Mark Martin joins Hendrick Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 4 (UPI) -- Veteran Sprint Cup driver Mark Martin signed a two-year contract Friday to drive for Hendrick Motorsports starting with the 2009 season.

He replaces the fired Rick Mears and joins two-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time champion Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., to give Hendrick Motorsports a formidable team.

"I like putting two dogs together, nose to nose, and letting 'em fight," Hendrick told NASCAR.com while reflecting on his private conversations with all four drivers. "They've each told me they can beat the others, and privately I've agreed with them."

The semi-retired Martin has finished second in the points race four times during his career, qualified for the season-ending "Chase" race for the Cup title in three of four years of its existence (2004-2006), and has recorded 35 wins, 41 poles and 390 top-10s in 711 Cup starts.

His 48 wins make Martin the all-time leader in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.