Atlanta weekend shaping up to be good for Martin
Mark Martin heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race secure in the knowledge of two things: He has run well at the track in the past, and he gets a break after this race.
The Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver, who is running only a limited schedule this year, has made 45 starts at the track, winning twice and posting 22 top-10 and 13 top-five finishes.
Martin says he still likes racing at the track he has been driving at since 1982.
"Atlanta's a big, fast race track, and I've always enjoyed racing there," he said. "The pavement has gotten a little older, and it has finally
given up and made it a really fun place to race again. From top to bottom, it’s one of the best places that we go, and it usually makes for a great show and a great race. We ran a lot better last weekend in Las Vegas, and I'm excited about getting to Atlanta and seeing what we can do to build on that this weekend."
Martin says that his team is improving week to week this season and that he's confident that the Tony-Gibson-led crew will continue to do so.
"I really enjoy working with these guys, and I'm looking forward to getting some more races under our belts," he said. "They have done an outstanding job in the pits, and the cars are getting better each week. Hopefully we can go to Atlanta and put together another strong run and a solid finish."
After his weekend, Mark Martin steps out of the No. 8 car until the April 6 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Martin is competing in 24 Cup points races this season, with rookie Aric Almirola driving in the remaining 12 races. Almirola will drive in the upcoming races at Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.
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