After his emotional declaration on Thursday that his back-up car couldn't win the Daytona 500, Mark Martin's Roush Racing crew put in a mammoth effort to🔥 rebuild the primary #6 Viagra Ford that was all but destroyed in Martin's Gatorade duel clash.

Although the decision not to go to the back-up car meant Martin missed Friday's practice session, he was able to clock eleventh f🐭astest time in Saturday's final Happy Hour practice.

"It's an honour," commented Martin after Saturday's practice. "These guys will do anything. That's why I wanted them back thiꦇs year. I really love these guys, so it's really an honour to have them back."

Going into his final year on the full-time Nextel Cup circuit and still searching for his maiden Cup title, M💫artin asked every member of his 2004 team to return in 2005 and, to a man,🔯 they agreed.

Martin's primary car was one of several to suffer severe damage in Thursday's second Gatorade 🎉150 qualifying duel after he collided with the spinning Kevin Harvick on the backstretch of the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. Many of the other drivers involved in the accident, including Harvick and Rusty Wallace, all went to back-up cars for Sunday's race.

Although there was no fairytale Day🤪tona win for Martin, who finished sixth in his 22nd and last attempt to tꦬhe 'The Great American Race,' the 46 year-old veteran enjoyed a spirited duel with fellow non-Daytona winner Rusty Wallace in the closing laps.