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.
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