NASCAR Cup
Richmond: Sterling Marlin preview
Richmond Race Marks 30-Year Anniversary of Cup Racing for Marlin RICHMOND, Va. (May 2, 2006) -- When Sterling Marlin takes the green flag for Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway it will be just two days shy of the ...
Published: May 4, 2006, 5:24 PM
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Richmond Race Marks 30-Year Anniversary of Cup Racing for Marlin
RICHMOND, Va. (May 2, 2006) -- When Sterling Marlin takes the green flag for Saturday night's Nextel Cup race at Richmond International Raceway it will be just two days shy of the 30-year anniversary of his first NASCAR Cup start.
Marlin made his NASCAR Cup debut on May 8, 1976 at Nashville Speedway, substituting for his father, Clifton "Coo Coo" Marlin, who sustained a shoulder injury during an ARCA qualifying session at Talladega Superspeedway the week before.
When it became evident that the elder Marlin wouldn't enter the Nashville race, he made a deal with his son, "If you can fix it, you can race it."
Sterling took his father up on the offer and climbed behind the wheel of the No. 14 Cunningham-Kelley Chevrolet soon after.
Though the 18-year-old Marlin posted an uneventful, but respectable finish of 29th in his maiden ride, it was the beginning of a high-profiled journey for the Columbia, Tenn. native.
"I hadn't really thought about this being my 30-year anniversary to be honest, but I guess that's about right," said Marlin, a two-time Daytona 500 champion. "I'm amazed I'm still around and that I've been running that long. When you've been messing with racecars like I've been doing since I was 12 or 13-years-old, time flies. Racing is my life and I'm still having a blast."
Saturday's race in the No. 14 Waste Management Chevrolet will mark Marlin's 685th start in the Cup series. To date, his career statistics include 10 wins, 83 top fives, 215 top 10s, 11 pole positions and earnings of more than $37 million.
"It's amazing how much has changed," said Marlin. "There's just so much that's different now than even 10 or 15 years ago. It's phenomenal to see how many fans are at each event --camping out and sitting up in the stands. I remember when Bristol was just two grandstands on each side. I don't think any of us could've foreseen the popularity that was going to come to this sport.
"The 70s and 80s were more laid back -- it was a lot simpler then. You were just there to race. It wasn't the rushing or the panic mode that everyone seems to be in now. It comes with the territory, and I'm not complaining, it's just a big change."
Marlin doesn't know what he would've been doing the last 30 years had he not been behind the wheel of a racecar, but he isn't ready to find out.
"I've had a good career, but feel there's more to get done," he said. "That's why I am excited about being with MB2 Motorsports this year. Though we've had some tough times this season, we're still focused on being successful and winning races. We'll see if we can't get things turned around in Richmond in the Waste Management Chevy."
-mb2m-
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