“I Don’t Have Time for a Job”: 65-YO Mark Martin Unravels the Perks of Leaving Behind Life of a Racer

NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin is one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. Starting his motorsports career competing on the dirt track in Arkansas, he progressed to become one of the most prominent names in the American Motorsports scene. However, after contributing 31 years of his life to NASCAR racing, he finally decided to take a backseat in 2013 at the age of 54.

We have seen many drivers stick around the sport in some capacity, but Martin is looking to make the most of his retirement. From refurbishing his old race cars to moving to different parts of the country and working on his book. The “best driver to never win a championship” has found his new passion in his free time, which has kept him away from a regular 9-5 job.

Here’s how Mark Martin is living his retired life away from racing

Dale Earnhardt Jr had been trying to get Martin on his podcast show, Dale Jr Download. While he didn’t make a physical appearance at the Bojangles studio, he joined the show remotely from one of the preferred locations for his stay, which he frequently changes according to the seasons.

Sharing his whereabouts and idea behind relocation every few months, the former Roush Racing driver stated, “We have spend a lot of time out west in Montana in the summers and Southern California in the winters, or at least three months of that … You won’t believe this, but we have made best friends with Bentley Warren; he’s out there in the park with us, and he is so much fun. But we have a lot of good friends out there and now we’re starting to get back in Arkansas more, and a lot of things are in works, you know,” he said on the Dale Jr Download.

He also shared his secret project. He’s working on a book of his own, which is expected to reveal and unravel more insights into his racing career. Some stories that he tells in his book are so exclusive that even his wife, Arlene, hasn’t heard about them. “There’s a lot of things that you can’t say when you’re a race car driver, manufacturers, and sponsors and different things. So there’s a lot of stuff like that, we really have a lot of things going on, but just really enjoying being retired. Man, I don’t have time for a job.”

Moreover, Martin also shared the moment when he realized his abilities as a race car driver were shrinking. Which then ultimately saw him hanging up his boots from NASCAR racing.

The 2009 season with Hendrick Motorsport allowed Martin to make the big career call

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One thing that keeps the NASCAR driver ticking despite all the years of racing is their ambition to win races and championships. And, in this regard, Mark Martin was no different and came oh-so-close to reaching his career’s highest peak. He finished second in the championship run yet again. This was his fifth runner-up finish and heartbreak in chasing the elusive dream.

But during his time at HMS, his age was finally starting to catch up to him. “You know I started seeing my decline in my mental processing, speeds, and, of course, eyesight, probably in my mid-forties. By the time I was 50, I was aware of it, and after that 2009 season when I get to be teammates with you and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, and we had that amazing season. After that, I was never was able to rise to that level, and I didn’t like it. In other words, I never experienced the joy of competing,” the Arkansas native added.

Interestingly, we can draw a comparison between Mark Martin and JGR’s Denny Hamlin, who, despite his illustrious career, has yet to win the championship. Hopefully, 2024 will be the year that fans get to see a seasoned veteran receive his flowers for all his contributions to the sport.