For over 18 years, the 2007 Daytona 500 finish has remained one of the most debated moments in NASCAR history. Mark Martin, the ageless warrior of the Cup Series, was mere feet from a long-awaited Daytona 500 victory—only to have it ripped away in a photo finish by Kevin Harvick.
For years, the blame has been placed on NASCAR’s officiating, as the sanctioning body never threw the caution flag despite a massive wreck unfolding behind the leaders. But now, after nearly two decades, Martin has pointed the finger in a different direction—squarely at Kyle Busch.
The crash that changed everything
The 2007 Daytona 500 was chaotic from start to finish, but the final lap remains one of the most dramatic in history.
Martin, a driver haunted by near-misses, led the field coming to the checkered flag. With Harvick charging on the outside lane, the battle for the win reached its boiling point. Then, chaos erupted behind them—and Kyle Busch was at the center of it.
Busch, running in the pack behind the leaders, lost control of his No. 5 Chevrolet. His spin triggered a massive multi-car wreck on the backstretch, leaving cars crumpled across the track. But NASCAR made the controversial call to let the race finish under green, refusing to throw the caution flag.
Had the caution been thrown at the moment Busch spun, NASCAR’s rules would have frozen the field—declaring Martin the winner. Instead, Harvick surged ahead by just 0.002 seconds, stealing the biggest win of Martin’s career out from under him.
Mark Martin’s brutal truth: “Kyle Busch cost me the win”
For nearly two decades, the primary debate surrounding Martin’s loss focused on NASCAR’s inconsistent officiating. But during a recent fan Q&A session on social media, Martin shifted the blame elsewhere.
When asked what he could have done differently to win the race, Martin responded bluntly:
“If @KyleBusch doesn’t spin out, I win. Nothing else I could do. It’s that simple.”
For the first time, Martin redirected the conversation, making it clear that Busch’s spin—not just NASCAR’s no-call—was the real reason he lost.
This new revelation adds yet another layer to the long-running controversy. While NASCAR fans have always debated whether the caution should have been thrown, Martin’s take suggests that Busch’s mistake was the real trigger that led to the heartbreak.
A career defined by near-misses
With 40 career Cup Series wins, 453 top-10s, and 61 second-place finishes, Mark Martin is one of the greatest NASCAR drivers never to win a championship or a Daytona 500.
2007 was his best shot.
After that race, he never came as close again. He continued competing in six more Daytona 500s, but his best finish after 2007 was third place in 2012. That fateful final lap at Daytona remains his closest near-miss in the Great American Race.
Even after years of reflection, Martin still feels the sting of that moment. His latest comments come at a time when NASCAR’s caution rule enforcement has once again been called into question, making his words all the more impactful.
The final verdict: A moment that will never be forgotten
Mark Martin has long been a class act, refusing to dwell on his heartbreaks. But even he can’t ignore the frustration of 2007, especially when a single decision—or a single mistake—cost him NASCAR’s biggest prize.
Would Martin have been a Daytona 500 champion if Kyle Busch didn’t spin out? Would NASCAR have made the right call if the wreck never happened?
The debate will never end. But one thing remains certain: Mark Martin deserved better.