mark martin

LOUDON, N.H. (AP) -- Mark Martin held off Juan Pablo Montoya on a late frantic restart to win the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The weekend couldn't have gone much better for Juan Montoya and his #42 Target team. Sure he could have won the race, and he had a shot too had he bumped, race winner Mark Martin out of the way.

However he did win the pole, lead the most laps, and raised himself six places in points in the first week of the NASCAR playoffs.

Not a bad way to start his first ever chase for the Championship.

Mark Martin has signed a contract extension to run a full schedule with Hendrick Motorsports through 2011.

Kyle Busch. If Kyle Busch manages to claw his way back into the top 12 he'll zoom to the front and share the top seed with Mark Martin after he won his fourth race of the year Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Mark Martin has won the pole at Bristol Motor Speedway for a race that will be critical to his Chase for the championship chances.

With all the success Mark martin has had in his career, one has to wonder why he has never won a cup title.