Mark Martin hilariously trolls Jeff Gordon with iconic victory lane photo from Chicagoland: “Telling me I jumped the restart”

NASCAR legend Mark Martin trolled his former teammate Jeff Gordon on a classic victory lane photo from Chicagoland Speedway on social media. In July 2009, Martin in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, outdueled Gordon at Chicagoland Speedway in a spectacular double-file restart finish.

Martin dominated the 267-lap race, leading 195 laps. He claimed his fourth win of the season by a mere 0.415 seconds over Gordon.

On Sunday (July 6) Martin replied to a picture posted by Five Wide Sports on X, writing:

"@JeffGordonWeb telling me I jumped the restart 🤣🏁"

Chicagoland in Joliet, Illinois was a staple on the NASCAR circuit. The 1.5‑mile tri‑oval hosted the Camping World 400 Cup race between 2001 and 2019. During the 2009 night race, NASCAR’s double‑file restart rule turned the final laps into a thrilling spectacle. Gordon had a slight misstep on the restart and spun the tires of his iconic No. 24, which allowed Martin to sprint to victory lane.

That win gave Martin his 39th career Cup win and fourth of the season, but it also got him close to Harry Gant’s record for wins in a season by a driver over 50. Gant is still the oldest Cup race winner, having earned 18 victories after turning 50.

"Icing on the cake for my career" - Mark Martin on the 2009 NASCAR Cup season with Hendrick Motorsports

Mark Martin joined HMS in 2009 after a part-time season and no interest in full-time racing. Team owner Rick Hendrick had offered him a 24-race deal in 2007 and 2008, but Martin declined. However, Hendrick insisted and in 2008, he agreed to a full-time run with crew chief Alan Gustafson in 2009.

Many found it surprising that Rick Hendrick chose the 50‑year‑old Martin to stay full‑time in 2010 instead of young talent Brad Keselowski, who was racing strongly in the Nationwide (Xfinity) Series. Keselowski even had a contract to take over the No. 5 but was passed over when Hendrick extended Martin’s deal.

In December 2024, Martin reflected on his career and said the opportunity changed his life.

"I don’t want to sound like hyperbole but my time at Hendrick Motorsports really changed my life and really put the icing on the cake for my career," Mark Martin said (via hendrickmotorsports.com).

Mark Martin finished second in the 2009 NASCAR Cup Series, scoring five wins, including the Southern 500. He had 14 top‑fives, and 21 top‑10s but was left 141 points behind champion Jimmie Johnson to end up as a runner-up for the title five times in his 30-plus-year career in the series.