Mark Martin- No Substitute for Experience

Mark Martin will drive the full 2010 schedule in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 car. He won the pole for this week’s Daytona 500.

Martin returned to full time competition in 2009 with a two year deal at Hendrick after running partial schedules since 2007, and it was originally expected that 2010 would be another partial schedule for the driver.

Martin has been nothing short of impressive in his return to full-time Sprint Cup racing. He’s not only earned three poles in 2009. He became just the fourth race winner in NASCAR history over age 50 — quite the feat for a sport dominated by young talent.

Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) were the two fastest drivers this past Saturday on qualifying day for the Daytona 500, earning them guaranteed front-row status for the start of Sunday’s event. They also get the respective pole positions for Thursday’s two 150-mile qualifying races called collectively the Gatorade Duel at Daytona.

Bruce Cameron, The Racing Reporter