By Ryan - Posted on May 13, 2009

Feeling refreshed from knowing that he will be driving full time for Rick Hendrick again next year, NASCAR News agencies proudly got to report that Mark Martin got his second win in 4 races at Darlington Raceway.  In the triumphant return of the “Southern 500,” it was the old man who survived a slick track surface and mistakes by veteran drivers to grab his second Darlington win along with 11th in the points race. 

Like the elder statesman that he has become, he not only recognized that pit strategy put him in the winner’s circle, he went out of his way to praise crew chief Alan Gustafson. 

“Alan Gustafson is absolutely the best. I may have been his childhood hero, but I'm living a second childhood now -- and he's my childhood hero,” Martin said after the victory.  Gustafson may very well have rooted for Martin as a kid, since he was 14 when “the old man” won his first NASCAR race.  With the two wins this year, Martin has joined an elite group of men who have won races after turning 50.  Any fan who has been around for any length of time recognizes the names Bobby Allison, Morgan Shepherd, and Harry Gant.

It is hard to believe that a short four years ago, Martin announced that he was going to retire and give up competition altogether.  The recent Brett Favre speculation shows people how tough it is for a competitor to leave a sport that he has given so much of his life and time to and Martin was no different.  What separates men like Martin from men like Favre is that Martin continues to be competitive.  Since the inception of the “Chase for the Cup,” Martin has qualified every time.  His two wins show that he will continue to be in the mix for years to come.  Darlington is not an easy race to win, but the gray haired Martin, along with his idolizing crew chief Alan Gustafson, made it look that way.  Perhaps this is the year that Martin finally gets that championship.