Mark Martin nearly gets 50 Cent to change name to 55 Cent, he’s also a huge rap fan if you didn’t know

Glenn McGraw | February 24, 2013 at 9:24 pm | 2 Comments

Somehow, hip hop star 50 Cent has stolen the 2013 Daytona 500 headlines. Yes, a predominantly southern sport is being overtaken at the moment by a rapper from New York City.

First, and in incredibly classy fashion, 50 embarrassed himself tyring to kiss Erin Andrews on national TV outside of the pits on Sunday.

Now, according to a report from the Associated Press, Nascar veteran Mark Martin nearly managed to get 50 to change his name to 55 Cent.

“We told 50 Cent if we won the race, he would have to change his game to 55 Cent for one day,” Martin said. “I was trying really hard to get that name change for one day.”

Martin races the No. 55 Aaron’s car and if he was able to pull off the win, 50′s name would have been five cents richer for one day.

Luckily for 50, Martin finished in third behind winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr. Had Martin pulled off the win, however, the name change might have been the only thing that would have overshadowed his epic fail with Andrews.

[2013 Daytona 500 Purse: Breaking down the prize money for 43 finishers]

Martin is apparently a huge fan of rap music, claiming in his Twitter bio, “Gucci Mane my favorite rapper.” Nascar also tweeted the following photo of Martin and rapper T.I. at Daytona International Speedway.