Martin wins finale to clinch Nebraska Sprint Series crown

Sprint Series of Nebraska Champion Jason Martin. (Photo by Joe Orth)

LINCOLN, Neb. – Jason Martin couldn’t have picked a better night to win his first Sprint Series of Nebraska feature of the season.

Martin became the sixth different winner in as many IMCA EMI RaceSaver tour events on championship night at U.S. 30 Speedway. The victory made him the series champion by all of one point over Joey Danley.

“We never really set out to race for points. We race for wins,” said Martin, from Lincoln and a 20-year veteran of the winged division. “U.S. 30 is a track where I’ve been successful at in the past. It just fits my driving style but we had so many rainouts in the series and a lot of them (four) were at Columbus.”

Despite the rainouts and the resulting pro-rated bonus points, Martin was fourth in the national standings. He had five feature wins, including specials at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway and Dodge City Raceway Park, along with 12 top five finishes.

His 26 starts came at tracks in four states.

“I like to travel and we’ve had good luck with traveling series in the past,” Martin said. The 305s work out good for our budget, traveling expenses, everything.”

Closer to home, he was a two-time feature winner at Eagle Raceway. Martin was third in the Sprint Nationals main event and topped the $1,000 to win Jake Ita Memorial Race of Champions during the Labor Day Weekend special.

“Eagle is fun to go to. Sprint Cars are an ultra competitive class there with more and more cars every year. It’s a fun place to race,” Martin said. “Eagle and Columbus are my two favorite places to race in Nebraska.”

Starts: 6

Wins: 1

Additional Top Fives: 4

HIS CREW: Kaleb Gaines, wife Amber and sons Chase and Reece, and car owner Brad Ball.

HIS SPONSORS: Trucks Plus and Midwest Linings, both of Omaha; Speedway Motors, EMI, Allstar Dent & Detail and Deuces Wild Powder Coating, all of Lincoln; Competition Suspension of Brownsburg, Ind.; Myer’s Racing Engines of Ness City, Kan.; and family and friends.