Mark Martin joins Roush Fenway Racing as a driver development coach
Mark Martin is returning to Roush Fenway Racing.
No, the organization isn't expanding to four cars for 2015 and putting Martin in one of them. Instead, Martin will serve as a driver development coach for the team.
“I’m excited to return to Roush Fenway Racing, as it feels like I’m going home to where I belong,” Martin said in a statement. “I was fortunate to help build this team from the beginning and it’s very humbling to be a part of Jack’s team again. When Jack first hired me in 1988 we didn’t talk about salary or benefits or perks, we talked about testing, tires and putting the right personnel into place to win on the track. That commitment is what stood out to me then and it’s still what stands out to me today."
Martin won 35 races in his time at Roush Fenway Racing from 1988-2006. He'll be working with Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who are both driving full-time for Roush in the Cup Series next year.
After leaving Roush, Martin drove part-time for Hendrick Motorsports before driving part-time for Michael Waltrip Racing for parts of two seasons. He finished 2013 as the main substitute driver for Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing.
“The thing that always stood out about Mark was his unmatched drive to win,” Roush said. “Mark put us on the map and I am pleased to have him as a part of our team again. Mark is not only a good friend but he’s also a fierce competitor and I truly admire his passion and dedication to racing. I have no question that you will be able to see his influence on our young drivers. He understands what it takes to win and to be able to do that on a consistent basis and he’ll, once again, be a great asset to have back within our organization.”
On Sunday, the team announced that Greg Biffle would return in 2015 while Carl Edwards would be moving on. Edwards is considered likely to go to Joe Gibbs Racing next season.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
