The results are in: Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall is a regional leader in sales of the 2008 Malibu.

Furthermore -- even though motor vehicles are not included in the items that can be purchased this weekend without a sales tax -- the prices on new cars at Durham's downtown dealership can make customers feel like they've saved much more than the tax.

According to data released this week from General Motors, 2008 Malibus do not stay in stock very long at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall. The dealership's "turn rate" on the 2008 Malibu is better than just about every other dealer in the region, which means that the vehicles are equipped the right way and are being sold at the right price by the right staff of sales professionals.

Continued sales of the Malibu results in continued availability in inventory. So, based on the results to date, the RHC Malibu inventory is a good match for what consumers are looking for.

This weekend will be as good a time as any to come to the dealership and buy a vehicle. Not only are there several Malibus in stock, but prices on SUVs could not be better.

Shoppers also may be in a good mood to buy, caught up in the excitement of North Carolina's seventh annual "Sales Tax Holiday." The tax-free weekend begins Friday and offers the opportunity for retail shoppers to save the cost of the sales tax.

Items exempt from sales tax will include clothing, computers, sports equipment and school supplies.

See the complete list of exemptions on the North Carolina Department of Revenue web site.

The National Retail Federation estimates the average American will spend $594 on back-to-school shopping, so the tax-free weekend certainly helps ease the spending crunch.

It has been estimated that more than $230 will be spent on clothing, $151 on electronics and $110 on shoes and less than $100 on actual school supplies.

What better way to take the kids to school than in a new 2008 Malibu, which continues to outsell the competition? And if you don't believe the deals, the selection and the presentation of that vehicle are better at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall than at other dealers in the region, come see for yourself.

The dealership is located at 409 S. Roxboro St., just down from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Labels: 2008 Malibu, General Motors, Labels: Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, National Retail Federation, North Carolina Department of Revenue, Sales Tax Holiday

The staff at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall -- a strong promoter and supporter of positive community causes and citizens -- congratulates local teen Chad Bullock for being a finalist for the "Do Something" Award to be presented at this weekend's Teen Choice Awards.

The Teen Choice Awards are voted on by teens for their favorite celebrities in movies, music, sports and TV. The 2008 show will be taped Sunday in Los Angeles and televised Monday at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Bullock, 19, one of nine finalists for the "Do Something" Award, will attend the awards show. The winner of his category will be decided by online voting, which ends Friday, and announced on Sunday.

The "Do Something" Award honors a young person who is making a difference in not only his or her own community, but also the world.

The "Do Something" winner will receive $100,000. Each of the nine finalists has received $10,000.

After losing his great-grandfather to lung cancer a few years ago, Bullock, a Durham native, became an anti-tobacco activist and consultant for youth advocacy and tobacco prevention. He has trained 15,000 teens nationwide in developing an action plan, and he has led activists to make the Durham Bulls Athletic Park smoke-free.

To see Bullock's bio on the "Do Something" web site, click here.

Bullock spearheaded a recent project to get Golden Corral, a national restaurant chain headquartered in Raleigh, to go smoke-free. He also has been working to get the campus of Durham Technical Community College smoke-free.

To read the complete news article on Bullock that was posted Tuesday on WRAL.com, click here.

For an earlier story on Bullock and his anti-smoking efforts, click here.

Labels: Anti-smoking, Chad Bullock, Do Something Award, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Durham Tech, Golden Corral, Labels: Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, Teen Choice Awards

Team owner Rick Hendrick and car owner Jeff Gordon looked on with pride Sunday as NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jimmie Johnson did a celebratory burnout at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

It seemed fitting after the long afternoon that a tire on Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet exploded in a large cloud of smoke during the celebration.

Tire trouble was the theme of Sunday's Brickyard 400. Johnson proved the top finisher, and two of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates also finished in the top 12, as he posted his second victory at IMS.

Because the Goodyear tires used for the race were not durable enough to withstand the lack of downforce on the cars or the speeds and track surface, NASCAR threw six competition cautions designed to force teams to pit and change their tires. As a result, the longest green-flag run was only 12 laps, and 52 laps were run under caution.

Johnson was the first driver out of the pits with seven laps to go and held off hard-charging Ford driver Carl Edwards for his 35th career victory.

Despite the eggs on the faces of the NASCAR powers-to-be after what many considered a race debacle, Hendrick had to have been pleased with the outcome. His powerful and prestigious team had won only twice all season prior to Sunday, a subpar showing by Hendrick Motorsports standards, and Hendrick had even brought in a motivational speaker to the team headquarters in Concord, N.C., earlier in the week.

