Sterling Marlin

Sterling Marlin (born June 30, 1957 in Columbia, Tennessee) is a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver who currently drives the #40 Coors Light Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing. He is the son of Coo Coo Marlin, who was also a NASCAR driver. His teammates are Casey Mears (#41 Target) and Jamie McMurray (#42 Texaco/Havolne). He currently has 10 NASCAR Nextel Cup series wins and has finished top ten in the year end point standings six times.

Related Topics:
June 30 - 1957 - Columbia, Tennessee - NASCAR - Nextel Cup Series - Chip Ganassi Racing - Coo Coo Marlin - Casey Mears - Jamie McMurray

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Sterling ran his first ever Nextel Cup race in 1976. However he did not participate in the series regularly until 1983, where he was awarded the Rookie of the Year title.

Related Topics:
Nextel Cup - 1976 - 1983

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Sterling's first career win came in his 279th career start at the 1994 Daytona 500 driving for Morgan-McClure Motorsports in the #4 Kodak car. He went on to win the 500 in the following year, becoming only one of three drivers to win consecutive Daytona 500s. Sterling won two more times during the 1995 season and finished a career high third in the point standings.

Related Topics:
1994 - Daytona 500 - Morgan-McClure Motorsports - 1995

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In 2001 Chip Ganassi bought a controling interest into the team Sterling Marlin was racing for. As well as the managment change, the former Chevy based team switched over to Dodge. Dodge had returned to NASCAR that year after a long absence and Sterling scored their first win at Michigan International Speedway in August. He went on to score another victory at Charlotte in October and equaled his best career finish in the points (third).

Related Topics:
Chip Ganassi - Dodge - NASCAR - Michigan International Speedway - Charlotte

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Marlin scored two victories early in the 2002 season at Las Vegas and Darlington. He lead the points standings for 25 straight weeks before his championship run was cut short by a neck injury in a crash at Kansas Speedway.

Related Topics:
2002 - Kansas Speedway

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Outside of racing he enjoys watching Tennessee Volunteers football and collecting Civil War artifacts. He is married to Paula and has a son, Steadman (who sometimes races in the Busch Series) and a daughter, Sutherlin.

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Marlin will leave Chip Ganassi Racing at the end of the 2005 season. His replacement will be current NASCAR driver David Stremme.

Related Topics:
NASCAR - David Stremme

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Marlin will move to MB2/MBV Motorsports for 2006. He will drive the #35 Chevrolet, which does not yet have a sponsorship deal in place.

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