Fifth Lowe's win could lift Martin into mainstream of title chaseBy JENNA FRYER,
AP Motorsports Writer

October 16, 2004

AP - Oct 15, 6:42 pm EDT
More Photos
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- There are 10 drivers in the race for the Nextel Cup title,
but only three of them are in the thick of the chase.
Mark Martin wants to make it a four-man race, and Lowe's Motor Speedway is the
perfect place for him to get back into it.
Martin heads into the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night in fifth place in the
standings, 150 points behind leader Kurt Busch. But Martin has four wins at
Lowe's -- three of them in the fall race -- and a victory could close the gap on
the competition.
Asked if he could win Saturday night, Martin didn't blink.
``There's not a doubt in my mind,'' he stated.
This is the way Martin wants to wind down his career -- at the top of his game,
as a championship contender. That's why he chose this weekend to announce that
next year will be his final full season of competition.
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document.write('');``One of the reasons for my stepping out at this time is
because I was never really convinced, deep down inside, that I was all that
good,'' Martin said. ``I've fooled a lot of people for a long, long time, and I
don't want to take any chance on getting caught up in something where everybody
figures out that I was sham and I really wasn't as good as the results I got.''
Martin was never a sham at Lowe's, his favorite on the circuit. His last victory
at the track was in 2002, when he broke a 73-race drought by taking the
Coca-Cola 600.
That victory resurrected Martin's career, and pushed him to a second-place
finish in the series standings. But last season he wound up 17th -- the worst
finish in his first 17 years as a full-time competitor.
And in a bittersweet twist, teammate Matt Kenseth won the championship. Of
course Martin was happy for his protege, but it still stung just a bit. After
all, Martin is famous for never having won a title -- finishing second four
times and third another four.
The hard luck seemed to follow Martin into this season, where he lingered around
15th in the Nextel Cup standings for most of the year. But his Roush Racing team
turned it up over the summer, and Martin clawed his way into NASCAR's new
10-race championship playoff system.
Getting there was what finally convinced Martin he'd had enough full-time
racing.
``Chasing for the Cup in 2004 has definitely been the most consuming season of
my life,'' Martin said. ``No one can understand how important it has been for me
to be a contender.''
But his run through the championship hasn't been spectacular -- save for a
second-place finish in Dover three weeks ago.

AP - Oct 15, 6:42 pm EDT
More PhotosHis shot at getting back on track will be challenged Saturday night
by championship contenders Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson, who both ran Friday night
in the Busch race.
The two finished second and third, behind race-winner Mike Bliss, and gained
valuable experience by running under the cooler, night conditions that will be
in effect for the Cup race.
Kenseth wouldn't give up the goods when asked what the Busch experience does for
Cup preparations.
``I can't tell you that because then we wouldn't have an advantage,'' he said.
Kenseth and Johnson both had a shot for the win when Bliss used a gutsy move to
steal the race from them.
As Kenseth and Johnson battled side-by-side when the SpongeBob 300 restarted
with 19 laps to go, Bliss pulled up next to them and coasted by in a three-wide
pass coming out of the fourth turn.
``I didn't care about second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth,'' Bliss said. ``I
wanted to win. I just drove my heart out.''
The victory was special for Bliss, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in
the Busch series, but isn't sure he'll be back next season.
``I don't want to go anywhere. I love these guys,'' he said, motioning to his
team



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