Appalachian State football coach Jerry Moore, who has led the Mountaineers to three straight Div. I-AA national championships, reportedly told the HMS crew that "it's all about desire and dedication, who wants it more."

Desire and dedication came through Sunday. But the team also utilized opportunity, finding a way to turn near disaster into triumph.

After the race, Johnson and Hendrick took time together to "kiss the bricks" -- the winner's tradition. As they got down on their hands and knees, they showed as much relief as excitement after the caution-filled day.

The victory moved Johnson -- the two-time defending series champion -- into fourth place in the points standings with 16 races remaining.

Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., left the race second in points. Gordon maintained his sixth-place position in the season-long points race.

Labels: Appalachian State, Brickyard 400, Chevrolet Nascar Victories, Goodyear, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson, Jerry Moore, Jr., Rick Hendrick, Sprint Cup

This week, General Motors unveiled the 2010 Chevy Camaro.

Sales begin in early 2009.

It has been been one of the most-talked about vehicles in automotive history.

Now, it is more than just a concept.

And, in just a few short months, it will be on the lot at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, the pride of the Triangle, ready to be driven home by an excited and perhaps nostalgic new-car customer.

"The new Camaro delivers the best of both worlds -- great heritage and a thoroughly modern, advanced package of performance, comfort and technology," Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager, said at the official unveiling in Michigan. "It's a sports car for a new generation of enthusiasts that doesn't forget the heritage that helped make the original a cultural icon."

For more information on the anticipated arrival of the vehicle at the Durham dealership, call (919) 682-0451.

According to Roger Hinton, new-car manager at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, production on the Camaro will begin in February. The vehicle could arrive in downtown Durham as soon as next March or April.

The dealership also may be able to accept orders and deposits shortly after production begins.

The Camaro will be offered in V6-powered LS and LT models, as well as the V8-powered SS. All models and powertrain combinations will include efficient six-speed transmissions.

"Camaro is a car that competes with the best sports cars in its class," Peper said, "but does so with surprising efficiency. That is no small feat, and it took a worldwide commitment to achieve it."

Here is some preliminary info:

**A 3.6L DI VVT V6 engine is standard on LS and LT models, with a projected 300 horsepower and manual six-speed transmission. The available six-speed automatic with TAPshift can give the vehicle an estimated 26 miles-per-gallon on the highway.

**A 6.2L V8, with a projected 400 horsepower with six-speed automatic transmission with TAPshift, will include Active Fuel Management technology to achieve 23 miles-per-gallon on the highway.

**The 6.2L V8 with manual six-speed transmission is expected to produce a projected 422 horsepower.

For more detailed information on the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, including a video of the official unveiling, what colors will be available and photos of the vehicle, please go to Chevrolet.com/Camaro.

Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall has been Durham's No. 1 automobile dealer and service facility for more than 15 years. For the best deal on a new or pre-owned vehicle, come visit the convenient downtown location and a professional staff that has earned one of the best customer-satisfaction ratings in the region.

As part of the Hendrick Automotive Group, a network of 70-plus dealerships and 122 franchises nationwide, the dealership provides the best selection and availability of vehicles in the area. It also can offer superior financing options, working in collaboration with more than three dozen banks to get the best rates and payment structure possible.

The dealership is conveniently located just down from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Come talk about the Camaro, browse the inventory or just to get a cold drink and say "hello."

Labels: Active Fuel Management, Camaro, Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Ed Peper, General Motors, Hendrick Automotive Group, Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, Roger Hinton

In addition to the exciting deals and money-saving opportunities happening at Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, the city of Durham made more positive news this week to show that it truly is a city on the rise.

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced Wednesday that the 2008 CIAA football championship game will return to Durham and Durham County Stadium on Sat. Nov. 8.

Durham has held six of the eight games since the championship game began in 2000. The game and buildup to the game have been some of the most exciting events in Durham's sports history.

DAP To Be Renovated

In other local sports news of note this week, the old Durham Athletic Park -- which gained national prominence with the movie "Bull Durham" but then fell into disrepair -- is getting some new attention.

The former home of the Durham Bulls is getting a new field and will be home to North Carolina Central University's baseball team in 2009.

In addition to the restoration, a national minor-league baseball museum next to the stadium is planned.

"Bull Durham" was shot at the location 20 years ago. Since then, the stadium has languished, losing much of its luster when the Bulls moved to their new facility more than a decade ago.

