Mark Martin will likely run up to 10 Truck Series races next year. Credit: Autostock

Martin could drive Ford in limited truck schedule

Veteran says he has opportunity to race Chevys in Busch Series

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Mark Martin's days with Ford are not over yet.

	Mark Martin has won five of his 11 truck races this year in a Ford. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Martin's 2006 NCTS stats No. Race Start Finish 1. Daytona 1 1 2. California 7 1 3. Atlanta 10 2 4. Martinsville 2 4 6. Charlotte 10 13 8. Dover 13 1 10. Michigan 9 2 17. Bristol 1 1 18. Loudon 16 10 20. Talladega 1 1 21. Martinsville 8 4 END OF AN ERA •   Martin joining MB2 Motorsports after 19 years with Roush

Martin said on Thursday that his 2007 race schedule will likely include 5-10 races in a Ford in the Craftsman Truck Series. He also said that he is likely to run a 5-10-race Busch Series schedule in a Chevrolet.

At Talladega this month, Martin announced that he would drive a 20-race Nextel Cup schedule in the No. 01 Chevrolet for MB2 Motorsports next season.

Martin said that his Busch plans will involve an unnamed Chevrolet team, possibly one different than MB2.

"I am pretty close to a truck deal," said Martin, who has run 11 truck races this year, winning five of them. "I think the first hurdle has finally been cleared on that.

"I think I will race a Ford truck next year, and five, maybe even 10 races and I think I will race a Busch car five to 10 races in a very exciting variety, possibly three different teams. The Busch team will be a Chevrolet, and the truck will be a Ford, if I race it."

The move to MB2 Motorsports shocked the industry. There is arguably no driver more associated with a team than Mark Martin and Roush Racing -- the two have been together for 19 years -- but Martin did not want to run a full schedule in 2007.

MB2 Motorsports has struggled mightily this season -- the two-car team has scored just two top-10s all season -- but Martin says the team will surprise some people in 2007.

"Things were getting better before I signed on," Martin said. "In the past they have been a great team and a great contender. They started turning the corner."