A NASCAR Hall of Famer has teased a potential guest stint in the FOX Sports booth. Mark Martin, who reached Victory Lane 40 times in the Cup Series, tweeted that he could visit the booth again after a brief appearance at Auto Club Speedway.
Martin turned heads with two different tweets on February 27. He first thanked the fans for all of the kind words after his brief appearance in the booth. He added that “I might do it again sometime for a little longer.” Martin then responded to a YouTuber asking if he could join the booth for a full race, saying that everyone would need to lobby FOX Sports.
If the Hall of Famer secures a guest spot in the booth, it will not be in the next two weeks. FOX Sports has already confirmed that Danica Patrick will be the third person in the lineup for the Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
Martin was all over the California track during the race weekend. He met Ice Cube, posed for photos with Jeff Burton and numerous other people, and visited the FOX Sports booth to discuss a variety of topics. Martin also praised the Gen 7 cars and the way that they test the Cup Series drivers.
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“These guys, you’re going to have to give them a handful of steering wheel today, and that’s what I love to see,” Martin told NASCAR Nation on February 27. “It reminds me of these cars back in the 80s. They were tough to drive back then. They’re a challenge now, and they should be. That’s what NASCAR racing’s about.”
There Were Several Tracks Listed as Potential Options
When Martin said that everyone would need to lobby on his behalf, there were numerous fans that quickly jumped on board. They began tagging FOX Sports and calling for the Hall of Famer to get into the booth with Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer.
Some of the Twitter users even listed their ideal tracks for Martin’s time in the booth. Martinsville Speedway was a popular choice considering that the short track’s two races are among the best on the schedule due to the chaos that unfolds. Though FOX Sports only has one of the Martinsville races. NBC has the elimination race in October. Martin also has multiple Cup Series wins at the short track, so he knows what it takes to succeed in high-pressure moments.
Another popular option was Darlington Raceway, the home of Throwback Weekend. This annual event features numerous stock cars with schemes paying tribute to drivers from the past. Some competitors even use the opportunity to dress up in throwback firesuits.
Another Special Guest Drew Rave Reviews
Matt Kenseth in the #FoxSports booth!
If Martin does join the booth as he teased, he will have some strong performances to follow up. Both Tony Stewart, who took part in the Busch Light Clash and the Daytona 500, and Matt Kenseth both sparked praise from viewers for the insight that they provided and the chemistry that they displayed with Bowyer and Joy.
Kenseth, in particular, provided a different type of energy than Bowyer in the booth. He was quieter with a very dry sense of humor, which provided some balance throughout the race. Though Kenseth had some fun with the viewers by calling up his former rival Joey Logano during a break.
“Petition to have Matt Kenseth in the booth every week. He’s fantastic,” tweeted Matt Weaver of Racing America. Many others joined in on social media and expressed a desire to have Kenseth in the booth for numerous other races on the schedule.
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Mark Martin Teases Future NASCAR Appearance: ‘You Never Know’