Martin expected to drive for Hendrick next season
News conference scheduled for Friday at Daytona
By Sporting News Wire Service
July 1, 2008
11:51 PM EDT

Hendrick Motorsports is expected to announce Friday at Daytona International Speedway that Mark Martin will drive its No. 5 Chevrolet next season.

Hendrick Motorsports on Tuesday issued a media advisory that it would conduct a news conference Friday afternoon at the track to announce who will replace Casey Mears in the No. 5 car.

Martin has been talking with HMS about driving full time or part time for the team next year and will be part of the announcement, sources confirm. Although Martin has said in previous weeks he wanted to continue with a partial schedule, sources indicated he might run a full season for Hendrick.

Before the June 22 race at Infineon Raceway, team owner Rick Hendrick would not confirm nor deny that he had discussed with Martin the possibility of his driving for the team.

Martin has driven a part-time schedule the past two years after spending 19 seasons driving for team owner Jack Roush. Martin, 49, is scheduled to drive in 26 events this year for Dale Earnhardt Inc. while Aric Almirola fills out the remainder of the schedule in the No. 8 car.

Almirola will drive the No. 8 car full time for DEI next season, the team announced Tuesday.