By Chris Symeon, Motorsports Editor
[The Inside Line]
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Five weeks ago, Mark Martin was the talk in NASCAR as the 50-year-old driver secured the outside pole position for the season-opening Daytona 500 in his first start for Hendrick Motorsports.

After hooking up with owner Rick Hendrick and teaming with superstars Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin was gearing up for perhaps his biggest championship campaign. In a preseason poll, the media picked Martin to finish eighth in the Sprint Cup Series point standings.