By winning the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup, Mark Martin, the veteran NASCAR driver, currently has the most victories for the 2009 NASCAR season. Martin, driving the the #5 Chevrolet has four wins. Martin’s latest victory at the Chicagoland Speedway represented the nineteenth event of the NASCAR racing season.
With this fourth victory, Mark Martin totals 39 victories in his career as a professional driver in the Sprint Series and he is currently eleventh place in the overall standings. This position gives him the opportunity to be part of the group of the 12 drivers that will qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. It is likely that Martin will participate in this great event.
At the LifeLock 400 Martin started in the 14th spot on the starting grid, something that seemed too distant from the top positions. But instead of succumbing to this difficulty, the Hendrick Motorsports driver rose to the challenge with his skills and experience.
In Chicago, the race started with both members of Team Red Bull Racing, Brian Vickers and Scott Speed, controlling the action in first and second place respectively, but Jimmie Johnson, who started in third, overcame them and managed to take the leading position at the head of the race. Johnson advanced at full speed setting the stage for a likely victory.
Meanwhile, Mark Martin managed to overtake the leading position for a period of 195 of the 267 scheduled laps. During the race Martin also set the record for the most number of laps in the lead at the Chicagoland track.
The race proceeded without any major disruptions and proceeded in an orderly fashion. There were, however, several caution flags, including three three of them were for accidents that occurred after the 218 lap when Sam Hornish Jr. was the first to get hit.
As the race proceeded, some changes in the leadership also took place. During the 227th lap Johnson overtook the lead, but an incident between Johnson and Kurt Busch allowed Martin to regain his leading position, which he was able to hold onto until the end of the competition. Finally Martin crossed the finish line in first place. Jeff Gordon placed second, followed by Kasey Kahne in third.