Like all professional athletes, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Mark Martin leads a hectic life. Between a 24-race NASCAR schedule, weight training, personal appearances and an active family life there are few spare moments. But when the 53-year-old, 40-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner gets a few moments to himself you might find him soaring miles above the earth’s surface.
Martin is an accomplished pilot owning a Citation CJ4 Jet that he often flies to race tracks across America. The 30-year veteran’s prowess as a pilot began out of necessity.
“I moved to Daytona Beach, Fla. in 1994. I had my own airplane, but my pilot lived in North Carolina,” recalled Martin. “I needed to come to North Carolina on Tuesday for our competition meetings. It was a pain. It was awkward so I needed to learn how to fly myself. I went to work and got it done.”
Martin not only earned his pilot’s license but perfected his skills enough to fly jets.
“Flying is not a hobby or a passion,” Martin said. “My passion is lifting weights, training, living a healthy lifestyle and racing cars. I certainly do love being a jet pilot of my own airplane. It’s very rewarding. It’s like being 16 years-old and being handed the car keys. Remember when you first got handed the car keys and you could leave the house unchaperoned? That’s what being a pilot is like.”
Martin flies to the races, but after driving the race car all day he uses the help of his pilot Laura Buck who flies the Martins home to Florida or their hangar in Concord, N.C.
Martin knows about pushing equipment to the edge. He’s earned 55 poles—the seventh most in NASCAR history and owns a season best four in 2012.
Flying for Martin is more about serenity.
“Within 20 minutes of leaving the ground I can be flying eight miles above earth and look around and I’m the only one there going 500 mph,” said Martin. “It’s darn near like having your own spaceship. I guess A hundred years from now our kids will be going into outer space and thinking isn’t this cool. But for right now in today’s age this is pretty cool.”
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