Local co-owns a budding racing team

Galliano native Hal Martin has had a need for speed his whole life.

As a boy, Martin raced go-karts, then small cars – enjoying success at each level, which led to the next challenge and a step up in competition.

He made it all the way to NASCAR’s Nationwide Series, and along the way, he has raced at some of the most prestigious, well-known tracks in the world and against several top-tier drivers.

But getting sponsorships is tough, and NASCAR is a young man’s game. Now in his 30s, Martin is out of the car into an executive role. It’s been a tough adjustment, but the local said he’s learning to love his new gig.

Martin is the co-owner of Martin-McClure Racing, a NASCAR development team in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series.

The team has several racers, including Austin Cindric and Chad Finchum, who have recorded victories.

Martin said he’s excited to be a team owner, adding that the new career move allows him the opportunity to stay in racing over the long haul – a lifelong dream.

His partner in the venture is Eric McClure, who also is a former driver and was Martin’s teammate when both were on the circuit.

“The idea to start the team stemmed from my desire to stay in the sport that I’ve been a part of for so long as a driver and still enjoyed being involved in very much,” Martin said. “For me, sponsorship was becoming more and more difficult to acquire, and in a sport of younger drivers, I was in a situation where I needed to make the difficult decision to step out of the driver’s seat. … After many late nights, business planning and budgeting, we decided to form Martin-McClure Racing.”

Martin has big plans for the team in the future.

He said he and McClure scout drivers around the country trying to find some of the top young drivers on the open market.

Martin said the challenge of finding a driver is two-fold.

First, of course, the driver must be talented and capable of competing in races. But other things count, as well, according to Martin.

NASCAR is a big-money game, and it costs money to make money. Martin said drivers must have chops in the car but also the ability to attract and keep support in the corporate world.

“Driver talent is one piece of the puzzle,” Martin said. “Sponsorship is the other. When recruiting drivers, we are also recruiting brand ambassadors for sponsor companies. The racing industry encompasses athletic talents and brand representation. Our conversations with potential drivers quickly moves from the talent aspect into the business development side where businesses-to-business strategies help fund the yearly budgets to race.”

Martin is hands-on in his approach. He’d have it no other way.

As a driver, Martin said the thrill of competing is what motivated him. He competed in 17 races on the Xfinity Series, finishing in the Top 20 several times, including one lead lap.

As team co-owner, Martin said one of his biggest ways to stay competitive is through keeping up with his driver’s equipment and making sure they have the best stuff on the market to succeed. Martin has a mechanical engineering degree from UL-Lafayette, and he said he puts it to good use often when helping the team.

“I still enjoy the thrill of competition,” Martin said. “Now that I’m in the owner’s seat, I enjoy controlling other aspects of the sport, such as management and fielding competitive race cars. I also am the lead spotter for the team, which allows me to help coach some of these younger drivers from atop the spotter’s stand. I am able to utilize my driving skills over the radio and communicating with our drivers to help maximize their speed around the tracks we race. I also utilize my mechanical engineering knowledge to help in the development of setup and design with our crew.”

Add it all together and it sounds like Martin-McClure has put its best foot forward – slowly climbing up the ranks in the racing game.

The team had nine drivers last year, and Martin said the 2018 roster will be announced in the coming weeks.

He said he and McClure are approaching the future with patience, but with a clear plan for progression and growth.

Martin said the team’s goal is to climb into one of NASCAR’s top three national touring series, which will take a lot of effort, but which he believes is a reachable feat.

“I always wanted to sit behind the wheel and compete in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Martin said. “But I’d have just as much satisfaction if I were to make it up to the top of the NASCAR ladder as an owner in the sport I truly enjoy.” •

Hal Martin

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