3 M Performance 400
Michigan International Speedway
June 18, 2006
Started 8th – Finished 27th

RAIN FORCES PREMATURE ENDING AT MICHIGAN, MARTIN FORCED TO SETTLE FOR 27th

BROOKLYN, MICH. – Heavy rains forced an early end to Sunday’s 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway, on a day when little went right for Mark Martin and the No. 6 AAA Race Team. Martin was running in 14th position when the field went green after the eighth caution of the race on lap 115, but he was forced to fight a loose-handling racecar on the restart and dropped back to 20th position by lap 122. The ninth and final caution was called just one lap later as light rainfall set on the race. Uncertain of the race’s future the team opted to four tires and a wedge adjustment, with Martin coming out in 27th place. However moments later the rain would pick up, ultimately forcing NASCAR to call the race after just 129 of the scheduled 200 laps.

Martin had started the race eighth after a strong qualifying run on Friday, but the car was loose from the start with Martin falling back to 13th position by lap eight. After the day’s second caution was issued for rain on lap nine and Martin came into the pits for right side tires. The majority of the field stayed out and Martin found himself in 22nd place on the restart. The third caution on lap 23 afforded the team the opportunity to put on left-side tires and make a chassis adjustment and Martin moved up to 21st when the field went back to green-flag racing.

After another four tire stop on lap 30, the handling of Martin’s car became extremely loose, but he eventually broke back into the top 15 on lap 46. By lap 60 he had advanced his No. 6 AAA Fusion to 12th position, but the loose condition of his car again worsened and he fell back to 15th by lap 62.

He was able to hover in and around the top 15 for the next 40 laps, moving back into 14th place just after the race’s midway point on lap 103. He was still in 14th when he came down pit road under caution on lap 111 for four tires, fuel and an adjustment to hopefully improve the car’s handling issues. However, the nature of the car failed to improve, with Martin dropping all the way back to 20th by the time the final rain caution was issued on lap 123.

The team will look to bounce back next weekend at Infineon Raceway, where Martin boasts 1 win and 14 top-10 finishes in 17 starts.