Marlin's Brush with the Wall Results in 26th-place Finish

FT. WORTH, Texas (April 4, 2004) --- Sterling Marlin saw his chances for
a win hit the wall during the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor
Speedway.

 

When the green flag dropped on Sunday's race Marlin was in the 14th
starting position, his best ever starting spot at Texas Motor Speedway.
During the first caution on lap 17, Marlin reported that the car was
tight.  The Coors Light crew elected to put two fresh right side tires
on and make an air pressure adjustment.

 

When Marlin was exiting the pits the Coors Light Dodge grazed the 22 car
of Scott Wimmer.  No significant damage was done and Marlin restarted
the race second behind Rusty Wallace.  Marlin quickly took over the lead
a lap later and held it for 17 laps.  Marlin continued to swap the first
and second position for the next ten laps until lap 49 when he was
passed by Kasey Kahne.  

 

Green-flag pit stops began on lap 79 and Marlin brought the Coors Light
Dodge down pit road on lap 81 for four tires and fuel.  When the
green-flag pit stops had cycled through Marlin was still running second.
The yellow flag came out on lap 117 and Marlin was radioing that the car
was "aero tight and tight up off."  The Coors Light crew made a four
tire, fuel, air pressure adjustment and fixed the minimal damage to the
right front caused by the pit road melee earlier.

 

Marlin continued to run in the top-five when he restarted the race on
lap 124 in the third position.  However, just five laps later the Coors
Light Dodge got tight and Marlin was unable to turn it in and hit the
fence off turn 2.  The yellow flag was not waved so Marlin brought the
car down pit road under green-flag racing.  The Coors Light crew worked
feverishly to repair the right side damage and was able to send the
Coors Light Dodge back out five laps later in the 37th spot.

 

Marlin and the Coors Light crew continued to battle on the track and in
the pits and with five more cautions over the next 200 laps, Marlin was
able to finish the race 26th. 

 

Marlin's 26th place finish dropped him to 14th in the NEXTEL Cup
championship points just 17 points out of the top 10.   Ganassi
teammates Casey Mears and Jamie McMurray finished seventh and tenth
respectively.

 

The Coors Light team is off next weekend for Easter.  The next race is
at Martinsville Speedway in two weeks.