Perhaps just as much of a downtown Durham institution as the DAP has been Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, which helps to make downtown Durham a happening place.

Durham's No. 1 automobile dealer and service facility for more than a decade, the dealership offers the best deals on new or pre-owned vehicles as well as a professional staff that has earned one of the best customer-satisfaction ratings in the region.

As part of the Hendrick Automotive Group, a network of 70-plus dealerships and 122 franchises nationwide, Rick Hendrick Durham Auto Mall provides the best selection and availability of vehicles in the area. If the dealership does not have your next car, truck or SUV on the lot today, it can have the vehicle here tomorrow.

Rcck Hendrick Durham Auto Mall also offers the best financing options, working in collaboration with more than three dozen banks to get you the best rate and payment structure possible.

This week, just a few blocks from the dealership, construction began on a $5 million facelift for the Durham Athletic Park. Work starts with fencing and erosion control around the property.

Crews will repair the grandstand, install new bathrooms and clubhouses under the grandstand, renovate the concession stands, dugouts and broadcast booth and build a new maintenance building, picnic area and sand-based athletic field.

According to an article on WRAL.com, field construction is scheduled to be done by the end of the year.

Labels: Bull Durham, CIAA, Durham Athletic Park, Durham County, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet

Dealer helps donate more than $6,000 to local Little League

Hendrick Durham Auto Mall
partnered with a local youth baseball league through the Chevy Youth Baseball program and helped raise close to $6,400 in total donations from the dealership and private parties in the area.

The program consisted of several components, including sports equipment, monetary and vehicle donations, as well as free baseball clinics for the youth league players.

Now in its third year, Chevy Youth Baseball is an initiative that establishes a positive connection between local dealers and the communities in which they serve. Hendrick Durham Auto Mall was partnered with North Durham Little League because of the league's proximity to the dealership.

Over the course of the season, Hendrick Durham Auto Mall donated team equipment kits, which included equipment bags, baseballs, ball buckets and t-shirts, and made a $500 donation to North Durham Little League.

The dealership also helped donate a Chevy Tahoe SUV.

Another exciting component of Chevy Youth Baseball was the youth baseball clinics that provided the little-league players with personalized instruction from the Carolina Mudcats.

"We are excited to make such a substantial donation to North Durham Little League and enjoyed partnering with them this season," said Doug Harbison, general manager of Hendrick Durham Auto Mall. "Chevy Youth Baseball gave us the opportunity to illustrate our commitment to the youth and families in Durham, and we're glad to have achieved such positive outcomes for the community."

To date, more than 450 dealers from the Southeast region have participated in the 2008 Chevy Youth Baseball program and helped generate close to $3.2 million in donations from the dealerships and private parties.

Labels: Carolina MudRick cats, Chevy Youth Baseball, Doug Harbison, Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, North Durham Little, Tahoe

Rising Triangle temperatures have resulted in a "Code Orange."

Meanwhile, "green" is the color of choice at Hendrick Durham Auto Mall.

Green is the color of money. Those who brave the hot weather to come to our dealership to buy a vehicle can save lots of green for the remainder of the month.

Temperatures that could reach record highs also could result in record-low prices at Durham's favoite downtown dealership.

According to local meterologists, temperatures this week not only could surpass 100 degrees but also could break records.

The record temperature for Monday is 102 degrees, set in 1952. The record high for Tuesday is 103.

Heat index values could surpass 105.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality has predicted Code Orange conditions for Monday in the Triangle.

The Code Orange forecast means people who are sensitive to air pollution should avoid moderate exertion outdoors during the afternoon. But, if you're one of those who also likes to save the "green," then it could be worth it to come out and make a deal.

Consider Hendrick Durham Auto Mall to be under "Code Green," a condition in which prices can drop by the thousands. Dealership personnel will do whatever it takes to make your vehicle-buying experience cooler and more pleasant in these trying times.

Get live, up-to-the-minute results from the British Open

Management is getting down and dirty at Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, doing whatever it takes to make deals and keep the metal moving.

General Manager Doug Harbison and Parts Manager Randal Sharpe have been outside washing the windows, drumming up business and helping give potential customers a clear view of the great deals going on at the downtown dealership. Sharpe also has been seen well above the ground in a bucket truck, maintaining the lights so the view of the vehicles stays just as clear at night.

"It's important to have a good-looking facility," Sharpe said between strokes of the squeegee on the glass.

