#6-Mark Martin said Friday that he has absolutely no worries about the 2007 racing season, but did not rule out the possibility of driving a Nextel Cup car for someone other than Jack Roush next year, at least on a partial schedule. Martin, who has been with Roush since 1988, expects to field a Craftsman Truck Series Ford for the team next season, but he could also drive a part-time Cup schedule for a different team. “I’m going to kind of wait and see what materializes here, see what looks exciting, I guess,” Martin said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. Asked point blank if he could drive in the Cup series for someone other than Roush next season, Martin said, “There’s certain scenarios that might bring that around. I’m interested in a limited schedule, and obviously I’d love to do that with Jack, but that would kind of mess up the #6 car. I wish they didn’t have a limitation on teams.” The #6 car, of course, is the Roush Racing Ford Fusion that Martin will be vacating after the 2006 season. Martin and Roush have enjoyed phenomenal success together, with the driver earning all 35 of his Cup victories behind the wheel of Roush Fords. He has finished second in Cup points four times. Martin is an enviable position, as he has enjoyed great success with Roush’s trucks this season, winning four races in just eight starts, including Wednesday night’s tilt at Bristol Motor Speedway. “That truck’s an awful lot of fun,” Martin said Friday. But the shortage of talent in the Cup series and a wave of start-up teams makes him highly sought after. “I’m not worried about it,” Martin said of next season. “I really got a Chase to try to make, and once we do that I’ve got to focus … I’ve got it the best in the world. I have nothing to worry about in 2007. Nothing.”(
Speed Channel)
August 26th, 2006
