Martin Gracefully takes his place in the Grandest Victory Lane of All

I did over 100 tweets this week with memories of Mark Martin's many wins, accomplishments and other moments in the sport of auto racing.  However it doesn't add up until you listen to what this small icon of a man had to say in front of many people last night in the NASCAR Hall of Fame while being inducted.

Mark Martin being introduced by Jack Roush Friday night

I can remember just about every win Mark Martin ever had in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Ford.  There was a special relationship between Martin and former car owner Jack Roush and you could tell it last night when the two were on stage with one another.  There will always be a special place for Mark Martin in the No. 6 car, he is the man that helped build this organization for Jack Roush brick by brick, layer by layer.

You rarely hear of second chance drivers successfully coming back and making it in this sport but Mark Martin is proof it can happen.  He overcame the obstacles and Jack Roush gave him that second chance to make it.

Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Monster Energy Cup Series champion, and the man Mark Martin seemed to have hand picked in 1997 to be his protege to come to Roush's team was who introduced Martin on Friday night.

Martin reflected on the 1984 year, standing outside of Daytona International Speedway and looking through the fence at the cars, drivers, and teams working after he had lost his sponsorship for the Cup Series.  And then discussing second chances.

"Jack Roush gave me that second chance," Mark Martin said last night during his induction.  "Jack we battled side by side for nearly 20 years and I never once questioned your will to win or your determination to succeed.

"We not only won a lot of races, but you helped mold me into the man I am today.  I can't thank you enough for what you have done for me, everything, for the opportunity to even stand up here tonight on this stage, but more importantly the role you played in me becoming the person I am today."

There is a golden line of respect that Mark Martin represents and he is a rare breed.  The type that doesn't come along but ever so often and he has earned his place in more ways than just statistics. 

Martin thanked the many people that helped get him to the grandest victory of all.

"To every person that ever worked on any of our teams, I salute you," Martin said.  "This is your moment.  Our moment.  The road was long, and sometimes the mountain seemed insurmountable; but in the end, here we stand.  In the Grandest Victory Lane of all.  We made it to the NASCAR Hall of Fame."

Once again Mark Martin as he has for many years laid the credit to other people besides himself. A very graceful and humble speech from the veteran who many consider the best to never win a championship in NASCAR's premier series.  

Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick both got up before Mark Martin, each car owner had praise for the driver who won 40 times behind the wheel of a Cup Series car.  During the 1990s, Martin and Roush had some of the biggest championship battles with Childress and Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick and Jeff Gordon.  He eventually went on to race for Hendrick in 2009 and win 5 times.

I now get ready for the 2017 Monster Energy Cup Series with Trevor Bayne.  There's still that brick that Mark Martin laid to this foundation for the driver I go for today.  I hope everyone that is a fan of this organization knows what kind of a true champion Mark Martin is.  I am grateful that Trevor Bayne has a lot of the same respectful qualities that Mark Martin did.  Respect, honesty, a handshake, a graceful speech to thank everyone that got you where you are today. 

It doesn't take a trophy to make you a true champion.  This man did it in every way on and off the track.  Here's to you Mark Martin, you did make it to the Grandest Victory Lane!