In 1981, Mark, Banjo Grimm, and Ray Dillon built this Pontiac Ventura Winston Cup car. Mark's first Winston Cup start was on April 5, 1981 at North Wilkesboro, where he qualified fifth. The rear end burned up, and Mark finished 27th. He went on to race at Nashville twice, Richmond, and Martinsville. He won the pole position in only his third Cup start (Nashville) on July 11. Two months later, he sat on the pole in Richmond. Just a couple of weeks later, he qualified fifth, and placed third in the race at Martinsville.

Photo and information used with permission from the David Bull Publication Mark Martin: Driven To Race, by Bob Zeller.

$24.95 Softbound, 9" x 10", 160 pages, 140 color and 55 black and white illustrations, ISBN 0-9649722-3-9

Also Available:
The Publisher's Edition of Mark Martin: Driven To Race
$59.95, Hardbound, 9" x 10", 192 pages, 157 color and 64 black and white illustrations, ISBN 0-9649722-4-7
This special hardcover edition, autographed by Mark, features extra photographs and memorabilia from Mark's scrap books and Mark's complete Winston Cup Career statistics through 1996.

Use of this photo outside of the Mark Martin Fan Page is strictly prohibited.