Hendrick Motorsports is expected to announce Friday at Daytona International Speedway that Mark Martin will drive its No. 5 Sprint Cup Series Chevrolet next season. Hendrick Motorsports issued a media advisory Tuesday that it would conduct a news conference Friday afternoon at the track to announce who will replace Casey Mears in the No. 5 car. Martin has been talking with Hendrick Motorsports about driving full time or part time for the team next year and will be part of the announcement, sources confirm. Although Martin has said in previous weeks he wanted to continue with a partial schedule, sources indicated he might run a full season for Hendrick.
The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Nextel Cup Series veteran Mark Martin and rookie Aric Almirola will become the drivers of Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s No. 8 Chevrolet next season, the Observer has learned. Martin and Almirola, who drive the No. 01 that was acquired by DEI through a merger with Ginn Racing earlier this season, are also expected to be joined by sponsor Army next season in the No. 8, multiple sources said Thursday.
Aric Almirola, who was credited with the Milwaukee Busch Series race win Saturday night, is rumored to be joining Ginn Racing in 2008 as a protege to Mark Martin. Supposedly the plan is for Almirola to run part-time Cup, Busch and Trucks in 2008 and take over the No. 01 Chevy full-time in 2009.
We reported yesterday that Mark Martin was considering returning to the Nextel Cup full time for Ginn Racing next season. Friday at Dover International Speedway Mark Martin said that he has no intention of increasing his schedule with Ginn Racing next year. If anything, Martin will run fewer races next year, he said.
Many drivers seem convinced that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will accept an offer to drive for Bobby Ginn, even though Ginn is new to the sport, with less than a year on the circuit. Ginn has been investing heavily to turn the Chevrolet team into a top-tier operation. Driver Mark Martin led the Nextel Cup standings early this season and even after missing three of the year’s 12 races he’s still 15th in the points. Martin may return to the Nextel Cup tour full-time in 2008, according to sources.
If Jeff Gordon is forced to miss a race to attend the birth of his daughter, series veteran Mark Martin will man the No. 24 Chevrolet, multiple sources within the Hendrick Motorsports organization told ESPN.com Wednesday. Martin on Wednesday afternoon will be fitted for a racing seat in preparation for the substitute role, sources said, and plans to begin stand-by duty for Gordon at Infineon Raceway next month. Hendrick Motorsports officials chose not to comment, saying rather that Gordon would address the matter Thursday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, site of this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600. Sources said Gordon personally sought out Martin to stand in for him, and after clearing the idea with Ginn Racing officials, Martin gladly accepted. Gordon’s wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, is due the week of the June 24 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma.
Continue reading Mark Martin Helping Out Jeff Gordon
Mark Martin has added three races to his NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule, Ginn Racing announced Tuesday. He will now drive the No. 01 Chevrolet at Pocono (August 5), Richmond (September 8th) and Dover (September 23), bringing his total number of 2007 points races to 24. Martin is 15th in the driver standings despite skipping three of the first 11 races this season. He and teammate Regan Smith have combined to put the No. 01 Chevy into sixth place in owner points. Martin will compete in the next five Cup events - including Saturday night’s non-points Nextel All-Star Challenge - before skipping the road-course race on June 24 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.