RPW Exclusive: For Mike Martin, It’s Time To Jump Back Behind The Wheel & Chase Checkered Flags

Column By: JOSEPH PHILLIPS / RPW – LOCKPORT, NY – Mike Martin’s been racing for the last 20 years…give or take.

Inspired by NASCAR and Modified legend Geoff Bodine’s exploits in asphalt Mods, the Lockport, NY standout has always carried the number 99 at Genesee and Ransomville Speedway.

Beginning in the Pro Stock division, Martin amassed seven career victories and earned awards for Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Driver, among others.  Even with all of his accolades, Mike’s memories still go to one of his biggest disappointments, the night DIRTcar Pro Stock event at Genesee in 2008 where he got passed for the lead and ended up in the runner-up spot.

That shows the drive of this man.  Even with all of the positives he’d achieved, it was a night that one slipped away that he remembers, vowing to use that as fire to improve.

Due to increasing costs and the crate engine rule for class, however, Martin decided to move up to the DIRTcar Sportsman that season.

Two wins followed plus a second place finish in Novice points and in 2019, he was the Co-Novice Sportsman Champion after tying with Butch Zimmerman.

Ultimately, family took precedent as Martin stepped away from driving for a few years to focus on his son’s racing career as well as to to build his business, Finish Line Auto Detail.

However, for 2025, Martin’s back!

He’ll be returning to the driver’s seat with his Bicknell #99, set to give it another go.  His schedule will include the Land Of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua, NY as well as various other tracks in the area, when time allows.

Like many drivers, Martin’s worried about the increasing costs of Sportsman racing.  This is becoming a common theme in the Northeast, in all classes.

Back in the late 90’s, when the division was established, a driver could procure a used Modified chassis, steel wheels, some tires and hit the track.  The engine bolt within was a built Small Block.  It had steel heads, a 2-barrel carburetor and a stock type of ignition (HEI or what have you.).

In the mid-2000’s or so, though, it was decided to switch to the GM 602 Crate Engine for Sportsman and Pro Stock cars. As a bonus, drivers could run a 4-barrel carb, but it had to be 100% spec.

“The cost of these engines has gone way up,” Martin said.  “They use to be $3,000 dollars, give or take.  Now, they’re close to $10,000.   Throw in spec shocks, aluminum rims and tires and a small team’s struggling to pay bills just to get the car to the track.”

Martin also mentioned the complexity of modern chassis.

“Now there’s the left-side pan hard bar combination,” he said.  “The right side use to be the norm for years.  It’s not cheap to change but some tracks are outlawing the left side stuff and forcing drivers to change back.  Time’s have changed.”

Another issue facing Martin and other drivers is that crew help is hard to come by.  Many small teams have to set the car up during the week in the shop, get it to the track and then race and crew it themselves.  For some, it may be just the driver alone.

With how these cars have evolved, keeping up with technology is tough when you’re a one-man band or a small group of dedicated people.  Martin says he’s lucky to have the support of his wife and his son.  That is when his son isn’t racing, though.

Mike’s not alone in these thoughts. In the past 50 years, our sport’s costs have risen significantly. In the 1970’s, drivers could procure a Tobias Kit car or a Grant King chassis, build an engine over the winter and race until the car was totaled in a wreck.

Many cars from that era continued racing well into the 1980’s.  Modern chassis, however, with the flex builders put into them these days, just don’t hold up like their older brothers and while it started out as a good idea, the expense of a spec engine continues to grow quite steadily.

Drivers like Mike Martin are the backbone of auto racing.  Fans love seeing their big name heroes visit victory lane, but it’s more thrilling when the underdog stands at the top of the mountain and wins a few themselves.

Hopefully, in 2025, those fans will see the red #99 of Mike Martin taking the checkers and visiting victory lane!