Sprint Cup - Martin Pole Comments

How does it feel to get your 52nd career pole? "I can't say enough for MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing), Aaron's and my team giving me such great Toyotas. I want to make sure that everybody knows that having an owner for a driver is really, really special. I got this pole because of Michael Waltrip and something that he said to me right before I went to qualify and of course a great race car and a great team and everything else. Thank all the fans for cheering, that's such a privilege to be still racing -- thank you all."

What does this pole mean to you since joining MWR? "I just can't tell you how thankful I am for MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing), for Aaron's and everybody at MWR for giving me these awesome Toyotas. It's been so much fun already to drive and having an owner -- Michael Waltrip gets the last little bit of credit for that pole. I'm not going to tell you why, but having an owner for a driver that I respect and looked up to, really is going to be cool. This is a great addition to my resume to be able to be here and be a part of this. I'm shaking so hard I can't quite hardly talk. It's just incredible. What an opportunity that Aaron's and Michael and everybody at MWR have given me."

How have you been able to perform at a high level with the different teams you've worked with over the years? "I've driven really good stuff ever since 1988. I did drive a couple slugs back in the early '80s. You can't do that without superior effort and equipment and effort on top of that. It's more than equipment that does that. I think all of you know that I do work real hard at it, and I know that I have to work harder at it than the guys that are 20 years younger than me. I'm willing to do that to be able to compete. Make no mistake, MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) and Rodney Childers (crew chief) have good stuff and they're making gains and making progress and they showed that last year in the last 10 races. I hadn't been in the car very much, but I've been in it here and I have been in it at Daytona and I've been in it at New Smyrna and it's good stuff. I couldn't do it without that kind of effort. I feel really blessed."

What does winning the pole do for your race team? "I'm sure that it makes Rob Kauffman (co-owner) and Michael Waltrip and the folks from Aaron's, who stuck their neck out there to hire an old guy, this kind of makes them feel better about it, it makes me feel a little bit better about it, too. It's truly a tribute to how hard they're trying to step their game up at MWR. With having Martin (Truex Jr.) and Clint (Bowyer) at the top of the board at the end of practice yesterday, I think it's just another example of that. Hopefully we can keep that going. This is one little thing, but it is really nice. I wanted it so much for MWR and Rodney (Childers, crew chief) because that guy's heart and soul is into this thing like I can't believe. It's really, really going to be fun to work with Rodney. I had not paid any attention to him and didn't realize what an incredible, committed talent that he is. I look forward to seeing him get a chance to hopefully shine with an old guy behind the wheel."

How has your past experience helped you get around the repaved Phoenix track? "I was so, so nervous about making the qualifying thing because I wanted to be able to go out there and throw it all out and go all out. I knew I had a good race car, but I knew I couldn't. Now it's going to be so easy for me to either under-drive it or over-drive it. I over-drove it the second lap and almost wrecked it down there in turns one and two. I didn't even run my second lap. I felt a lot of pressure because I wanted it for them. I want the success for them. I see how hard they're trying and how hard they're putting into it and I want to see them succeed. I was relieved to get back around here and have it end up being first was even better. I have been around, and I have done a lot of things, and I've worked with a lot of people, but I haven't have an opportunity to drive for a driver Michael Waltrip -- somebody that I look up to and respect who's words before qualifying probably made the difference in me getting the pole and me not. I am not going to tell you. I just want everybody to know I am excited about it more now. Michael wants it, too. He's been asking me questions this weekend, he's engaged. To have a driver who's not driving, so he's not busy and all consumed. You can't do other things when you're focused on the driving thing. When he's not driving, he can see things I can't see because I'm just in that tunnel. I think that he'll bring that and make me better. It's a really exciting time just to have an opportunity to be racing in fast cars is wonderful. This is what I love and I'm so glad to be still doing it."