It also is important to set the record straight about local vehicle sales. Hendrick Durham Auto Mall offers more than just trucks and SUVs in its product line, and -- although the market may be soft on the bigger, less fuel-efficient models -- sales continue on economy cars.

Right now, Hendrick Durham Auto Mall has more than six models of car in its lineup that can get better than 30 miles per gallon of fuel. And, while it may take large incentives and need-motivated buyers to move the trucks and SUVS, there are holes on the lot where the smaller cars used to be as more and more leave the dealership for the streets of the Triangle.

Among the most popular vehicles being purchased in Durham is the HHR, which can get 40 miles to the gallon and 450 miles to a tank. Also being bought are the Aveo and Cobalt (34 mpg), Malibu (32 mpg) and Impala (31 mpg).

The Chevy Equinox, a small SUV equipped with a very similar engine to the Malibu and Impala, also can get more than 30 miles to the gallon.

And that is just in the new Chevy line. Add the large selection of pre-owned economy cars on the lot being sold at near-wholesale prices -- cars like Hondas and Toyotas -- the amount of movement, activity and fuel-saving options at Hendrick Durham Auto Mall is even greater.

Sales of the economy cars is helping to make up for the lack of trucks and SUVs being sold. Hendrick Durham Auto Mall was mentioned in a local newspaper article this week about reportedly sagging sales at dealerships. The article's focus was on how creative dealerships are having to become to maintain business in the face of reportedly sagging sales.

Harbison was quoted as saying that until he gets his truck inventory down, he is not buying any more from the manufacturer. But that is not necessarily bad news; the lineup of fuel-efficient cars is what buyers are coming for, and those vehicles are being sold.

Nationally, cars that are noted for getting good gas mileage have seen a slight uptick in sales. That has held true locally, as well. And the deals are just as good on those vehicles as they are on the trucks and SUVs.

So, come on down to Rick Hendrick Chevrolet and see for yourself. Say hello to Doug and Randal, browse the strong inventory of economy cars and enjoy a great view of the great deals.

Labels: Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, Doug Harbison, Randal Sharpe, British Open, HHR, Aveo, Cobalt, Malibu, Equinox, Impala

Labels: Aveo, British Open, Cobalt, Doug Harbison, Equinox, HHR, Impala, Labels: Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, Malibu, Randal Sharpe

Hendrick Durham Auto Mall congratulates Josh Hamilton of Raleigh for the season he has had in Major League Baseball.

Hamlton, who attended Athens Drive High School, will be in the spotlight during this week's All-Star Game festivities at Yankee Stadium for the way he has overcome drug addiction to become a star with the Texas Rangers. He will start in right field for the American League in Tuesday's nationally-televised game.

Hamilton, with 20 home runs in the first half of the season, stole the show in Monday night's Home Run Derby on national television as he hit pitches thrown by a familiar face from Cary. Though he finished second in the competition, he was the talk of the town Tuesday.

Clay Council, who helped Hamilton develop his batting stroke as a 13-year-old, pitched to Hamilton Monday night. Council is 71 years old.

Hamilton's brother played American Legion ball for Council in the 1990s.

Council said his arm was sore after Hamilton's display. His neck may have been, too, after watching Hamilton set a record with 28 homers in the first round.

Hamilton's outburst -- which included 13 straight homers -- was the highest first-round total of all-time. He showed amazing power, belting 500-foot blasts with apparent ease and forcing Counsil to throw more than 50 pitches before recording 10 outs (which was any hit that was not a home run).

Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins topped a tired Hamilton, 5-3, in the last round. But the night belonged to Hamilton.

"The whole stadium, the way people responded, higher and higher -- you can't beat it," Hamilton told reporters afterward. "Them chanting my name and getting louder, it makes you more focused.

"I got chills," he said.

Hamilton hit three homers farther than 500 feet - with his longest estimated at 518.

"They should have juiced the ball up; I'd have hit the subway," he said.

Hamilton was the first overall pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries and addiction derailed his career in 2001.

Newman To Leave Penske Racing

According to published reports, Penske Racing and Ryan Newman have agreed to break up after the 2008 season.

Newman, the defending Daytona 500 winner, is in the final year of his contract.

The split paves the way for Newman to join Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing beginning next season. Stewart announced last week that he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, and he is expected to become part-owner of his own team.

Newman, the driver of the No. 12 Alltel Dodge Charger, is in his ninth season competing for Penske. He is ranked 16th in the Cup Series standings through 19 races this season.

