Biographical Series Profiles NASCAR Legends Who Helped Shape the Sport;
Mark Martin Installment Launches During “Mark Martin Month”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 12, 2026) – NASCAR Studios will premiere its newest original documentary series, Start/Finish, on Sunday, Aug. 16, with an in-depth look at the life and career of NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin. The one-hour documentary will debut exclusively on the NASCAR Channel as part of “Mark Martin Month,” celebrating one of the sport’s most respected competitors alongside the release of his new memoir, Never Lift.
Designed to preserve and celebrate the stories of the icons who built NASCAR into one of America’s premier sports, Start/Finish offers an intimate, emotionally driven look at the lives, careers and lasting impact of the personalities who defined generations of stock car racing. Through candid sit-down interviews, rare archival footage and deeply personal reflections, each installment goes beyond race results to explore the defining moments, relationships and sacrifices that shaped NASCAR’s most compelling figures.
The inaugural episode follows Martin’s remarkable journey from dominating short tracks across the Midwest to becoming one of the most accomplished and admired drivers in NASCAR history. Featuring a new interview with Martin, alongside an abundance of archival footage and interviews spanning decades of Martin’s career, the documentary traces the triumphs, setbacks and unwavering determination that defined one of the sport’s all-time greats. Despite never capturing a NASCAR Cup Series championship, Martin earned 40 premier series victories, five series runner-up finishes, and the admiration of competitors and fans alike through a career built on consistency, perseverance, and sportsmanship.
“Mark Martin’s story embodies everything this series is meant to capture,” said John Dahl, Senior Vice President, Original Content, NASCAR. “Start/Finish combines intimate access, extensive archives, and revealing conversations with the people who lived these moments to create a defining portrait. And what better way to launch the series than with one of the sport’s greatest drivers.”
“I’m honored to share my story with NASCAR fans in a way that goes beyond the races and the statistics,” said Martin. “Looking back on the highs, the challenges and the people who made the journey special gave me a new appreciation for the career I was fortunate enough to have. I hope fans come away with a deeper understanding of what the sport has meant to me.”
Produced by NASCAR Studios, Start/Finish will feature multiple new episodes every year. Following Martin’s episode, upcoming installments will feature 2027 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton.
The premiere of Start/Finish: Mark Martin continues NASCAR Studios’ growing slate of original programming, delivering compelling stories that connect fans with the personalities, history and defining moments that continue to shape the sport.
The NASCAR Channel is NASCAR’s free, 24/7 streaming destination, delivering live races, original programming, classic events, documentaries and daily news coverage to fans year-round. The channel is available across major FAST and connected TV platforms, including Prime Video, Roku, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Xumo Play, LG Channels, TCLtv+, Sling Freestream and Plex, as well as on the NASCAR mobile app and NASCAR.com.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Local Racing Series Powered by O’Reilly Auto Parts). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.
For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
