There is no doubt Mark Martin is as confident as he has ever been going into a NASCAR Cup Series season. The 50-year-old Batesville, Arkansas-native is a twenty-six year Cup Series veteran and has spent the majority of his life working on and wheeling race cars around the nation. Heading into the 2009 season, Martin is rejuvenated and ready to contend not only for wins, but also the championship.

"I'm very motivated, probably more motivated than I was in 2000 or 2005," Martin explained, "because I know there's only, it started that [counting on his hands] five, four, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Now it's down to I don't know, I don't know. So, every time I get a chance to do this, the Daytona 500, for example, I don't know how many more I'm going to get."

Making the move to Hendrick Motorsports this season, Martin feels he now has the best shot at making a serious run for the things that have eluded him his entire career - a Daytona 500 trophy, a win at the Brickyard and the Cup Series title. Joining one of the greatest collection of racing talent ever assembled, Martin has a bounce in his step and a look in his eye that has been missing for years.

"I had to have a break," Martin said after years and years of focusing on nothing but racing. "I was tired, burnt out and frustrated. I had put in every ounce that I had into my career from the time I graduated high school until the last day in Homestead in '06 in the 6 car. I had to step back and catch my breath and let myself out from under that gun and do some things I felt I wanted to do that racing was standing in the way of. I did those, and I caught my breath and it took a year, a year and a half for me to get caught up and get in the right frame of mind. Mentally right now I'm in so much better frame of mind than I was then."

Proving he's serious about what he says, Martin posted the second fastest time of Sunday's qualifying session, locking himself on the front row for next weekend's Daytona 500. One of the only races to elude him his entire career, Martin is eager to capture the race he came within a few feet of winning in 2007.

"It's trying to get my arms around the crown jewel," Martin admitted. "I didn't let that eat at me a lot, but when it started dwindling down and you could count on one hand your shots at the Daytona 500, then it started going down to four, three, we don't know anymore, we don't know anymore.

"This is the crown jewel of stock car racing," he went on to say. "I've had a little bit of success in it, but the crown jewel - everything else I've done in my career would fit around this. I'm a one step at a time guy, but this is the best stuff I've had. So, I'm grateful for that."

In 2007, Martin came within 0.02 seconds - or the length of a bumper - to winning the race he describes as the "crown jewel of stock car racing."  That dramatic finish brought fans to thier feet and filled the air with drama that lasted for months to come. Leading going into the final corner of that event, Martin admits he learned a thing or two from losing that race, but is not quick to share that knowledge with anyone.

"If I did [learn anything], I wouldn't advertise it," Martin said with a smile. "I wouldn't want the competition to know that I did and that I would do something different next time. I think keeping everyone guessing is the best thing to do."

After watching Kevin Harvick pull off the same move that beat him in '07 during Saturday night's Budwieser Shootout, Martin went on to explain that making a "brilliant" move at Daytona or Talladega is only brilliant in the eyes of the media and those in the stands. For the driver wheeling the car, a successful move like the one Harvick made on him and in the Shootout is as much, if not more, dependent on those around you in the pack than anything the driver can do behind the wheel

For a driver that just turned fifty a month ago, Martin seems to be acting like one of the young guns in the garage area. Admitting that it, "beats the alternative," the driver with 35 Cup Series victories says he's loving life and where he is in his career. Joining Hendrick Motorsports thiwinter, Martin told reporters Sunday, "this is the best it's ever been for me."

With a team owner like Rick Hendrick, Martin now has the opportunity and the mindset that gives him the opportunity to end his career on top. Mr. Hendrick has been known for his generosity and tremendous caring character, and bringing Martin on board in the final years of his career is no different.

"To give me this opportunity is as huge to me as when he gave Tim Richmond an opportunity to win a race again after he got sick -- that was a big deal," Martin said of his new team owner and long-time friend. "He's done some other very big deals in his career like winning the Daytona 500 with Darrell Waltrip and putting Benny Parsons in the 25 car years ago. For me, this is just the start. This is just the first competition that we've had -- just the first one of the year and already it's turned out really sweet. I hope that we can continue to have some really bright days together."

One of the nicest guys to have ever graced the NASCAR Cup Series garage, Mark Martin is a favorite among fans, competitors and media alike. There are few out there that would not love to see him climb behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet and succeed right off the bat. If Sunday's qualifying is any indication of what this year has in store for Martin and this team, the competition better look out.