O'Reilly USCS Young Gun, Danny Martin, Jr. selected as NSCHOF 360 "Wild Card" DoY

December 4, 2005
Atlanta, GA - Nineteen year old O'Reilly Auto Parts United Sprint Car Series driver Danny "Hammer" Martin, Jr. from Sarasota, Florida was named the 2005 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame 360 sprint car "Wild Card" driver of the year. The honor is given to the driver that most impressed the voting members who make up the selections committee for the NSCHOF 360 sprint car poll.

Martin was chosen from a list of four nominees that included fellow O'Reilly USCS competitors, Kenny Adams from Malabar, Florida and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. from Olive Branch, Mississippi plus Patriot Sprint Group champion Bryan Howland from Auburn, New York. For the second season in a row Martin drove his Martin Structures #00 into the runner-up spot in the final standings of the O'Reilly USCS National Championship. The series contested 51 races on both dirt and paved ovals. Martin won three times (twice on asphalt and once on dirt).

In addition to the three victories, Martin also garnered the Speedmart Young Guns championship for the top series driver under twenty-five years old who gathered the most National points. Martin had twenty-five (25) finishes in the top five positions and thirty-five (35) times he scored finishes in the top ten. This performance gave Martin his second National Championship runner-up finish in two seasons with the O'Reilly USCS. This time it was behind the Nations winningest 360 sprint car driver Kenny Adams of Malabar, Florida. Although the O'Reilly USCS had twenty different winners in 2005, Martin was one of only eight drivers that won on more than one occasion. He was also one of only five drivers that won three or more races.  

The talented Native American teenager garnered a third place finish in the O'Reilly USCS Southern Thunder regional series, finished fourth in the O'Reilly Mid-South Thunder regional points, had a  fifth place finish in the O'Reilly Asphalt Thunder Tour standings and a sixth place in the O'Reilly USCS Carolina Thunder region. While leading several other A-main events and looking to have things well under control for the win, mechanical failures lead to incomplete events for the hard working young driver.  For more info on Danny "Hammer" Martin, Jr. visit www.hammermartin.com    For more info on the O'Reilly USCS and to view full listing of the final point standings and Danny Martin, Jr's. statistics please visit www.uscsracing.com