From ’89 until ’00, Martin finished in the top-10 in points an astounding 12 consecutive times. In ’02, he was again the bridesmaid with a runner-up finish in the points to Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Although Martin managed a second place finish, it was not one of his better years. He recorded just one win, with 12 top-fives, 22 top-10s and zero poles.
In the three following seasons (’03, ’04 and ’05), Martin recorded only two wins, 26 top-fives, 38 top-10s and zero poles.
In ’05, Martin announced that he would be entering his final season in NASCAR. The season was dubbed the “Salute to You Tour,” thanking his fans for being behind him all those years.
Martin was supposed to make the down-shift to the Truck Series in 2006, but instead he returned for another full-time season (at the discretion of team owner Roush), and ran only 10 races in the Truck Series. He was wildly successful, winning six of them and helping long-time friend Roush by completing another full-time season in the No. 6 Ford, after former champion Kurt Busch bolted for Penske Racing.
The 2006 season quickly became the “Salute to You Encore” and Martin collected zero wins, nine top-fives and 15 top-10s.
The season was again supposed to be his last, yet his passion for the sport wouldn’t let him leave.
Without a spot to run part-time in the Roush stable (Roush had promoted David Ragan to Cup), Martin made the jump to Chevrolet and Ginn Racing.
The ’07 season featured Martin in the No. 01 Army sponsored Chevy for 24 races. He shared the ride that year with development driver Regan Smith and produced five top-fives (all of which came in the first five races of the season) and 11 top-10s.
Martin began the season with a runner-up finish at the Daytona 500 (a track where Martin has zero victories). It was one of the closest finishes since NASCAR scoring, with Richard Childress wheelman Kevin Harvick winning by .020 seconds.
During the ’07 season, an announcement was made that Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. had merged, thus putting Martin in the No. 8 Army car for the ’08 season, after Dale Earnhardt Jr. bolted for Hendrick Motorsports.
Martin again shared driving duties, this time with Aric Almirola. The season produced far less than expected. In 24 starts, Martin visited Victory Lane, zero times (three seasons in a row without a win), and collected four top-fives and 11 top-10 finishes.
The season, did however, give him his first win since ’05 in the Nationwide Series, a Series in which Martin holds the record for the most victories, at 48.
Later in ’08, Martin announced that at 50-years-old, he would become teammates to four-time champion Jeff Gordon, NASCAR’s most popular driver Earnhardt Jr. and reigning three-time Series champ, Jimmie Johnson.
The deal put him behind the wheel of the No. 5 Kelloggs/Carquest Chevy for HMS, and teamed him up with crew chief Alan Gustafson.
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