| | Associated Press
DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Busch drivers rejoice, Mark Martin won
his last pole at Darlington Raceway.
Martin, driving his final Busch qualifying lap here on his series farewell tour, powered around the track to win his eighth Darlington pole in 164.965 mph. He broke 30 seconds and was more than a one mph faster than second-place Jeff Green in Dura Lube 200 qualifying.
"That was as fast as I could go," said Martin, the Busch
series record-holder with 44 career victories.
If he and his Roush Racing Ford take the race Saturday -- as they did here a year ago and last spring -- Martin will gain his record
eighth Darlington victory.
"He's the benchmark," said veteran Elton Sawyer, who finished third at more than three-10ths of a second behind Martin. "He hasn't been able to be beat here in I don't know how many years."
It sure seems that way. Harry Gant ranks second with four Darlington Busch poles, while Geoffrey Bodine's four Darlington victories are second to Martin's mark.
Green's Chevrolet ran 163.778 mph. Green has won five races in 24 starts this year and leads the series by 589 points over teammate Jason Keller. But Green has only won once this year with Martin in the field, at Richmond, Va., in April. That also was the only one of Martin's eight Busch races where Green finished ahead of Martin.
"It doesn't make me mad when he gets in the field, it makes me mad when he beats me," Green said. "But he makes me work harder as a driver and through the summer months that showed."
Martin said his lap was far from perfect.
"It was junk, I was not any good at all, but it was two-tenths faster than anybody," Martin said. "I don't know why."
Martin, who'll drive four more Busch races after Saturday, came to test at Darlington and didn't take a lap in the Busch car.
But he said he's walking away from the series with some difficulty. "You better believe that the thought goes through my mind that I may never see another run like this or a victory," Martin said. "It's hard to walk away from something that has worked so well for us."
After Sawyer's Ford came rookie Jimmie Johnson, Wayne Grubb and Ron Hornaday, all in Chevrolets. Scott Pruett was seventh, followed by Kenny Wallace, Jay Sauter and Keller.
Michael Waltrip was 14th to lead several Winston Cup regulars. After Waltrip came Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Todd Bodine and Sterling Marlin.
Ward Burton, filling in for Mike McLaughlin who was spending the weekend with his ill father, came in 22nd.
Kyle Petty, never a Darlington Raceway fan, qualified 24th in his first race since giving up his Winston Cup No. 44 Pontiac to drive exclusively with his late son Adam's team.
Everyone, though, will be trying to catch Martin, looking for his fifth Busch win this year in nine starts.
Martin said he might return to the series when he's not running
a full Winston Cup schedule.
"These things have become so difficult just in the past three
years, I won't miss that part of it," he said. "But I know what
I'm leaving." | |
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Dura-Lube 200 lineup
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