#40 Dover Race Report

September 23, 2002

COORS LIGHT TEAM FINISHES 21st AT DOVER
Marlin drops to fourth in Winston Cup championship points

DOVER, Del. (September 23, 2002) - Sterling Marlin drove the No. 40 Coors
Light Dodge Intrepid R/T to a 21st place finish in the MBNA All-American
Heroes 400 at Dover International Speedway.  Marlin lost two more positions
in the Winston Cup Championship points race and currently sits in fourth
position behind Tony Stewart.  Mark Martin leads the points with Jimmie
Johnson in second.  Marlin is 81 points behind the leader.  

Marlin started the 400-lap race in 26th position.  From the start Marlin had
troubles with his Coors Light Dodge; he stated early on to crew chief Lee
McCall that the car was tight.  During the first caution period, the Coors
Light pit crew began their first stop with a grocery list of items to change
on the car - rubber in the right rear, rubber out of the left rear, trackbar
up, air pressure adjustment, and wedge adjustment.  This was the start of a
lot of work and changes on the #40 car for the rest of the race.    

The highest position Marlin reaches was 16th place on lap 61.  The team fell
as low as 35th position on lap 113.  After a long struggle with the car on
the track, Marlin took the checkered flag in a disappointing 21st place
finish.

"We weren't real good all week," Marlin said following the race.  "We were
real tight on the start and then got loose and got lapped. We had about a
15th-place car. That's about all we had. We tried everything. The guys
worked hard. That's all we could do. We had the wrong gear, the wrong
springs, the wrong shocks, wrong car. We had the right beer, but other than
that, we got stomped. I think Kansas coming up will be good for us. We
tested at Kentucky last week for Kansas, and I think we had a real good
test, so maybe we can get back on track." 

Marlin was upset with the finishes of the Dodge teams lately.  Last weekend
in New Hampshire, Jimmy Spencer was the highest finishing Dodge and finished
in 15th place.  This weekend at Dover, Kyle Petty had the highest finishing
Dodge in 16th place.

"If you run 'em on the chassis dynos, the Fords have got 50 more horsepower
than we've got," Marlin explained.  "Chevrolet is right there with 'em.
They've got better aero. We're the only car from last year that's had stuff
taken away. Everybody else has got stuff. I ain't crying, but facts are
facts. I'm really not complaining. I'm just explaining." 

Jimmie Johnson won his third career Winston Cup race Sunday winning the MBNA
American Heroes 400 at Dover.  Next on the schedule for the No. 40 Coors
Light team is the Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway on September 29,
2002.