Martin Proceeds Without Caution and Hands the Victory to Green
David Green was awarded a bizarre victory Saturday in the Goody’s 250 when leader Mark Martin mistakenly pulled off the track 300 yards before he was to take the checkered flag under caution.
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever done in my life, I think,” said Martin, who dominated the Busch Grand National event at Bristol International Raceway, leading 195 of the 250 laps. “What can I say? I thought it was over.”
Martin was about 10 car lengths ahead of Green when the final caution flag flew after Robert Pressley slammed into the third-turn wall on lap 246.
As the field came out of the fourth turn and the flag man reached for the checkered flag, Martin ducked down out of the racing groove and headed for victory lane.
A stunned Green kept his Chevrolet in line and took the checkered flag at 35 m.p.h.
It was the only lap he led.
“I’ve been pulling for David Green, wanting him to win a race,” Martin said, “but not like that.”
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