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Car owner Martin can't get enough of the modifieds Medford car and truck dealer will have five cars on hand for Saturday's races By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Ron Martin won't say how much money he has tied up in the five race cars he'll bring to the Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday night. Let's just say that the collection of four modified cars and one pro stock are worth more than a fancy new motor home. Martin, a Medford car and truck dealer, has lured some of the area's top drivers to operate his state-of-the-art modified cars: Tom Glover, Dennis Silva, Brian Poppa and John DeBenedetti. Glover and Silva have each won modified points titles, DeBenedetti has been a local and national champion in the dwarf car class and Poppa has been a top driver in the pro stock division. The fifth driver in Martin's crew is his son, Scott, a rookie in the pro stock class. "My wife thinks I'm nuts but this is very enjoyable to me," Martin says. "It's a great form of entertainment and it's good advertising for my business (Ron Martin Wholesale)." Unlike some car owners at the national level, Martin doesn't meddle with his drivers. They're given a free reign on how to drive and how they want to set the cars up. "These guys are all systematic on how they do their maintenance," Martin says. "They're committed individuals. "I own the cars and they drive them. My main job is getting the barbecue ready at the track." Martin also serves as a calming influence to the drivers, who tend to get emotional when things aren't going well. "This sport is stressful by its nature, and having been in their shoes gives me an advantage," says Martin, who raced for seven years at the old Medford Raceway before retiring in the early 1980s. "I'd kind of the daddy of the group." Martin and his drivers met at a Medford restaurant Wednesday evening to discus the season. "More than anything, I just want them to have fun," Martin says. "Sometimes you have to win to have fun, but it's like I told our guys, no matter how well you do, one of you can do no better than fourth (in the modified point standings). "I understand the challenges of this. Other than Silva, all these guys have A-type personalities and there's going to be rifts. But that's no reason not to have a good time out there." Two of the drivers - Silva and Glover - made their season debuts last weekend at other tracks. Silva set fast time and finished second in the main event at Yreka on Saturday while Glover claimed the main at Klamath Falls on Sunday. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.