Speedway, Ind. — Mark Martin was second fastest today in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Martin was in his No. 6 Viagra Ford at 177.535 mph while Jimmy Spencer, driving the No. 4 Wide Open Energy Drink Chevrolet for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, turned a lap of 50.4155 seconds, 178.517 mph on a sunny and humid day with temperatures reaching 86 degrees.

Jeremy Mayfield was third in the No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge at 176.958. Elliott Sadler, driving the No. 38 M&M’s Ford, was fourth at 176.426, and Joe Nemechek was fifth in the No. 01 USG Sheetrock Chevrolet at 176.074.

Martin has scored six top-10 finishes in 10 starts at Indianapolis and hopes he can record an elusive victory in the 11th Brickyard 400.

“We really need to win it this year,” he said. “That would really make our season. We’ve had a lot of disappointment this year. We’ve had a really fast race car a lot of times, and that would make our season.”

Although teams have tested at IMS for a number of years, Martin said coming back year after year is critical.

“The cars evolve,” Martin said, “every piece on the car evolves, so it’s a good place to come and get on your game. You can leave here with new information that will help you out a lot of other places, as well. And then you’re sort of ready in case you get rain here in practice and you don’t get the kind of practice you expected.”

Spencer, the 2001 Brickyard 400 pole winner, said, “We came in full qualifying trim.”

“At the Brickyard, it’s important where you qualify, simply because if you don’t have a good qualifying day, you’re going to start pretty far back, and track position and, anymore, pit position is so critical at all the racetracks, including the Brickyard.

“We’re hoping we can be a top-10 car when we come back. We’ll work on some race setups [Tuesday], mainly run some long runs.”

This was the first day of a two-day test in preparation for the 11th Brickyard 400 on Aug. 8. Testing resumes from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. EST on Tuesday. The public is welcome to watch testing at no cost in the South Terrace grandstands, located inside the track between Turns 1 and 2.

Additional teams are scheduled to participate in private testing on July 19-20.

UNOFFICIAL SPEED REPORT
First day IMS testing with rank, car number, driver and speed in miles per hour.

1. 4A, Jimmy Spencer, 178.517; 2. 6, Mark Martin, 177.535; 3. 19A, Jeremy Mayfield, 176.958; 4. 38, Elliott Sadler, 176.426; 5. 01B, Joe Nemechek, 176.074; 6. 2A, Rusty Wallace, 175.208; 7. 25A Brian Vickers, 175.050; 8. 21A Ricky Rudd, 175.030; 9. 16, Greg Biffle, 174.877; 10. 41, Casey Mears, 174.862; 11. 10A, Scott Riggs, 174.737; 12. 60, Jason Leffler, 174.621; 13. 9B, Kasey Kahne, 174.603; 14. 99, Jeff Burton, 174.582; 15. 24A, Jeff Gordon, 174.566; 16. 23, Tony Raines, 174.090; 17. 22, Scott Wimmer, 174.090; 18. 49, Ken Schrader, 173.131; 19. 77B Brendan Gaughan, 173.131; 20. 98, Todd Bodine, 172.601; 21. 14, Larry Foyt, 172.601; 22. 72, Kirk Shelmerdine, 158.581.

Contributed by IMS News Bureau