Wine and WinsLike a fine wine imported from the vineyards of France, Mark Martin continues to improve with age. Mark posted his 3rd win of the season under the Hendricks banner with an exciting conservation fuel run finish at Michigan International Speedway.
In case you missed it, on the final lap of the race, it appeared that Jimmie Johnson would post another win with a healthy lead but instead the tank ran dry and Jimmie drifted to the bottom of the track to get out of the way. I'm sure Greg Biffel's thoughts of victory came screaming into his head like a freight train only to discover his engine would grow silent do to lack of fuel. That left Mark Martin, the eldest veteran of the bunch at age 50, screaming past the first and second place runners on his march to victory. Although Mark didn't approach his fuel strategy like Tony Stewart did at Pocono(lifting off the throttle completely half way down the front and back stretches), he did manage to squeeze a bit more mileage than his teammate in the Number 48 Jimmy Johnson Chevy Impala and Rousch racing opponent, Greg Biffle behind the Number 16 Ford Fusion. Some might say Mark Martin used a bit of luck on his final run at Michigan, instead, I would simply call it experience gained from 27 years of racing in the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.
Greg Biffle would end up coasting into a the 5th spot instead of victory lane while Jimmy Johnson traveled the wrong direction-from 1st to 22nd in a matter of half a lap.
Martin in his number 5 Chevy Impala would gain 5 spots and the largest jump in the points standing placing him in the 8th spot well within the Chase qualifications if he continues to run consistently. Jimmy Johnson held onto the 3rd spot only loosing pride and points to Jeff Gordon in the 2nd spot and Tony Stewart leading the pack.