Could Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace both of whom are in their last full seasons in Nextel Cup share time together next season behind the wheel of one of Jack Roushs Ford Nextel Cup cars? Its a long shot, the principals involved said Thursday, but not impossible. Martin said Thursday hes contemplating doing a split Cup season next year in a Roush Ford. If you could share a full schedule with the #6 car with another top driver, thats never been done before, said Martin. Selling that to a sponsor, it would take the right sponsor and it would take a lot of things. Martins car owner, Jack Roush, said the odd were not good that it would happen and the more realistic option is that Martin ends up in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in a Roush Ford F-150. If you ask me to put odds on that (a part-time Cup deal for Martin next year), Id say the chances of that are pretty slim, between a 1 and a 30 percent probability, Roush said. Hed have to reach an accommodation with Rusty (Wallace) or with another driver and Id have to put together a sponsor package that would be attractive on a year-to-year basis to fund it at a level of a championship program. Im not saying I couldnt do it, but its going to be a challenge.
Theyd like me to do that and right now my decision is not to do anything like that, added Wallace. Although thats a very, very attractive offer and it does make a lot of sense.(Speed Channel)(5-27-2005)