Labels: Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, Josh Hamilton, All-Star Game, Yankee Stadium, Clay Counsil, Texas Rangers, Athens Drive High School, Ryan Newman, Penske, Daytona 500, Tony Stewart

Labels: All-Star Game, Athens Drive High School, Clay Counsil, Daytona 500, Josh Hamilton, Labels: Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, Penske, Ryan Newman, Texas Rangers, Tony Stewart, Yankee Stadium

,

Hendrick Durham Auto Mall is a proud participant in this weekend's Equine Extravaganza, the second-annual three-day equine expo and event at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

More than 50,000 people are expected to attend the festivities, which include horse training, horse-riding exhibitions and clinics and close to 100 vendors displaying "all things Equine."

Among the vendors will be staff from Hendrick Durham Auto Mall, showing off vehicles perfectly equipped for the traveling needs of equestrian and horse families and preaching about a product line geared especially for the horse community and similar demographic.

Among the highlights of the Extravaganza will be performances by Dusty, a 10-year-old gelding and modern-day "Mr. Ed."

Standing 16 hands tall and weighing 1,200 pounds, Dusty has been entertaining audiences most of his life and has a particular affinity for children (More information at www.dustypromotions.com).

The main event could well be the three-day East Coast Trainer Challenge. Professional trainers Gilbert Gonzalez, Brock Griffith and Phil Rogers will compete in the exciting colt-starting competition Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each trainer will have one hour each day to use natural horsemanship techniques to get his colt ready to accept saddle and rider. The event is one of three preliminary competitions leading up to the finals in Virginia in October.

The Equine Extravaganza begins Friday at 9 a.m. and runs through 5 p.m. Sunday in Dorton Arena and the adjacent Jim Graham building at the fairgrounds off Hillsborough Road in Raleigh. Come see Rick Hendrick's big trucks and take in the sights and sounds of equestrian life. All three days will be jam-packed with demonstrations, interactive clinics and training, kids' activities, more gear and equipment than you can imagine -- and, of, course, horses. Lots and lots of horses.

Come say hello to the RHC staff and talk about how to get a GREAT deal on your next truck. It is sure to be a memorable weekend.

Labels: big trucks, Brock Griffith, Dusty, Equine Extravaganza, Gilbert Gonzalez, Phil Rogers, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, State Fairgrounds

The drivers at Hendrick Motorsports soon will have company as the top dogs of NASCAR.

According to news reports, two-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is expected to be granted his official release from Joe Gibbs Racing and become part-owner of his own team as well as NASCAR's highest-paid driver. He is expected to join Haas CNC Racing, which reportedly would become Stewart-Haas Racing.

Mike Arning, a spokesman for Stewart, told the Associated Press that an announcement concerning Stewart's future would be made today.

While his contract with JGR -- the only NASCAR team he has driven for -- runs through 2009, Stewart reportedly be released from his contract at the end of this season.

Stewart reportedly has had an offer on the table since April to purchase the fledgling two-car team of Haas-CNC Racing. Stewart has said that, by owning his own team, he could ensure a spot for himself in NASCAR long after his driving days.

Stewart-Haas Racing also would mark a return for Stewart to racing Chevrolets. After driving Chevys for JGR his first nine years in NASCAR, the team switched to Toyotas.

Stewart has yet to win this season. Teammate Kyle Busch leads the Sprint Cup series in points and victories.

JGR is expected to replace the 37-year-old Stewart with 18-year-old phenom Joey Logano, with Home Depot staying on board as the sponsor.

Stewart is expected to dismantle the existing Haas-CNC organization and bring in his own people, including a second driver. Fellow Indiana native Ryan Newman is among those rumored to be in line to join Stewart's team next season.

Stewart will have followed in the footsteps of another high-profile driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in leaving a long-time team. Earnhardt left Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007 to join Hendrick Motorsports.

Stewart has won at least two races every year since his rookie-of-the-year campaign in 1999. This season, he has five top=five and eight top=10 finishes in 18 starts.

He is in his 10th season driving Gibbs' No. 20 car. He and crew chief Greg Zipadelli have been together since the start in NASCAR's longest active driver-crew chief pairing.

Stewart, with 32 series wins in his career, won the Cup title in 2002 and 2005. He is one of only two drivers with multiple championships in the last 10 years, the other being Hendrick Motorsports' Jimmie Johnson, who won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.

