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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Martin Takes Points Lead
Mark Martin is the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted September 13, 2009   Richmond, VA
Mark Martin stands next to his car prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo: Getty Images)

Mark Martin started the Chevy Rock ‘N’ Roll 400 uncertain that he’d even make the field for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

But with his fourth-place finish under the lights at Richmond International Raceway, not only did Martin make the Chase, he’ll begin it in the lead.

Now that the 26-race NASCAR Sprint Cup regular season is concluded the 12 Chase drivers each have their respective points reset to 5,000 plus 10 bonus points for each race victory.

And since Martin won four races, he’ll begin the Chase with 5,040 points. Behind him will be:

• 5,030 points — Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson.

• 5,020 — Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne.

• 5,010 — Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers

• 5,000 — Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya and Greg Biffle.

For Martin, his fourth-place run capped a superlative season and a month of nerves as he was on the Chase bubble.

“That’s really cool. I’m certainly going to enjoy that for a week,” said Martin, who has six poles on the season and has earned three consecutive top-five finishes. “I feel like a whole new person. … Like I said before, making this thing is the icing. Now, I get to go race for the cake.”

And not only is Martin in the Chase, he’s atop the points and is one of the legitimate favorites to win it all.

“The thing that I’m excited about is our race team has been so strong since Chicago,” Martin said of the race he won in July. “Anybody in this Chase can put together a 10-race roll, and that’s all it takes.”

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of ?Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,? and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the past President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to




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