Fast Break: Martin has quite the following
AUTO RACING
Martin has quite the following
One by one the visitors filed into Victory Lane, eager to pay their respects to Mark Martin.
Jimmie Johnson pushed past a throng of fans to get there, while NASCAR president Mike Helton weaved through the grandstands and across the track. Tony Stewart set aside his disappointment from finishing second to make his visit, and Jack Roush stopped by with heartfelt happiness.
Race fans annually vote Dale Earnhardt Jr. as NASCAR’s most popular driver, but after Martin’s win Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway, it was obvious the honor truly belongs to the beloved veteran.
“There’s nobody that dislikes Mark,” said second-place finisher Stewart. “Mark has taught us all a lot about what it takes to be not only a good driver in this series, but a good competitor and somebody that everybody respects.”
In 27 years of NASCAR racing, Martin has touched too many competitors to count.
He never viewed a raw young driver as potential competition, and instead offered his counsel about on-track etiquette, finishing races, handling a race car and balancing the job demands.
“He taught you a lot while you were running those races,” Stewart said. “And when you had a good day against Mark, and when you did things right and you watched him and learned from him, that just accelerated the learning curve.”
RUNNING
Boston Marathon more than a race
The Boston Marathon is getting longer.
Not the race – it remains at 26.2 miles for its 113th edition today – but the event that traditionally takes over the Boston streets on Patriots Day has spilled into the weekend with a fun run and competitive miles designed to keep the captive running community busy.
“Other cities have marathons; we have marathon weekend,” Boston Mayor Tom Menino said Sunday after holding the winner’s tape at the Back Bay finish line of the first Boston Athletic Association Invitational Mile. “When you hear it’s marathon weekend, you know it’s spring here in Boston – even though the calendar may say something else.”
BOWLING
Centenarian makes history
A 100-year-old woman from New Jersey has become the oldest competitor in the history of the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships.
Emma Hendrickson of Morris Plains, N.J., was presented Saturday night with a plaque and a medallion to commemorate her 50th consecutive appearance in the tournament, held at Reno, Nev.
The great-great- grandmother rolled a 115, 97 and 106 for a 318 series during team competition at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno.