Johnson: New teammate Martin an inspiration

Jimmie Johnson called Mark Martin "an inspiration to a lot of us" Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

Beginning next season, Johnson is happy he'll also be calling Martin a teammate.


Hendrick Motorsports announced Friday afternoon at Daytona that Martin will become the full-time driver of the organization's No. 5 car in 2009, replacing Casey Mears.

At 49, Martin is more than 16 years Johnson's elder. He will become the oldest member of the four-driver Hendrick stable that also includes Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Martin, who is coming out of semi-retirement to run the full season, has impressed Johnson with his ability to remain competitive at NASCAR's top level, even while running a partial schedule this season and last.

"I think he makes a lot of us realize that trying to hang it up isn't going to be easy," the two-time defending Cup champion said. "I remember talking to Rusty Wallace about it and Rusty was kicking himself as he was getting down to the final few races that he ran. ...

"Mark gives a lot of us hope that, one, if you take care of yourself, you're going to be successful and that if your mind stays sharp and you can just keep your body with you, you can still make it. And at the same time, it also scares me because I don't know if I'll be able to let go."

Martin spent his first 19 seasons with the organization now known as Roush Fenway Racing. He has taken on a mentor's role to young drivers at Dale Earnhardt Inc., where he has driven since Ginn Racing was folded into DEI last summer.

Though Johnson, Gordon and Earnhardt Jr. aren't rookies, Johnson says Martin's input will still be valuable.

"I think Mark is going to do a lot of that 5 team," Johnson said. "His knowledge and his enthusiasm in his 'young' age to still be in the car and to build a race team and do all he does, he's a special man and I'm very proud to have him on board at Hendrick Motorsports.

"I look forward to not only what he brings to that 5 car but also his mindset on the sport, the way he sets up his cars, what he looks for. There's a lot that we're going to learn from Mark. We're really looking forward to the relationship and things getting started there."

Johnson expects the addition of Martin to have a different affect on the company dynamic than if Hendrick was bringing in a younger, less-seasoned driver.

"The departure of a teammate and somebody new coming in does do a lot internally inside the organization, especially when you have somebody like Casey who is so well-respected from everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and from my standpoint [is] such a close friend," Johnson said. "There's nothing easy about. And I don't think the decision was easy for anyone. There were circumstances and pressures coming from other areas that kind of made this come along.

"Now that we have a new teammate, when you look at teammates that you can have and who's going to bring something to the table, Mark Martin's that guy. Mark Martin really can bring a lot and will help soften that transition in.

"We all know how pleased he is to be a part of the company and how happy he is to drive good race cars. You know, you hear his interview and he says it all the time after a race, how happy he is to be driving whatever car that he is and the man really means it. That type of sincerity and his commitment to this sport makes those transitions easier than most cases."