Labels: Chevrolets highest-paid driver, Hendrick championships, Hendrick driver, Hendrick Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports titles, NASCAR Racing, NASCAR's longest driver., Rick Hendrick Chevrolet

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Running a partial schedule the past two years, Mark Martin was able to rekindle his passion for racing and ponder the championship that has eluded him his entire career.

Presented with an opportunity to make one last run at a title with storied Hendrick Motorsports - a full-time 36-race commitment - Martin told his wife he couldn't risk passing it up and regretting it the rest of his life.

"It just was an opportunity that I absolutely could not, I just couldn't let it go by," Martin said. "I told Arlene when we talked about this that I'm pretty sure the last breath I took on my death bed would be: 'I should have drove Rick's car when I had the chance.'

"I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to regret that until the last breath I took."

Martin announced a two-year deal Friday to replace Casey Mears in Hendrick's No. 5 Chevrolet. Next season will be a full schedule, and he'll scale back down to a split ride in 2010. Hendrick said the team could use either Brad Keselowski or Landon Cassill, who both currently drive in the Nationwide Series.

But in stepping into Hendrick's elite program - the program has won 11 championships in NASCAR's top three divisions since 1984 - Martin gets a bona fide chance to win the title that has escaped him the past 26 years. Martin will join two-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the most stout lineup in the series.

"It's a legitimate shot at a championship," Hendrick said. "He's finished second four times, and I'd love to see him have an opportunity to get one.

"That's what Junior wants to do, Jimmy wants to do, Jeff wants to do. If you've got four legitimate shots at it, hopefully one of them can get it."

Martin's shot has famously eluded him during his remarkable career. One of the most respected drivers in the garage, he was a perennial title contender until he scaled back his schedule after the 2006 season.

Martin has won 32 times in 710 career races starting in 1981 and finished second in the standings an agonizing four times, including his runner-up finish to Tony Stewart in 2002.

Stewart, a two-time series champion, thinks the 49-year-old Martin can be a factor in the title race at any age.

"I think eight or 10 years from now he will still be able to win championships; he's just that competitive," Stewart said. "You look at how good of shape he's in and how good of a job he does at taking care of himself. He's a guy that could go as long as he really has the desire to go.

"You're never going to lose that talent and that ability, and as long as he stays healthy like he's been doing, he realistically could do this for another eight or 10 years if he really wanted to."

A fitness freak, Martin said he's in the best shape of his career, and his health played a part in his decision.

"I feel five years younger than I did when I stepped out in 2006 after being so tired and frustrated," Martin said. "There's no chance I would have (raced full-time) in 2006. The two years I spent on this limited schedule . . . gave me a chance to catch my breath and spend quality time with my family and sort of reflect on what's important and what I want to do."

He considered retiring at the end of the 2005 season but was coaxed back for one final season with Roush Fenway Racing. He finished ninth in the standings that year.

Martin then devised a partial schedule plan with now-defunct Ginn Racing and nearly won the Daytona 500 in their first race together - he was nipped at the finish line by Kevin Harvick. But it set the stage for a strong start to the season that had Martin leading the points and the entire industry wondering if he'd really step out of the car.

He did, sticking to his decision to run just 24 races last season and forfeiting the chance to win the championship. His contract was sold to Dale Earnhardt Inc. when Ginn walked away from NASCAR midway through last season, and Martin is splitting his seat there with Aric Almirola this year.

Martin knows this return has drawn comparisons to NFL quarterback Brett Favre, who is reportedly reconsidering his offseason decision to retire. Although he knows very little about football, former teammate and Green Bay Packers fan Matt Kenseth has told him about Favre, and Martin understands the inability to walk away from something you love when the performance level is still strong.

"I make no apologies for not knowing exactly what my whole life holds for me," Martin said. "When you're pretty good at something, and it's been the focus of your life and the driving force of your life for 35 years, and you're still pretty good at it, you probably don't want to quit it until, for me, I'm not pretty good at it.

"Beyond my love for family, I don't really have anything else with that kind of passion I have for racing. I thought at the end of 2006 that I was fine with couch time the rest of my life. But that was because I was in a frustrated fog of emotion of being worn out.

"So if I can drive something that gives me a chance to win, and I can still do it, then I probably still want to do it. And I have told you guys that if it was all or nothing, I would choose nothing. And I have said that: 'Well, I may have changed my mind - again. I was given a chance of nothing or all in the 5 car, I chose the 5 car."

Labels: Hendrick Chevrolet Specials, Hendrick Martin Back, Hendrick Motorsports, Hendrick opportunity, Hendrick replace, Hendrick's championships NASCAR's.