DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 9, 2007)—Sterling Marlin has a storied history at historical Darlington Raceway, including his last Nextel Cup win, which came on March 17, 2002.
Of his 43 starts at the daunting egg-shaped track, Marlin has collected two wins (spring races in 1995 & 2002), 10 top fives, 16 top 10s, and two pole positions.
"Darlington has been a special track for me from the beginning,” offered Marlin, who is in his 31st year of Cup racing (first start May 8, 1976). “I’ve been racing there for close to thirty years and loved every trip. I’ve had good finishes and bad finishes, but they were all memorable.
“There aren’t many tracks left that have been around since the beginning, and these days a lot of the tracks are the same. Darlington is different -- that’s what makes it unique.”
Marlin’s first start at the 1.366-mile oval, known as the track “Too Tough To Tame,” came in 1980, where he drove from a 33rd-place starting spot to an 11th-place finish.
“From the beginning, if I could stay out of trouble, I could usually bring home a decent finish at Darlington,” Marlin continued. “That didn’t work out for us last year so we’re hoping for better fortune this time around.”
Marlin is referring to the fact that, despite a 27th-place qualifying effort, the No. 14 Ginn Racing team was forced to start last year’s Darlington event at the rear of the field after it experienced an engine failure during the first lap of Happy Hour.
"That wasn't a great day for us," recalled Marlin. "We struggled from the beginning and could never really get going. We started behind the eight ball and never got around it."
This year, Marlin looks to add a new statistic to his Darling Raceway history with a top-10 finish in his Ginn Racing Chevrolet.
“It’s one of my favorite tracks and I’d love to get another top 10 or better finish there,” said Marlin. “Start up front and stay up front—that’s the game plan.”
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Jeff Wackerlin
Senior Editor Posted Tuesday, May 22, 2007
CONCORD, N.C. - Prior to last weekend's NEXTEL Open at Lowe's Motor Speedway, RacingOne sat down with Sterling Marlin to discuss a number of topics that included his future, Dale Jr., the COT and much, much more.
RacingOne: You have a great looking paint scheme with Pep Boys on it this weekend. Are they planning to return more in 2007?
Marlin: I have no idea. I walked in and it was on the car. So it’s a good deal with a good company.
RacingOne: Since it's All-Star weekend, what are some of your favorite All-Star moments?
Marlin: I don’t really know. I have run second in it twice maybe three times. I had a great shot to win it one night (in 1994) and Schrader (Ken) and I got racing pretty hard and Bodine (Geoff) got both of us on Hoosier tires and we ran second. That and watching some of the good finishes like Davey wrecking at the start/finish line with Kyle (Petty) and Earnhardt (Dale) tying up going into the last lap. There’s been some pretty wild finishes.
RacingOne: You had your first solid finish with the Car of Tomorrow at the last race in Darlington. How is the COT program coming along at Ginn?
Marlin: We have built a lot of new cars and every time we build a new one we find something that's a little bit better. The car really drove well all weekend and I didn’t have any issues with it.
RacingOne: Is there one particular thing about the COT you just don't like or can't get used to?
Marlin: A race car is a race car once you get in it. I still think they are ugly, but I guess they are growing on us. The first time they downsized the cars, from the old 77 Monte Carlos, with the new stuff the cars didn't look good. But it just takes a while to get everything looking like you want it.
RacingOne: A couple weeks ago in Talladega you led a bunch a laps for the first time in the last two seasons. What did that feel like to lead in that highly competitive race?
Marlin: Well you know, I’m just really proud of the guys. We had a car in Daytona that qualified good for us and race pretty good, but we got real tight. But the car in Talladega ran so good, I had a ball.
RacingOne: With your strong run at Talladega do you think Dale Earnhardt Jr. had an eye on the team?
Marlin: You’ll have to talk to Junior and Bobby Ginn, I guess. I don’t know.
RacingOne: If it were down to Ginn and Hendrick to sign Dale Jr. who do you think it would be?
Marlin: Ummm...I’d say Hendrick.
