Mark Martin in a Chevy!

[lawdog]

Boy I bet the Blue Oval faithful are crying today! Mark Martin is leaving Rousch, not going to race the trucks for them either. He is going to drive 22 races for MB2 motorsports in the 01 Army Chevy. Joe Nemechek is going to field a third car for MB2 and give that seat up.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Black Friday indeed. Thanks for the extra salt in the gapping wound...........

I'm lost for words..........

I'm calling for a public beating of Geoff Smith (Roush President)

How can you not get him into ANY of your race teams?? They only have 14 of them between the three series!

I've seen so much digusting actions on the part of Ford Racing and the way they handle their drivers. They have let so many good drivers and teams leave it is sick. Close the dam doors and let Nissan come in and take their place!

Little history here:

Jeff Gordon - Ford development driver with Bill Davis back in the 80's. Hendrick finds a void in contract with Ford and snatchs up the 4 timer.

Kasey Kahne - Ford development driver, raced everything on 4 wheels under the Ford nameplate. Ford Racing doesn't get him into quality rides and Ray finds a void and is a Superstar with Dodge.

Penske Racing South - Ford needed to keep this team and let Dodge come in and steal them away. They take Newman and Wallace

Jarrett - gone Toyota

Sadler - gone Dodge

Busch - gone Dodge(thankfull of that one though)

Martin gone - Chevy

The repercutions from this is going to rock Blue Oval faithfuls!

I don't get it. Ford Racing signs Matt Martin as the youngest driver development contract ever and they just let Mark go!?

I thought I'd seen it all when it came to Nascar and Silly Season.

I guess congradulations to MB2 and Chevy. They had what Ford and Roush couldn't and that was a dam contract!

[Sifty]

A Black Friday indeed. The #6 fans will be up in arms.

Sifty

[VMS]

From what I know, Mark was never going to go back into the 6, so nothing new there... I do remember reading (or hearing) that when Yates was looking to bring Mark in, Jack went and made revisions of some kind that if mark were to run trucks with jack, he would have to run a few races for Cup as well (and I believe they would have been the same races that mark would have been doing for yates)..

Doesn't surprise me at all that mark would leave everything and go to another brand team... Is there really a big difference in the cars anyway?

Steve

[JohnMickish]

I can't say that Ford let him go, it was more that they didn't have a spot and we all know you cant put together a cup team out of spare parts. Jack said he would have accomidated him but all of his cup resources were committed so he couldn't. He was going to retire and run the trucks full time, now he will run 21 races in another car. Same thing, different body (and engine). He was gone from Ford cup racing at the end of this year anyways.

My question is, why MB2? It's not like they are a competitive team.

[NAPAFISH]

The more cars your organization runs, the better off they are

[JohnMickish]

It looks like he has moved on for money and it looks like some of you guys where right about him.

I no longer feel that he is the "class" of the garage.

[LMITOUT]

I'm just relieved he finally made a decision. For a while there I thought he may run for a senate seat in Massachusetts the way he's been flip-flopping.

[JohnMickish]

It seems that we might have been a bit premature in judging Mr. Martin and his decisions. Rumor has it on Jayski that Martin will be part owner of MB2 and they will be switching to Ford next year. If this holds true Ford wouldn't be losing a driver they would be gaining a three car team, and Chevy and Hendrick specifically would be hurt the most. MB2 recieves engines and "technical support" (is that double speak for R&D team?) from Hendrick. Maybe this is just one big chess game?