Mark Martin wasn’t impressed with his own performance, but, after starting 35th, he still managed to post a top 10 subbing for four-time Martinsville winner Denny Hamlin, who is sidelined with a compression fracture in his first lumbar vertebra.
Martin fought the handling of his No. 11 Toyota Camry, losing a lap at one point, but he rallied for a 10th-place finish, good enough for a two-position gain to ninth in owner points. Through a miscommunication on pit road, Martin also left his stall before the left-front tire was mounted during a stop on Lap 256, but his drive over the final 200 laps made up for the mistake.
“It wasn’t a great result—we were capable of a little bit better, but we just kept stumping our toe on Friday (during practice and qualifying), and then we had a setback when we were about to get into position,” said Martin, who will return to his regular ride in the No. 55 Camry for Michael Waltrip Racing next weekend at Texas.
“I did not fill Denny’s shoes, I can tell you that much. He is the master. (But) I enjoyed this opportunity. It was fun.”
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