By Staff
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Ginn Racing announced Thursday the first 14 races of Mark Martin's limited 2007 schedule, with highlights including a record extending 19th consecutive start in the Budweiser Shootout, his 23rd running of the famed Daytona 500 and his 18th consecutive start in the Nextel All-Star Challenge, an event he won in 1998 and 2005.
Martin's schedule will also include the June stop at Michigan International Speedway.
When Martin is not in the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet, rookie Regan Smith will pilot the Ginn Racing entry. The remainder of Martin's Nextel Cup schedule will be announced later in the season.
"I can't tell you how excited I am about what we have going on in 2007," said Martin. "It's just a dream come true to be able to pick the races that we want to run in and to be able to do it with a full-time Cup team like the No. 01 Army team, it's just more than I could have asked for.
"Basically we were able to sit down and work on a schedule that worked for everyone," added Martin. "I just wasn't ready to step completely back from Nextel Cup racing and I felt I had a little more to give out there. At the same time, I was ready to be done with the grind of the 38-race Cup schedule, and fortunately I was able to move over to Ginn Racing and have the opportunity to do what I wanted to do.
"We open the schedule in the Budweiser Shootout and then the Daytona 500 and I'm really excited to take that Army Chevy out on the track at Daytona. Then we'll run the next three races, before taking off Bristol and Martinsville. I am really looking forward to represent our brave soldiers both here and abroad."
Martin will pilot the No. 01 Army Chevrolet for Ginn Racing in the season's first four point events and in the All-Star Shootout in February. After starts in the Daytona 500 and at California, Las Vegas and Atlanta, Martin will take off the following races at Bristol and Martinsville. The break will put an end to Martin's string of 617 consecutive starts dating back to Feb. 14, 1988.
"Streaks and numbers like that really say more about the fact that you were fortunate enough to stay healthy and keep your ride for a lot of years," said Martin. "It is something that I've been proud of, but it's also something that it's time to step away from. It's been a great run with that, but we'll be back in a few weeks and that's perfect for me."
Martin will pick up in mid-April at Texas and he will make his first start in the Car of Tomorrow at Phoenix. After taking Talladega off, Martin will take part in the next seven events including the All-Star Challenge and the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Martin has a combined 20 wins and 17 poles at the 12 tracks that make up the first half schedule. In addition he has won once in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona (1999) and twice in the Nextel All-Star Challenge.