Mark Martin, born January 9,1959, has been runner-up for the NASCAR championship for 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002. He has compiled 35 Nextel Cup victories during his racing days. Mark has also been in the top 10 for 13 straight seasons.

It would seem that the elusive NASCAR championship title should have been his after the 2005 season solely for the sake of justice. Could his reputation as a driver with an honest and untainted past finally reward him with a glorious finish in ‘06?

This situation remains a possibility after Mark Martin obliged to Jack Roush’s request to return for a last round of NASCAR racing next season. This was due to extenuating circumstances involving his successor Jamie McMurray’s contractual obligations to another racing team. Mark’s selfless decision to return after getting approval from an understanding family seems to be a Hollywood script in the making about taking it all at the last dance.

His performance during 2005 certainly gives every indication that he still has plenty of fire within him to pull off this storybook ending. He improved five positions in his last eight races from ninth to finish fourth in the final standings. That certainly is a testimony to someone who has no intention to fade away into a mere distant footnote of racing history. Everything suggests that Mark will be a threat to his competitors all the way throughout next season.

Look forward to a No 6 team bent on bringing home the much deserved prize for the true gentleman of the sport after the 2006 season is over. Life could use one of these situations to show that it can be downright fair once in a while and that all good things happen in the end.