Being the son of a successful stock car driver can be very difficult sometimes.  Fans and competitors alike almost always expect the same great things from the second generation driver.  An example of this is Dale Earnhardt Jr. As soon as he entered the sport, the comparisons to his father were inevitable.  At Ransomville Speedway, the same goes for Jeff Martin.  Jeff’s father Don Martin has been running up front for many years throughout the Niagara Region in the open wheel ranks.  This surely put a large amount of pressure on Jeff to perform at a peak level.  After a few seasons of riding the learning curve, Jeff has picked it up a notch and has really become a big time player in the Pro-Stock ranks.

            Jeff started racing at Ransomville in the Pro Stocks in 1997.  With as many as thirty cars showing up on a weekly basis, just making the field was a chore.  The first season was full of ups and downs, but overall, it was a great learning experience.

            The 1998 season started with a new car and high hopes for a great season.  Unfortunately, a midseason wreck kept the team out of commission for over a month.  When the team returned though, the results were much better.  More races were being finished and less and less damage was occurring.  The highlight of the year was at the King of the Hill, when Jeff scored an impressive seventh place finish while staying on the lead lap.  What made the run even more impressive was the fact that Jeff was caught up in a wreck during the heat and had to qualify during the consolation race.  Anybody who ever attends the King of the Hill knows that qualifying for this show is a huge accomplishment in its own right.  This great run planted the seeds for a great upcoming 1999 season.

            1999 has turned out to be a watershed year for Jeff.  Early in the season, Jeff shook a 400 gorilla off of his back and picked up his first career feature win.  What made the win even more impressive was the fact that the win was in commanding fashion.  Since this time, the team has run up front just about every week.  The only thing that seems to be lacking is some consistency.  A few weeks after the first win, Jeff had another feature win in his sights when on lap fifteen, the axle came out of his car.  Instead of getting discouraged, the team got right back up and proceeded to run up front again.  This determination was never more self evident than on July 9^th, when Jeff picked up his 2^nd feature of the year.  With the season only half over, there just may be a few more wins in the # 16 Pro-Stock’s future.

            Jeff could not run as well as he has without the support of his car owner, Dan Mayer.  Dan gives him the best possible equipment to run up front.  Racing a car requires great amounts of labor and dedication.  It is easy to get discouraged when you’re not running well, but this team never quits. 

            In the immediate future, the team plans on finishing out the season with the #16 Monte Carlo.  They definitely have to be considered one of the favorites at the King of the Hill 100. The year 2000 will bring a multi car effort to the Mayer stable.  Jeff will pilot the 16 and Dan will be driving a second team car.  With even more experience behind him, both cars will surely be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.

            On a personal note, Jeff is married to his lovely wife Dina, and has two children, Derek and Brady.  In addition to Dan’s efforts on the car, Dan’s father Ron is also a great help to the team.  The team would also like to thank their sponsors who include Snap On Tools, the NAPA Machine Shop in Williamsville, and Ed’s Garage in Ransomville.