RacingOne: What's it like to work with Bobby Ginn?
Marlin: He’s a neat guy. I met him last year in Daytona and I spent a little time with him down in the islands over July. He’s a blue jeans, boots, roll his sleeves up, go to work type guy. He’s just down to earth as you could want anyone to be.
RacingOne: How many more year's will we see Sterling Marlin behind the wheel of a Cup car?
Marlin: I don’t know. I’m studying on it now and if I do run anything I might run 20 races or the whole schedule again. I don’t know. Kind of waiting on sponsors and see what they are going to do, and what Jay (Frye) and Bobby want to do, and work it all out.
RacingOne: When you do retire would you still be involved with something at the race track?
Marlin: I’d still come and hang out a little bit. I mean you won’t see me at Watkins Glen or Sonoma. But you'll see me at other tracks. I still have a bunch of friends still in it.
RacingOne: What's Steadman up to and does he plan on running some ARCA races?
Marlin: He’s running the Nashville short track. That’s about it. I think they’re going to try and buy an ARCA car and run some races. If they run the Car or Tomorrow all next year, there’s going to be a lot of cheap Cup cars to buy.
RacingOne: Jamie McMurray said you were one of the best at playing practical jokes on the guys in the garage area. What was the best one you played on a driver throughout the years?
Marlin: I’ve done a lot, but Earnhardt and I used to prank each other a whole lot. Probably the best one on him was I put a bunch of wheel weights on his car. We were in Somona. I wheel weighted him real good and greased his windshield wipers and put a bunch of dust on his windshield wipers where he had to cut it on. Come to find out, it wasn’t a rent-a-car, it was some dealer’s car. He was hot!
RacingOne: When traveling on the circuit where are the restaurants you always have to visit everytime in a certain city?
Marlin: There are two or three places I always go to. If we go to Daytona we go to the Deck Down Under always. There’s a place in Michigan we go to every Friday that has the best fish you probably ever eaten. You just kind of have your favorites
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LONG POND, Pa. (June 6, 2007)— Driving the No. 14 Pep Boys Chevrolet, Sterling Marlin will be looking for a reversal in Sunday's Nextel Cup event at Pocono Raceway. In both of his visits to the Pennsylvania track last year, the Ginn Racing driver experienced problems-- first with an engine failure (June race) and then with brake issues (July race).
"To get good finishes at Pocono, you have to have everything at its best," said Marlin, who has 16 career top 10s at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. "I've seen a lot of good runs go downhill fast there because of transmission failures, faulty batteries and engines. To be successful, not only does your race car have to be stout and the driver on top of his game, but all of the other components have to be top notch too."
"Problem free races are important each week," continued Marlin, who was credited with 42nd and 30th-place finishes at Pocono after last season's issues. "But Pocono is infamous for those mechanical problems."
With its long straightaway of 3,740 feet, Pocono Raceway has a history of chewing up brakes in Nextel Cup events. That, coupled with transmission and engine problems, can make for a long day.
“We had good race cars last year,” noted Marlin. “We were passing people, but when the engine broke and the brake problem hit, that pretty much halted our move to the front. The two Pocono races last year were awfully frustrating-- hopefully we can turn things around this trip.”
Marlin is coming off a 16th-place run in Monday's rain-delayed Cup event at Dover International Speedway, his third top-20 finish in the last five races.
“Top 20s aren’t what we’re aiming for each week, but consistency is a step in the right direction," said Marlin. "I expect our Pep Boys Chevy to be quick off the truck. I have a feeling that things will work out for us differently this time around at Pocono."
Sunday's Pocono 500 will be broadcast live on TNT beginning with a pre-race show at 12:30 p.m. ET.
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Marlin to Morgan-McClure? Sterling Marlin may not be without a Nextel Cup ride for long. Late Tuesday a team source at Morgan-McClure Racing which currently fields the #4 Chevy with veteran Ward Burton said that officials there are in discussions with Marlin for a possible second team.(Cup Scene Daily)(7-18-2007)
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Marlin Looking to Add to Darlington History
Sterling Marlin
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