$70M NASCAR legend Mark Martin claims running top 25 in a race is “harder than running top 10” 

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin recently shared his views on how racing in the back of the field is tougher than being in the front. Martin is considered a legend in the sport, and retired from racing with 96 victories across all three NASCAR series.

Over the course of his 31-year career, the $70 million-worth Mark Martin (according to Celebrity Net Worth) came incredibly close to winning a NASCAR Cup Series title, finishing as the runner-up five times. His closest run for the title was seized by Dale Earnhardt in 1990, with only 26 points separating them. Twelve years later, Martin would have another close call for the title, but was bested by Tony Stewart by a margin of 38 points.

Following this past weekend's NASCAR race in Pocono, Martin, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) shared his thoughts on the difficulties in coming up through the field, rather than leading the pack. He wrote:

"Most people have no idea how hard it is to run 25th in a NASCAR cup race. It’s actually harder than running in the top 10. Sounds crazy but it’s true."

Navigating through a packed field can at times prove to be complicated than being in the top ten. The middle of the field is usually the busiest, with frontrunners staying ahead and the slower cars falling behind. Drivers in the middle not only get caught in traffic, but they also encounter turbulent, dirty air from the cars ahead. This dirty air reduces downforce, resulting in a loss of speed, essentially making it more challenging to work their way up.

Mark Martin competed in 882 races over the course of his career. He has seen NASCAR change on and off the track, and his experience in stock car racing aids his knowledge of the sport. Most people involved in the sport have respected his opinions, and have also been seen coming to him for advice.

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"He treated me with respect" - Mark Martin reflects on His friendship and rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Mark Martin finished as runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series on five occasions. Of those five times, he came in second twice (1990,1994) to Dale Earnhardt, who was was infamous for having rivalries on the track. His aggressive style of driving earned him the nickname "The Intimidator".

During an episode of Dale Jr. Download, hosted by former Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin shared stories about racing alongside the host's father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Martin reflected on their time competing against each other and recounted his experiences on the track. He said:

"When you raced out there with him (Dale Earnhardt Sr.) on the racetrack, he had a snarl. But he treated me with respect on the track, especially off the racetrack. Now, we did have a couple of brush-ups, but he was testing me to see what I would do, how I would react. Would I bow down? Would I cry and complain?"

Martin then shared how Earnhardt Sr. did not take kindly to drivers who complained about on-track incidents, to which Earnhardt Jr. responded with a peal of laughter.