Mark Martin Takes First Chase Race at New Hampshire on Purolator
Release Date:
9/20/2009
NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Mark Martin got off to a great start in the season-ending Chase for the Cup championship when he won the Sylvania 300 stock car race Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in a Purolator-equipped Chevrolet Impala SS. The 50-year-old Martin, one of three drivers in the Chase from the powerful Hendrick Motorsports team on Purolator, started 14th and crossed the finish line first in a cloud of dust from a last turn crash. It was the fifth win of the year for Martin, who now has a 35-point Chase lead over both his Hendrick teammate and three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. The Chase moves to Dover, Delaware for next Sunday's AAA 400 event.