Martin overcomes late-race accident to finish fifth at Richmond

Mark Martin and his Cheez-It/CARQUEST team didn't let a late-race accident ruin their chances at a good finish in the Saturday, May 2, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

Mark rebounded and charged from 24th to fifth in the race's final 80 laps.

"When this bad luck turns into good luck we'll be unstoppable," Mark joked to his team over the radio following the race.

Links Kellogg's Racing Official Site 2009 Sprint Cup Series Race Schedule Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR.com

Mark qualified seventh on Friday, May 1, evening, posting his seventh top-10 start of the season. That evening, Mark finished seventh in his sole NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season. Mark drove the No. 5 Chevrolet from JR Motorsports.

Rain showers fell intermittently on Saturday, May 2, threatening to postpone the night's race. NASCAR officials kept jet dryers on the track, however, and the race began just shortly after its scheduled starting time.

When officials waved the green-flag to start the race, they threw the yellow one with it, which meant no passing was allowed at first. The 43-cars circled the track for six laps until NASCAR deemed the track safe.

Officials waved just the green-flag on lap 7, and within two laps, Martin had moved into the top five. He reported to the team that the Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevrolet was turning very well throughout the corners. By lap 30, however, the handling had started to fade, prompting the team to start considering adjustments.

On lap 98, the team made its first pit stop under green-flag conditions. With four tires and fuel and a trackbar adjustment to aid the car's handling, Mark rejoined the field in third place.

Barely 20 laps later, Mark again entered pit road. The previous trackbar adjustment had made the car a tick too loose. So the team reversed the adjustment by half, added four fresh tires and fuel and sent Mark back to the track in fifth place.

Mark remained in the fifth position until the team's third stop on lap 151. The team made a slight air pressure adjustment and sent Mark back to the track in fourth place. The final adjustment made the Chevy's handling nearly perfect. Throughout the team's next two pit stops, no changes were made.

With a little more than 100 laps to go, Mark again took over third place. Although the Chevy would start the run a tick loose, the handling improved as the run went on. A series of cautions made for tight racing on the restarts. Mark fell to fourth and commented on the wild, three-wide racing that lapped cars were creating on the restarts.

Mark's comment proved to be prophetic. On the lap 313 restart, racing immediately went three-wide with many cars braking in front of the Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevrolet. The Chevy was tagged from behind and hit again on the left rear quarter panel, sending it sideways. As Mark attempted to correct the car, a competitor hit him in the driver's side door, causing damage back to the left rear tire.

Mark immediately entered pit road for repairs. The team worked quickly to assess the situation and fix the damage which was primarily superficial. Mark rejoined the field, without losing a lap, in 20th place.

Although dejected by the accident, the team didn't give up. Within eight laps, Mark had raced to 15th place, keeping up the team's hopes of a decent finish.

While the top-10 cars remained on the track, a lap 345 caution prompted crew chief Alan Gustafson to call Mark onto pit road for four fresh tires. The stop was costly, sending Mark back to 22nd place, but the fresh tires gave him an advantage over the cars ahead of him.

Mark's surge through the field was quick and stealthy. The Chevy's speeds were similar to those from before the accident, and Mark drove as though nothing had changed. He broke into the top 10 on lap 366. With just 18 laps remaining, he took over fifth place.

Mark's charge back into the top five moved the team to 15th in the Sprint Cup standings, just 61 points out of 12th.

The team will travel Saturday, May 9, to Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The race will air live at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on FOX-TV.