Mark Martin drops two-word reaction as chaos erupts in NASCAR Championship Race

Mark Martin was quick to react to the chaotic overtime in Friday’s NASCAR Truck Series Championship race. Grant Enfinger and championship contender Tyler Ankrum were involved in a multi-car mess in Turn 3 at Phoenix Raceway, which triggered the final caution of the race just before Ty Majeski took the white flag.Since his retirement in 2014, Mark Martin has gotten far from racing. He enjoys a slow-paced life, spending time with family and working on several businesses, including his Ford dealership in Arkansas. The only connection he has with racing today is through sponsoring Jared Landers's dirt racing team in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.Moments before the multi-truck pileup, the field was running five wide at Phoenix. Martin was getting worked up watching all the on-track action. But he wasn’t expecting a caution at the time, so when the yellow flag came out, the NASCAR veteran shared his reaction on X and wrote.“Oh man.”With the race falling into double overtime, the excitement among the NASCAR aficionados went up a notch. Corey Heim, driver of the No. 11 Toyota for Tricon Garage, had the last laugh as he pulled off a risky seven-wide pass against Majeski on the two-to-go restart. Heim is now the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.“So grateful to be where I'm at," said Heim during his post-race interview. "So thankful for TRICON Garage, and Toyota for taking a chance on me years ago. I was so stressed out ever since we won at the Roval, because I knew we'd have to defend this with the year we've been having. I've been so terrible to talk to as a person. Just so stressed out. This is such a relief. So thankful for everybody."With that, the series rolls into the off-season. The action will resume on February 13, 2026, with the Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway. FOX will cover the 100-lap inaugural event, while radio updates will be available on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.Mark Martin urges NASCAR to come clean about its revenueMark Martin has always advocated for the return of the season-long points format. And he will keep doing that until NASCAR reveals the real reason as to why the current playoff format exists. Martin knows the reason, but he wants NASCAR to step up and admit it.The way Mark Martin sees it, the TV broadcast, NASCAR, and the team owners are all obsessed with the revenue that they bring. But that wasn’t the case back in the day.“I’m smart enough to know that the TV broadcast, NASCAR and the owners are all addicted to the revenue that they bring, whereas in my day, the revenue came directly from the fans from tickets sales and what not,” Mark Martin said in a statement. “It’s a different day and age, but I will shut up leading that charge when they tell us the truth.”“I know what the truth is, but just come out and say, ‘Hey, we know the majority of the fans would rather see a full 36-race championship, but here’s why we’re not going to do it.’ Just do that and that’s enough for me,” he added.NASCAR brought about the elimination-style format in 2014, under which 16 drivers battle throughout the postseason for the ultimate honor. Winning a regular-season points race grants automatic entry into the 10-race playoffs. Four drivers get eliminated after each round until the field is set for the 'winner-takes-it-all' style championship race.