DMF Communications For Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Press Release

Mark Martin and the No. 8 Team head to California Speedway for what will be Martin's milestone 700th Sprint Cup start. Martin, who will make his second start in the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevy, had a strong Daytona Speedweeks and a fast car in the Daytona 500, before getting caught up in a late accident.

AT CALIFORNIA

Starts: 13 (3)
Wins: 1 (-)
Top 5's: 4 (2)
Top 10's: 7 (2)
Poles: 7 (3)
Highest finish: 1 (5/3/98)
First time: 6/22/97 (10th)
Last time: 2/26/07 (5th)
Worthy Note: Martin is the only driver in track history to have won at California in the Cup, Busch, Truck and IROC series.

THE 700 CLUB

Martin will become only the 13th driver in NASCAR history to start 700 Cup races. Martin currently has the 13th most Cup starts in NASCAR history. He is scheduled to make 23 more starts in 2008, bringing his total to 722, which will be the ninth most at the end of the season. Martin's total is the fourth most of active drivers. Martin started his first Cup race on April 5, 1981 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.

THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP SET TO SPONSOR 700th START

Martin will have a familiar face on the car this weekend for his 700th start. The Principal Financial Group, which sponsored Martin last season at the July Daytona race, will serve as the primary sponsor for the event. In honor of the occasion, The Principal will run a special 700th-start logo on the car.

HONORING TH E 700th START

During pre-race ceremonies at California Speedway, the Principal Financial Group and Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) will present Martin with a commemorative green flag emblazoned with the same 700th start logo that will appear on DEI’s No. 8 Principal Financial Group Chevrolet. Following the race, this same green flag will be signed by Martin and auctioned on e-bay with proceeds benefiting the Dale Earnhardt Foundation.

MARTIN AT CALIFORNIA

This will be Martin's 15th start at the two-mile oval of California Speedway. He ran to victory there in the track's second Cup race in 1998. He has four top-five finishes and seven top-10s. Martin has finished inside the top 10 in three of his last four starts at California, including a fifth-place finish last spring. Martin did not run the fall race at California Speedway.

VISITING VICTORY LANE AT CALIFORNIA

Martin is the only driver in track history to have won races in the Cup (1998), Busch (2005), Crafstman Truck (2006) and International Race of Champions series (1997 and 1998).
QUOTING MARK MARTIN:

ON THE 700th START

"I've never really put a lot into numbers, but I think it says a lot about the people who have touched these cars over the years. It says a lot about all the crew chiefs and crew guys and everyone who played such a role in all we were able to accomplish. It really doesn't matter how many you start, it's more about how fast you were able to go in those starts, and I think we did a pretty good job of that over the years. I'm very thankful to everyone who gave such an effort to give me that opportunity."

ON THIS WEEKEND

"We had one of the best speedweeks that I can remember, and we had a good car for the Daytona 500. It's unfortunate that we didn't get a finish that was indicative of the effort, but I really did like what I saw in this No. 8 Team. We had a really good test at California last month and I'm excited about getting back there and seeing what we can do on this style of track. These kinds of tracks have always suited my driving style and I'm pretty excited about seeing what we can do at California and even Las Vegas in the next couple of weeks."

MARK MARTIN FAST FACTS

· Martin will make his 700th Cup start this weekend at California Speedway.
· Martin has posted seven top-10 and four top-five finishes in 14 races at California Speedway.

· Martin has led a total of 268 laps at California Speedway.

· Martin finished 10th in the inaugural California race, despite running out of gas late and posting a DNF. Martin rebounded the following year to win the event.

· Martin won the Busch race at Fontana in 2005; his only Busch start at the track.

· Martin is the only driver in California Speedway history to post wins in Cup, Busch, Truck and IROC at the two-mile track.

LAST YEAR AT CALIFORNIA..

FEBRUARY 25, 2007 –
California Speedway
Started 6th, Finished 5th

Martin left California Speedway leading the Nextel Cup driver point standings after posting a fifth-place finish in the Auto Club 500. It was the second consecutive top-five result for Martin, who finished runner-up by a few feet in the season-opening Daytona 500. The last time the racing icon led the point standings was Sept. 22, 2002.

Martin and the team gambled to stay out on a late caution with only eight laps to go. The gamble paid off, with Martin picking up two positions under the caution and restarting in seventh position when the field returned to green one final time with only six laps remaining in the 500-hundred mile race. Martin was able to quickly pick up two more spots to finish fifth, kicking off his 2007 season with back-to-back top-five finishes.


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