Article: Burton, Martin are among leading contenders for this year's Cup.

Byline: Ed Hinton

CONCORD, N.C. _ Jeff Burton and Mark Martin, two old friends and former teammates who long ago convinced each other never to count on anything in NASCAR _ especially a championship _ now find themselves vying for one.

Burton at 39 and Martin at 47 are first and third respectively in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, just 10 points apart, entering the halfway point in the playoffs, Saturday night's Bank of America 500.

Has the old doomsayer duo even talked about where they find themselves?

"I think you're insinuating that as Mark retires, I am soon to be crowned the most pessimistic person in motor sports," Burton ...

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