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Battling to make Chase, Martin is racing hard

Veteran driver is contending for every point as the season winds down

Image: Mark MartinGetty Images for NASCAR
Through 19 Sprint Cup races this season, Mark Martin is sitting just outside of the top 12 in 14th place in the standings.

Juan Pablo Montoya was incredulous after Saturday’s Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. He just couldn’t comprehend why Mark Martin would battle him so hard for 15th place. “I don’t understand,” Montoya said. “He just ran the [expletive] out of me on the last lap running for ... 15th place.”

Allow me to try and explain it to you, Juan. Mark has a chance to make the Chase. You, on the other hand, do not.

Going into the Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland, Montoya was 246 points out of the 12th and final Chase eligible position. Mark Martin was 19 back.

In order to make it into the Chase, Martin has to pick up all the points he can, wherever and whenever he can. The three-point difference between 15th and 16th could represent a Chase deal-breaker for the No. 5 team. Last year, Brian Vickers beat out Kyle Busch by a mere eight points to make the Chase.

Let’s be clear. Martin did not take out Montoya. No bump and run. No pinching him into the wall. No chopping down on him. He simply ran him hard, clawing and scraping for every last point he could grab. In fact, Montoya finished right behind him in 16th, and by virtue of having led a lap, outscored Martin 120 to 118.

At this point, Martin is 37 points out of the top 12, and sitting in 14th place. Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the sole obstacle between Mark and Clint Bowyer in 12th. Montoya on the other hand sits 242 points behind Bowyer in 21st. Fighting for a couple of spots here and there will do Montoya no good, but stick a fork in his Chase hopes. What is hard to fathom is why Montoya fails to see past his own situation to recognize the very different circumstances under which Martin is operating.

After the race, Martin allowed, “Maybe I need to drive a little smarter.” I can only assume that he uttered those words with tongue firmly planted in cheek.

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Whether he is running for 15th, 32nd or first, the smartest thing Martin can do right now is give no quarter and fight hard for every point.

Bass Masters and Buzz Cutler are co-hosts of Rowdy.com. For the best NASCAR community on the internet go to Rowdy.com.

© 2012 Sporting News

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