NASCAR: He Said What? Mark Martin Makes Bold Prediction

Babe Ruth called his shot in 1932 against the Cubs. Plaxico Burress guaranteed a win in Superbowl XLI against the Patriots. Both the Babe and Plaxico proved right their predictions, and Mark Martin looks to do the same about his own on July 27th.

At Pocono last month Martin told the media, "I'm planning on winning the Brickyard in the No. 8 car." The statement is very unusual for Martin, a man who plays it safe on the racetrack and in his interviews.

But Martin was adamant in his statement the same way Babe Ruth was when he stepped into the box with a full count then pointed to the center field bleachers. He then hit a home run that's believed to be the longest home run at Wrigley Field and the Yankees went on to win the 1932 World Series.

As for Burress, he was also on target when he said his New York Giants would beat the New England Patriots. He just wasn't correct on what the final score would be.

"All this is entertainment," he said. "It's sports, and sports are entertainment. So 23-17 is the prediction I made, but the game still has to be played."

The game was played and the underdog Giants beat the undefeated Patriots to become Superbowl Champions.

So what made Martin so confident that he stunned the media?

"I have never planned on anything more than my plan for the Brickyard. That's the crown jewel." Martin firmly believes that his team is the program to beat on flat track, a flat track such as the famed 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motorspeedway.

At Pocono when Martin made his bold prediction, he finished 10th—Pocono is also considered a flat track.

So the question becomes: does he have the team and is the team capable of preparing a car that can go the distance and win the Allstate 400?

"Sometimes it all works out and it almost did at Daytona last year for us. And Daytona and the Brickyard are the two that would be crown jewels of my career, and this team can do it. So thats the place that I have targeted."

Everyone watched and waited for Charlie Root's pitch to the Babe when playing in the biggest game in baseball, and waited the four quarters in Arizona when playing in the biggest game in football, now everyone must wait and watch the 15th annual Allstate 400 at the Brickyard to see if Mark Martin can win one of the biggest races in NASCAR, and to see if the third time really is a charm.