Mark Martin tops Richard Petty and Kevin Harvick in one of NASCAR's most quietly remarkable stats

Mark Martin has been the most complete driver to never win a Cup Series championship. Moreover, a recent fan-shared stat has added another layer to that story. It highlighted how often Martin kept himself in the fight, even on days he did not win, and how that consistency separated him from legends.

The stat came from NASCAR fan Daniel Céspedes. He posted an image comparing drivers with the most finishes in sixth and seventh place combined. The number underlined a career built on steady, consistent results across more than two decades.

Céspedes wrote on X, alongside a meme image referencing the “6/7” joke with Mark Martin’s face:

“This feels like the most fitting stat to finish 2025. Drivers with the most finishes in 6/7th place in the Cup Series: 1. Mark Martin - 89 2. Richard Petty - 88 3. Terry Labonte - 85 4. Kevin Harvick - 84 5.Kurt Busch & Ricky Rudd - 76.”

Mark Martin has 89 finishes in sixth or seventh place across 882 Cup starts. That number puts him ahead of the likes of Richard Petty, who owns almost every major NASCAR record. It also places him above champions like Terry Labonte and Kevin Harvick.

Labonte won championships in 1984 and 1996. Harvick secured his 2014 title in the first season of the playoff format. Petty remains the benchmark with seven titles. Yet Martin sits above all of them in this category that describes race-to-race consistency rather than dominance.

It also fits the broader picture of his career. Martin won 40 Cup races, ran near the front for over 30 years, and still missed the title each time. He raced against eras stacked with Hall of Famers, starting from the Cale Yarborough of the early 80s to the Jimmie Johnsons of the late 2000s. He contended for titles in every decade, but circumstances, timing, and fine margins worked against him.

That is why this stat resonates with Mark Martin, who was rarely rewarded in the standings the way fans think he deserved.

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How misfortune followed Mark Martin through his closest championship fights

Mark Martin and Denny Hamlin during the 2013 STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville. Source: Imagn

When people call Mark Martin “unlucky,” they usually point to the years he finished second. He is among the winningest NASCAR drivers who have not won the championship. Martin, who spent most of his career in the Roush Racing No. 6, sits third on that list, behind drivers like Denny Hamlin and the late Junior Johnson.

The difference is how frequently Martin was close, and how often bad timing, rule calls, or stronger seasons from rivals shut the door. In 1990, Martin had one of the strongest cars all season. A controversial call earlier in the year to not penalize Dale Earnhardt Sr. in Charlotte for a loose wheel cost him points that became decisive at season’s end.

In 1994, Martin was again in the mix. Reliability and small execution misses hurt when it mattered most, as he finished second to Earnhardt Sr. again. 1998 was one of Martin’s best years with seven wins. Yet Jeff Gordon’s season was even stronger with 13 wins.

At age 50, Martin returned full-time in 2009 and won five races. He matched Jimmie Johnson at his peak, but the format and timing worked against him. Johnson controlled the playoffs, and Martin settled for another runner-up. There were other seasons, 1999 and 2002, where mechanical issues plagued the business end.

Nevertheless, Mark Martin remains one of the most respected drivers the Cup Series has ever seen.

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Edited by Hitesh Nigam