“I’d be Mad and Hold My Tongue!” Mark Martin Explains Why NASCAR Fans Never Turned on Him

The 2025 year saw Mark Martin becoming more vocal than ever, sharing his views more on TV and with digital media. He was most passionate about the playoffs format and played a significant role in convincing the leadership to adopt the chase format to crown the champion for the 2026 season and beyond.

The majority of the racing community was supporting Mark Martin during this time, and it proved how much loved as well respected the veteran is still among the fans. In a recent interview, he was asked about the support from the fans. He pointed out that him being person with integrity and someone who rescued talk shit about others might have played a significant role in it.  

I think it was that I was a straight shooter always. I felt like I had a lot of integrity. When I was mad, I didn’t talk stuff about other drivers. I’d be mad and hold my tongue, and I made it clear.

Mark Martin said via Kenny Wallace’s YouTube channel.

The veteran always kept his emotions in check, took the wins and loses he experienced in the sport over the years with a gracious smile. He was able to establish himself as a straight and strong person, making many to idolize him. That’s why every word spoken by Martin carries massive weight among fans as well as the drivers.

You could read it all over me, but I wasn’t going to cry. I just don’t think that the fans want to hear a grown man cry. So, I took my lumps. I took it like a man. And I tried to be straight and have a lot of integrity.

Mark Martin added.

Mark Martin names the favorite win of his NASCAR career

The legendary racer had one of the most accomplished racing careers of any driver in NASCAR. Though he couldn’t win a championship, he has 40 Cup wins and 49 second division win to his name. So, when asked to name his favorite win, he had a tough choice. The veteran went for his 2009 Phoenix win, his first win in return to full-time racing with Hendrick Motorsports.

That’s not really easy to say, but I always, uh, I always refer to the 2009 Phoenix win. Um, my first win was just a relief. Look, it wasn’t fun. There was nothing fun about it. It was so stressful. It had been so long, been so difficult.

Mark Martin said.

Though for many first Cup win is always special, for Martin winning at Phoenix gave him a euphoric moment no other win he secured in his career did. It came at a time where he though he might never get to win another top division race.

It was just a relief, but it was very euphoric uh at Phoenix after not winning, you know, for, you know, and not thinking I was ever going to get to experience that feeling again in my life. Um, that was really, really euphoric.

Mark Martin added.

The 2009 season was special for the veteran racer, as he went onto win five more races with the No:5 HMS team and secured a P2 finish in the championship. It was also the last year he tasted victory in the elite stock car racing division, making it a special moment for him as well as the fans.

Also Read: Kurt Busch Confesses He “Was Nervous” After Signing With 23XI Racing to Race for Michael Jordan

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