NASCAR: Martin 'Overwhelmed' by NASCAR's Success
31 May 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
When Mark Martin drove his first Winston Cup race in 1981, NASCAR
didn't receive regular coverage in the nation's major media markets. Even
when Martin became a Cup regular in 1988, NASCAR was growing, but still
lagged far behind the traditional "major league" sports. Since then, the
Valvoline Ford Taurus driver has not only seen, but been a part of, the
series' leap into the American mainstream, including a new national
network
TV contract beginning next year. His reaction? "It's kind of overwhelming to me," said Martin. "I'm just a hillbilly from Arkansas. I can't hardly believe all this stuff.
"The way I deal with it is I keep my eye on the goal and the goal is winning the race. It's not that much different for me than when I was 15 and racing in Arkansas. My main objective is to win. Nothing else really matters. Everything else barely exists in my world."
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA UPDATE: Mark Martin's on-track performance in the Valvoline Ford, combined with contributions from Valvoline and NASCAR fans, has brought the current total raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters since 1999 to $474,410. Valvoline is donating $5,000 for every Winston Cup race Martin wins, $2,500 for each pole, $1,000 for a top-five finish, and $20 per lap Martin leads in this "Caring Hands" program. The next trackside fundraiser, where fans can put their handprints on a canvas wall, receive a commemorative button, and make donations, will be June 3 at Dover Downs International Speedway.
Text provided by Michael Knight
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