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The Man of the Year 2009
12/7/2009Let youth be served.
Except in 2009.
In January, 57-year-old Chesley Sullenberger heroically piloted a US Airways jet to a safe landing on New York’s Hudson River.
In July, 59-year-old Tom Watson came within an eight-foot putt on the 72d hole of winning the British Open.
In November, 50-year-old Mark Martin almost raced to the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.
That’s the kind of year it was in the motor sport. Rubens Barrichello – ancient by Formula One standards at 37 – was twice a winner and finished third in the world standings. Ron Hornaday Jr., 51, had six victories en route to an unprecedented fourth career Truck series crown. Mike Edwards, 52, out-ran everybody in NHRA’s Full Throttle Pro Stock class with a staggering 16 poles (including nine to end the season), five wins, and the title.
But no one had the story of Martin, who after decades of seemingly carrying the weight of the world on his slender shoulders, began to smile and enjoy life behind the wheel of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet.
Martin’s first triumph since 2005 – on an April Saturday night in Phoenix – was the feel good moment of a NASCAR season otherwise remembered for Dale Earnhardt Jr. going zip, Carl Edwards going into the fence at Talladega, and the public and media going apathetic over Jimmie Johnson’s historic-yet-unappreciated fourth consecutive Cup. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jack Roush, Jeff Burton and several others went to victory lane that evening to give Martin their congratulations.
In a sport and industry where marketers have been heatedly chasing after the 18-to-25 demographic, Martin’s cool Chase run energized the AARP crowd. He pumped interest into a series that needed it. His fans poured money into speedways that needed it.
For that, Martin has earned this column's 2009 James P. Chapman Man of the Year Award. The honor is named in memory of Chapman, the legendary Detroit-area public relations pioneer and respected motorsports executive. Chapman, who was Babe Ruth’s PR man and confidant, also orchestrated the Driver of the Year Award and was director of racing for CART series sponsor PPG Industries before his death in 1996.
“The guys and girls over 50 that are enjoying this and are excited about it,” said Martin, who finished with five wins, seven poles, and was 141 points short of Johnson. “I think that’s great. I really do. Good for them and it’s good for me. That’s really how I look at it.
“I think that brings a different element to what we’re doing than it would be if it was all one age group. You’ve got Joey Logano, who won right around his 19th birthday, and you’ve got us on the other end of it.”
Martin, now five times the Cup runner-up, is signed full-time for 2010 and 2011. May age continue to have its rewards.
Previous James P. Chapman Man of the Year Award Winners:
2000 -- Jacques Natz (news director, WTHR-TV, Indianapolis) and Terry Brookins (news director, Speedvision RaceWeek).
2001 -- Richard Childress
2002 -- Tony George
2003 -- NASCAR fans
2004 -- Brian France
2005 -- Carl Edwards
2006 – Jimmie Johnson
2007 -- Rick Hendrick
2008 –- Tony Schumacher and Alan Johnson
About I.N. Sider
I.N. Sider is the pen name for an independent motorsports business-person who has a quarter-century of professional experience working in almost every major North American racing series. The writer is not an employee of Valvoline or Ashland Inc. The column is intended to inform, entertain, and stimulate thought on the contemporary motorsports scene. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of Valvoline or Ashland Inc.