At the End, Martin Is Left to Win at Martinsville

Mark Martin, helped by a rash of competitors retiring with broken axles, survived a race of attrition Sunday to win the Hanes 500 Winston Cup race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Martin extended Ford’s winning streak to 12 races.

Broken axles cost defending champion Dale Earnhardt, Brett Bodine and Alan Kulwicki a shot at victory on Martinsville Speedway’s half-mile oval.

Martin took the lead from Earnhardt on 458th lap, lost it in the pits on the 462nd and regained it on the 474th for good. He beat Sterling Marlin’s Ford to the finish line by 1.13 seconds, averaging 78.086 m.p.h. and winning $59,300.