The secret ingredient for the No. 5 team is attitude

It was early in the season, just after a seemingly great run by Mark Martin at Atlanta Motor Speedway had been ruined when Martin ran over something on the track and punctured a tire, causing him to wreck his No. 5 Chevrolet.

Doubt, it seemed, was bound to creep in on Martin and his crew chief Alan Gustafson.

Pop the cork

Mark Martin posted his Cup Series-best fifth victory of the season in the Chase opener at New Hampshire to extend his points lead.

• Complete story
• Press Pass: Mark Martin
• Final Laps: Martin wins
• Victory Lane: Loudon
• SPEED Victory Lane
• Biggest test yet to come

This was the team that many had considered a popular dark horse pick to make the Chase, maybe even -- and this seemed a crazy thought that day at AMS -- challenge for Martin's first-ever title. But they were mired in 34th in the points standings after having to settle for a 31st-place finish in the Kobalt Tools 500.

Martin was so upset he barely spoke to anyone before bolting from the track. But Gustafson lingered. And although clearly disappointed, he politely but defiantly laid out his belief that all would be well with Martin's 2009 season, which then was only four races old.

"I think the key to stuff like this is you've got to turn it into motivation," Gustafson said then. "You can't sit there and feel sorry for yourself, or hang your head and pout. You can't start talking about ifs, ands or buts. You've got to fight. You've got to say, 'Hey, we've got our backs against the wall.'

"There is nothing more dangerous than a rabid dog, you know, so that's what we've got to be. We're in the back where we don't belong, and we've just got to take it and use it as motivation and go out there and fight."

And fight they have. Looking back to that trying day in March, all one can do is shake their head and admire just how far Martin and his Gustafson-led crew have come in the nearly six months since.

On top of the world

This morning Martin sits on top of the Sprint Cup world, same as he did heading into last Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. But his hold on the lead in the points standings seems even steadier now -- not only because he won the Sylvania 300 but because of the continuing dogged mindset his team has displayed heading into the final nine races of the season. (Continued)