deals done, either.
"It is my intention to drive the 6 truck," he said. "We just don't have it done, yet. "I would imagine if they would present me with a contract, I would sign it and that would be it, but they haven't yet. There are some details that still aren't worked out yet on it and, in the meantime, there are some very interesting opportunities."

Martin was set to retire from Cup in 2006, but responded to a plea from friend and team owner Jack Roush to stay in the No. 6 for another year. Then, after saying this year would be it for Cup, Martin waffled, saying he could wind up with a part-time ride, or even a full-time ride with another team next season.
"I don't like the idea of getting to the point where I can't do something anymore," he said. "I know everyone else doesn't feel that way, but I feel I'm nearing the point where pretty soon I can't do Nextel Cup anymore on the level that I want to. My standards are incredibly high. "For a lot of people, they would think that it would be OK if I just let my standards slip a little bit. It's not really all right with me. There is where my conflict is and has been. I've been struggling with that conflict for about three years now."

Sorry Bob I love to copy and paste, I can't spell, don't tell anyone.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

Martin has no ride for next year - yet

Good!!! He had a retirement tour last year!

[Dupont4five]

Originally Posted by Nevadastars

Good!!! He had a retirement tour last year!

Man, if he comes back next year, he sure would have made a sh*tload of money the past 2 years

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

Sorry Bob I love to copy and paste, I can't spell, don't tell anyone.

No problem. I didn't realize that I had made a point of my personal preference for not cutting and pasting. I had some professors who wanted a student's self expression and I just got into the habit of writing my own material. Plus I had an ethics professor who believed that plagiarism should be a capital offense, so I quickly garnered the habit of giving credit for my offerings, which I'm happy to see you do regularly.

Please don't let my little quirks bother or offend you, Grandma. The Martin piece was an interesting piece. I thought the truck deal was a fait accompli? Time for him to quit, anyway, and give some deserving waif a chance.

[LSC9901]

RYR is still looking at Mark Martin.


Robet Yates still wants Martin for the 88 car

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

RYR is still looking at Mark Martin.

]

Yes, I saw that at JAYSKI. I think Martin would be a plus, both for the #88 team, and for Gilliland. It'd be like the Elliott/Kahne combo with Everham.

Speaking of Gilliland, I believe he's improving each week. I hope he does well.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Speaking of Gilliland, I believe he's improving each week. I hope he does well.

Keeping the car in one piece is an improvement.
But seriously, I too hope he does well. I love to root for the underdog.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Yes, I saw that at JAYSKI. I think Martin would be a plus, both for the #88 team, and for Gilliland. It'd be like the Elliott/Kahne combo with Everham.

Speaking of Gilliland, I believe he's improving each week. I hope he does well.

I see that a bit different Bob. I saw Elliott as a has been who was teaching the new kid on the block some of the tricks of the trade. Don't get me wrong I am one of the fans who enjoyed Awesome Bill and I'd like to see him win again. Even though Martin has a few miles on the chassis I stil think he has it in him to be a winner. Years ago Elliott got in a end for end accident and I think he broke his wrist. From that point on he never seemed to have what it took to be a winner. I do like Martin and think he could do well with RYR. I'm still a bit in wonderment why if he would consider signing with RYR, he wouldn't re-sign with Rousch ??? After 19 years and a good record I would think that Rousch would want to keep him. If there are troubles in the Rousch camp it certainly has been kept quiet.

[indyNASCARgirl]

I thought Mark Martin was supposed to retire!

[LSC9901]

Jayski has a story saying that he cannot run full time in the cup series next year because he will be signing a truck contract with Rousch. RYR keeps saying they want him but hey I'm sure they'd like a lot of drivers that are unavailable to them.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Jayski has a story saying that he cannot run full time in the cup series next year because he will be signing a truck contract with Rousch. RYR keeps saying they want him but hey I'm sure they'd like a lot of drivers that are unavailable to them.

That story is on nascar.com as well.

[bogle]

Oh, man... I hope he comes back next year.

He make me look young!

Besides... I like him. Pretty good driver, pretty good guy...

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by indyNASCARgirl

I thought Mark Martin was supposed to retire!

Me too. ?????

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I see that a bit different Bob. I saw Elliott as a has been who was teaching the new kid on the block some of the tricks of the trade. Don't get me wrong I am one of the fans who enjoyed Awesome Bill and I'd like to see him win again. Even though Martin has a few miles on the chassis I stil think he has it in him to be a winner. Years ago Elliott got in a end for end accident and I think he broke his wrist. From that point on he never seemed to have what it took to be a winner. I do like Martin and think he could do well with RYR. I'm still a bit in wonderment why if he would consider signing with RYR, he wouldn't re-sign with Rousch ??? After 19 years and a good record I would think that Rousch would want to keep him. If there are troubles in the Rousch camp it certainly has been kept quiet.

We see things the same. The only exception was that, if you'll remember, Bill was competitive in his tenure with Everham. If I recall correctly, he sat on the pole his first time out at Daytona (going strictly from memory there). Also, he came within a blond hair of winning his last ride with Everham at Homestead, I think I remember. It seems as though he was leading with a handful of laps to go and something happened (ran out of fuel?).

He's looked pretty lame lately but could that be because he's been driving those pieces of tin Mikey the Great has been testing?

FWIW, I was never an Elliott fan. I got tired of the press sticking him in our faces when he was in his "Million Dollar Bill" stage of life. But, when wifey-pooh #1 stuck it in him, and broke it off, in his first divorce, and he kept on plugging, I looked at him a bit more favorably.

[lilsexy08]

I like Martin but please Martin if you ever read these, if you say you are going to retire like you did last year, RETIRE!!!!