40 Darlington pre-race report

STERLING MARLIN

COORS CHIP GANASSI RACING with FELIX SABATES
#40 COORS LIGHT DODGE INTREPID R/T

PRE-RACE REPORT: DARLINGTON

 
OLE_LINK1EVENT:                      Carolina Dodge Dealers 400
                                    Darlington Raceway, 1.366-mile oval
                                    
DATES:                      Qualifying: March 15, 2002
Race: March 17, 2002
                                    
BROADCAST:            Television: FOX race coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. ET
                                    Radio: MRN race coverage begins at 12:30
p.m. ET

 


FAST FACTS

 
Sterling Marlin, driver, No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid R/T
*         Darlington:  In 36 career starts at Darlington Raceway, Marlin has
scored eight top-5 and 14 top-10 finishes.  His best finish is a win in the
TranSouth 400 on March 26, 1995.  His best start is two consecutive poles in
1992 (3/29/92 and 9/6/92).  In that same year, Marlin captured a total of
five pole positions with car owner Junior Johnson.
*         The Coors Light team will take car #203 to Darlington.  No. 203 is
the same car that won in Las Vegas on March 3, 2002.  It is the sister car
to #115 and Darlington will be the second race it has competed in.
*        Marlin is the only driver to have top-10 finishes in all four races
in 2002.  He is the only driver to rank in the top-10 in NASCAR Winston Cup
championship points since the 2001 Daytona 500.
*         Crew updates: Dewayne Trammell has joined the Coors Light crew as
the rear tire carrier.  His previous position was with Penske Racing.  Rick
Reling will return to jackman duties on the 40 car at Darlington.
*         Birthday: Andy Graves, team manager, celebrates his birthday on
Friday, March 15.



 


Sterling Marlin Career Stats at Darlington Raceway

 

DATE
START
FINISH

9/2/01
12
16

3/18/01
5
5

9/3/00
33
17

3/19/00
28
21

9/5/99
13
40

3/21/99
20
16

9/6/98
8
8

3/22/98
8
14

8/31/97
9
40

3/23/97
9
32

9/1/96
5
8

3/24/96
33
11

9/3/95
6
10

3/26/95
5
1

9/4/94
24
5

3/27/94
2
34

9/5/93
9
31

3/28/93
18
21

9/6/92
1
28

3/29/92
1
22

9/1/91
15
6

4/7/91
2
10

9/2/90
23
18

4/1/90
5
28

9/3/89
16
10

4/2/89
26
5

9/4/88
12
5

3/27/88
16
5

9/6/87
24
4

3/29/87
16
4

8/31/86
13
37

4/13/86
7
33

9/2/84
26
39

9/5/83
33
24

4/10/83
35
11

4/13/80
33
11

 

Sterling Marlin, driver, No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid R/T:
 
"At Darlington you really have to race the track and you have to stay pretty
focused all day long.  You run so close to the wall that you can get into it
pretty quick.  Rubber builds up six inches away from it and one little slip
and you're in the fence.  I enjoy racing there.  It's a fun track to me."  
 
"When you pit you're gonna need four tires.  It's real hard on tires and the
pit crews get a good workout because you have to change four tires just
about every time you stop."