"I said I would never be like that": When Mark Martin confronted his father's demons to rebuild his NASCAR dream

In 2009, Mark Martin discussed lessons learned from his father's struggle with alcoholism to rebuild his NASCAR Cup Series career. Growing up in Batesville, Arkansas, Martin idolized his father until the drinking began to dominate their household. But financial pressures and dashed expectations in the early ’80s sent him spiraling.

Following the 1982 NASCAR season, Martin was left without the sponsorship to support his self‑built Cup car and was forced to auction off his equipment. Privately, he began drinking heavily. When Jack Roush offered Martin a two‑year commitment for his own Cup team starting in 1988, the then 29-year-old agreed to stop drinking.

"Genetically speaking, a son of an alcoholic is five times the risk of becoming one than not. My dad had problems all through my childhood. I said I would never be like that. At some point, I had to look at myself and say, 'Either I am like that or I'm not going to be like that.' That's a hard thing," Mark Martin said (via ESPN).

However, drinking was normal in the racing world and Martin's idols, including Dick Trickle, drank heavily and partied after races. Martin, who had been sober since 1988, also talked about his early drinking habits.

"They always made fun of me because my beer was always hot," Martin added.

Martin's first Cup win came at Rockingham in 1989 and by 1990, he was runner‑up in the championship with three victories and 23 top‑10s. Over 19 seasons with Roush Racing, he collected 35 Cup wins and finished second in points four times (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002).

Martin credited his switch to intense physical fitness to remain competitive at the highest level. His teammates, mechanics and crew chiefs all noted the change. Roush also admitted that he might not have signed Martin in the sponsor-driven climate of the 2000s.

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"I envy people who can drink socially" - Mark Martin on healthier friends and habits

Mark Martin also reflected on sobriety in 2009, when he joined Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 5 Chevy. He explained that quitting forced him to find healthier friends and habits.

"I took stock one day of where I was at and where I wanted to go and the man I wanted to be, and that couldn't be a part of it," Mark Martin said (via ESPN).

"When I quit, I had to find different friends and different things to do. I envy people who can drink socially. I wish I could, but some people can't," he added.

Martin continued to win races till the late 2000s. The 2015 Motorsports Hall of Famer finished the 2009 Cup season second in the standings at the age of 50.