Sam’s Town? No, it’s Martin’s-ville
Mark Martin is one of the most revered drivers to ever compete in NASCAR. Fans love him. Fellow drivers love him.
Martin showed one reason why Saturday when he began his celebration after winning the Sam’s Town 300 by apologizing to two drivers he put out of the race with four laps left.
“I have to apologize to Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski,” Martin said with a somber grimace, not a winning smile.
“I ran into the back of Carl, and I lost control. I didn’t intend for it happen. I couldn’t stop it once it got started.”
It was the 49-year-old’s 48th win in the Nationwide Series and third at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before an estimated crowd of 110,000. Martin won the first Sprint Cup race here in 1998 and the Nationwide race the next year.
His apology notwithstanding, Martin could have flattened Edwards and Keselowski’s tires with a bazooka and he would have been forgiven. Not only because he’s so popular, but because the co-owner of his No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet is Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Martin gave the Earnhardt team, partly owned by Hendrick Motorsports, its first victory in the series. He had the dominant car for much of the 202-lap race, leading 81.
He was leading before a yellow flag came out on lap 188, but fell to fourth after pitting under the caution. Martin worked his way to third, and on lap 197 he drew close to Edwards’ bumper, with Keselowski just ahead of Edwards.
That’s when Martin tapped the back of Edwards’ car, which lost traction and slid into Keselowski to bring out a race-record 13th yellow flag.
The race resumed for a two-lap overtime with Martin leading, and he was able to beat runner-up Greg Biffle by 0.588 seconds.
“It looked like Carl wasn’t getting down the (front) straightaway like (Martin) was,” Biffle said. “Mark didn’t mean to spin him out.”
Even Edwards was subdued after the incident.
“I’d like to be mad at Mark, but he’s a great guy,” Edwards said. “I know he feels bad about making a mistake.”
The cautions slowed the race for 55 laps, and crashes sent nine crumpled cars to the garages. Among those were Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch, who finished 1-2 in the year’s first two Nationwide events.
Busch was the first to have his day end when his right-front tire exploded on lap 104 and did heavy damage to the fender. He led laps 65 to 83 and completed the race but finished 31st, 100 laps down.
Stewart collided with David Reutiman on lap 130, but maintained the season points lead despite placing 27th.
Las Vegas resident Patrick Carpentier was an unexpected participant in the race and finished eighth. He was a last-minute replacement for Kasey Kahne, who has been treated for a sinus infection since arriving in Las Vegas.
Kahne was able to participate in practice sessions for today’s Sprint Cup UAW-Dodge 400, which will begin at 1:30 p.m., and is expected to drive his No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge.
