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While it's a cliché to most people; age is just a number to Phoenix pole winner Mark Martin.
Speaking of numbers Martin becomes the second-oldest pole winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup history
Less than one week after he finished third at the Daytona 500 Martin repeated his 2012 spring Sprint Cup pole at the one-mile oval.
"A lot of people describe Mark by saying, 'Mark's on it,'" Martin's crew chief, Rodney Childers, said. "Well, for 2013, Mark's on it squared."
With a speed of 138.074 mph for his 56th career pole, Martin, driving a Toyota, eclipsed Bill Elliott for seventh place all-time.
Harry Gant is the oldest pole winner as he took the pole at 54 years, seven months in 1994 at Bristol. Martin's 54th birthday was in January.
Kasey Kahne whose car was wrecked at the Daytona 500 starts second in a Chevrolet followed by Jimmie Johnson's Chevrolet and Kyle Busch's Toyota, respectively third and fourth.
"I said it last week and had some people make some snide remarks about it, but at this stage of the game it's pretty amazing I get to drive something like this," Martin said
He won from the pole, in Phoenix, in 2009.
"I deeply admire him and his passion for the sport," said Johnson, a five-time Sprint Cup series champion and Martin's former teammate.
"He's tried to walk away a few times -- I think we had a farewell tour for him once -- and he came back. He couldn't do it. He just loves driving his car and is an inspiration for any team he works for."
Danica Patrick who monopolized the media spotlight by winning the pole for the Daytona 500 and leading laps - both firsts for a woman in that race - had a problem in between turns three and four and will take the green for Sunday's 500k race in 40th place.
Speaking of numbers Martin becomes the second-oldest pole winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup history
Less than one week after he finished third at the Daytona 500 Martin repeated his 2012 spring Sprint Cup pole at the one-mile oval.
"A lot of people describe Mark by saying, 'Mark's on it,'" Martin's crew chief, Rodney Childers, said. "Well, for 2013, Mark's on it squared."
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| Mark Martin, Toyota No. 55 (Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) |
With a speed of 138.074 mph for his 56th career pole, Martin, driving a Toyota, eclipsed Bill Elliott for seventh place all-time.
Harry Gant is the oldest pole winner as he took the pole at 54 years, seven months in 1994 at Bristol. Martin's 54th birthday was in January.
Kasey Kahne whose car was wrecked at the Daytona 500 starts second in a Chevrolet followed by Jimmie Johnson's Chevrolet and Kyle Busch's Toyota, respectively third and fourth.
"I said it last week and had some people make some snide remarks about it, but at this stage of the game it's pretty amazing I get to drive something like this," Martin said
He won from the pole, in Phoenix, in 2009.
"I deeply admire him and his passion for the sport," said Johnson, a five-time Sprint Cup series champion and Martin's former teammate.
"He's tried to walk away a few times -- I think we had a farewell tour for him once -- and he came back. He couldn't do it. He just loves driving his car and is an inspiration for any team he works for."
Danica Patrick who monopolized the media spotlight by winning the pole for the Daytona 500 and leading laps - both firsts for a woman in that race - had a problem in between turns three and four and will take the green for Sunday's 500k race in 40th place.