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DAYTONA BEACH FL. -- It’s official: Mark Martin will head to Hendrick Motorsports in 2009.

In a press conference held at Daytona International Speedway Friday, team owner Rick Hendrick introduced Martin as the driver of the No. 5 Chevy being vacated by Casey Mears.

Martin will run a full schedule in 2009 and a partial 26-race schedule in 2010.

“Mark is a incredible race and one of the classiest guys around,” Hendrick said. “He’s a driver who makes everyone around him better.”

Martin’s path to Hendrick began in 2005 when the veteran driver announced that he would be retiring from full time competition in 2006. His team owner at the time, Jack Roush asked Martin to come back for one more season. In the fall of 2007, Martin announced that he would be heading to MB2/Ginn Racing to campaign a part time schedule. In the summer of 2007, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated purchased Ginn Racing and Martin was named as the driver of the No. 8.

Martin has been splitting seat time with driver Aric Almirola in 2008.

But Martin said after some praying and consultation with his family, he’s ready to take one shot at the Cup title that has eluded him since 1984.

Martin said after a couple of years of running a partial schedule, he’s ready to get back to full time competition.

“After two years of catching my breath, I’ve enjoyed it it’s been very meaningful,” Martin said. “But it’s rekindled my passion for racing and given me a taste for what it would be like to not have this in my life.”

Hendrick said that the idea was really formulated when Martin got into the No. 24 car for a Goodyear tire test at Atlanta. But he added having Martin under his umbrella was something he’s wanted to do for quite some time. 

“We’ve been trying to do this for 15 years,” Hendrick said. “And to have him in the No. 5 car, that car means a lot to me that was my first number. After seeing him come so close to the championship so many times, it’s an honor to have him on board to go for the championship.”

So what does NASCAR say about Truex qualifying without practicing?

There was some debate in the Daytona media center Friday morning about the situation with Martin Truex Junior. The primary car belonging to Truex was confiscated by NASCAR after the first inspection on Thursday. The team changed engines from the primary car to the backup, taking the entire hour of the first practice to do so.

The second, and final, hour of practice was rained out and NASCAR will not reschedule it. Since this is an impound race the only laps that Truex will get on the car prior to the race are his two qualifying laps. The team will not be allowed to work on the car after qualifying.

According to NASCAR’s Director of Cost Research there is no specific rule that says a driver can’t qualify if they don’t practice.

“But it’s the Series Directors’ discretion,” Bodine said. “If they feel a driver does not have enough experience, they can tell them to go home.”

That’s obviously not the case with Truex, he added so Truex will be allowed to qualify. Bodine also pointed out that there have been races in the past where there has been no practice prior to qualifying due to weather.

 

 

Friday should be interesting here at Daytona International Speedway. With the second of only two practice sessions rained out and this being an impound race, some teams may struggle in qualifying.

Martin Truex Junior for one will have a very rough time. His primary car was taken by NASCAR for roof violations and the team was forced to a backup. They used the first practice to swap the engines in the cars feeling that the one that was in the primary car was stronger. By the time the y got that done, the first practice was over and the second one was later rained out, so Truex will take his first laps in the car when he qualifies.

Of course the big news of the day will be the Hendrick Motorsports announcement at 12:30. It’s widely believed that Mark Martin will be named driver of the No. 5 for 2009.

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