Dodge Charlotte preview

STERLING MARLIN (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Marlin's chassis for Sunday's race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates No. 115, has quite a record. It scored the first victory of the season for Dodge on Aug. 29, 2001 at Michigan. It finished third at Michigan in June, second in the Brickyard 400 in August and fifth last week at Kansas Speedway. Marlin's fifth-place finish at Kansas propelled the 44-year-old driver from Columbia, Tenn., to fourth in the series standings. He trails third-place Tony Stewart by only 54 points. Marlin is the only driver who has remained in the top 10 in points all season. He is one of just four drivers to score 15 or more top-10 finishes in the first 28 races of the season. Marlin has scored just 11 top-10 finishes in his 42 races at Lowe's and has never won at the North Carolina track. His best Lowe's finish, a second-place finish, occurred in May 1989. He has finished 15th or worse in the last nine races at Lowe's, since May 1997. He finished 31st in this race last year and 15th there in May. Marlin will make career start No. 532 on Sunday.

BILL ELLIOTT (No. 9 Dodge Dealers Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Elliott will drive the same Evernham Motorsports Dodge Intrepid R/T chassis that finished 23rd at Rockingham earlier this season. Elliott led 33 laps last week at Kansas, but engine problems relegated him to a 40th-place finish. Elliott has qualified in the top 10 in his last three races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In 49 career starts at the 1.5-mile track, Elliott has two victories, 11 top fives and 21 top 10s. He finished 26th in May's Coca-Cola 600 and currently ranks 14th in the standings. The 45-year-old 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup champion from Dawsonville, Ga., will make career start No. 652 on Sunday.

WARD BURTON (No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Burton will race the Bill Davis Racing chassis that finished 38th earlier this season at Pocono. Burton, a 39-year-old driver from South Boston, Va., finished 41st last week at Kansas. He'll be going for his third straight top 10 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Burton qualified ninth and finished ninth in May in the Coca-Cola 600 and finished 10th at LMS last October. He'll be making his 16th career start at LMS, and five of his last six starts there have resulted in top 10 finishes. Burton, ranked 20th in the series standings, will make career start No. 243 on Sunday.

DAVE BLANEY (No. 93 Amoco Ultimate Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Fresh off his 10th-place finished last week at Kansas, Blaney will drive the same Bill Davis Racing chassis he drove earlier this season at Atlanta, Texas and Pocono. Blaney will be making his fourth career start at LMS. The 36-year-old driver from Hartford, Ohio, ranks 24th in the series standings and will be making career start No. 68 on Sunday.

JOHN ANDRETTI (No. 43 Cheerios Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Andretti will compete in a brand new Petty Enterprises Dodge Intrepid R/T chassis at LMS. Andretti did not qualify for the Coca-Cola 600 in May. In 15 career starts at LMS, Andretti has one top-10 finish. He finished 39th last week at Kansas and ranks 29th in the series standings. Andretti will make career start No. 255 on Sunday.

CASEY ATWOOD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Atwood will drive the Evernham Motorsports Dodge Intrepid R/T chassis that finished ninth at Dover. The 21-year-old Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender from Nashville, Tenn., finished 43rd last week at Kansas after qualifying fifth. He finished 42nd in May in his first career Cup start at LMS. Atwood ranks 31st in the series standings and third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

STACY COMPTON (No. 92 Kodiak Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Compton will race the same chassis that finished 21st in August at Michigan. Compton will be making his third career start at LMS. He finished 34th last week at Kansas and ranks 34th in the series standings. The 34-year-old driver from Grit, Va., will make career start No. 59 on Sunday.

JASON LEFFLER (No. 01 Cingular Wireless Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Leffler won his first NASCAR Winston Cup pole last week at Kansas and was headed for a top 15 or possibly a top-10 finish when he wrecked just nine laps from the finish. He ended up 28th in the 43-car field. The 26-year-old Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender from Long Beach, Calif., will drive his Pocono chassis at LMS. Leffler finished 31 at Pocono. He finished 30th in May at LMS. He ranks 37th in the series standings and fifth in the Raybestos rookie race.

BUCKSHOT JONES (No. 44 Georgia Pacific Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Jones will drive his Dover chassis at LMS. He finished 38th at Dover. Jones finished 31st last week at Kansas and ranks 40th in the series standings. The 31-year-old driver from Tucker, Ga., will make his 41th career Cup start on Sunday and his third Cup start at LMS. He qualified 13th and finished 27th in the Coca-Cola 600 in May.

KYLE PETTY (No. 45 Sprint Dodge Intrepid R/T)
Petty will drive the Petty Enterprises chassis he had at Kansas last week. In 41 career starts at LMS, Petty has one victory, five top fives and 11 top 10s. He ranks 42nd in the series standings, and the 41-year-old driver from Randleman, N.C., will make career start No. 604 on Sunday.