This quote came from Mark Martin’s post-race interview after nearly winning the 2007 Daytona 500…
I probably will feel some sadness somewhere along the line. My heart wasn’t broken. I’ve done this stuff a long time, and I’ve had a lot worse happen than what happened there in the last 200 yards.
.. and 2nd choice was Jeff Burton’s classy comments about Mark, also post-race …
As good as I feel for (Richard Childress Racing) and Kevin, I feel that bad for Mark. Mark Martin is a champion. I don’t care if he ever wins a championship. He’s a champion. I don’t care if he ever wins the Daytona 500. He’s a champion. But it would be nice for Mark Martin to be able to see the hardware on the trophy case — for him.
But to the competitors, he has so much respect. Not only as a competitor, but as a person. He’s a world-class individual and driver and mainly person. You do a whole lot more living than you do driving, and when Mark Martin steps away from the race car, he’ll have friends and he’ll go on to live a really good life.
Thanks to Stock Car Gazette subscriber Kent D. for the link to the article where these quotes were found.
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I, too would want Mark to have some hardware for his efforts. My outlook is good for him this year. He is with a completely new and different team and circumstance and already is showing no sign of relenting. To finish (and race) as well as he did is a testament to Mark, and the entire Ginn racing organization. I am extremely happy to be rooting for him in a CHEVROLET! Maybe it’s just me, but I’ll wager he feels a bit less constrained by being out of Jack’s shadow…K