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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
ALL-STAR: No Fluke For Martin
Mark Martin dominated the proceedings in the 2005 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
Tom Jensen  |  Posted April 25, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Mark Martin, driver of the #6 Viagra Ford, celebrates with his pit crew in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series All-Star Challenge on May 21, 2005 at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. (Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)

Mark Martin would be the first to tell you that his victory in the 1998 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race occurred only because Jeff Gordon ran out of gas on the last lap. Seven years later, Martin would need to make no apologies for the horse-whipping he laid on the all-star field to win for the second time.

When the field arrived at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May 2005, Martin was in the middle of what was supposed to be his final season of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing and what he dubbed the “Salute To You” farewell tour.

“This business is not easy, and I have had to reach – last year I had to reach deeper than I’ve ever reached in my life to contend for that championship, and I thought there was no way to find any more and I’ve had to reach even deeper this year and find some more,” Martin said at the 2005 All-Star Race. “And that’s the real reason why I can’t do it again next year. There’s no possible way I could step it up another notch from 2005.”

Martin would be the first to tell you that winning Sprint Cup races is an extremely challenging chore, but on this night he made look easy. Driving a Viagra-sponsored Roush Ford decked out in a Valvoline throwback paint scheme from 1995, Martin led 18 of 20 laps in the final segment to capture his second career NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.

ALL STAR GALLERY WITH LEGACY PICS

When the checkered flag fell, Martin was crossed the line more than half a second ahead of Elliott Sadler. Three Hendrick Motorsports followed, with the Chevrolets of Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson third through fifth, respectively.

Martin also led the first of three segments, while Ryan Newman dominated the second segment. As stout as Martin’s effort was, it was made considerably easier by the fact that nearly half the field was eliminated in crashes, most notably a Lap-35 pile-up that knocked out Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Terry Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemechek and Martin Truex Jr. Nemechek and Harvick, in particular, took exception to the accident, exchanging heated words first in the infield and then in the garage.

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