Marlin has car troubles in Subway 400

Rockingham, N.C. (February 23, 2003) --- Sterling Marlin found some bad luck
this weekend as he lost an engine in the Subway 400 at Rockingham and was
forced out of the race early.

Starting fourth in the Subway 400, Marlin raced in the top-10 for the first
120 laps of the event.  From then, he raced in the top-15 until his engine
went on lap 314.  Marlin brought the Coors Light Dodge down pit road to have
the crew look at the problem.  After going back out on the track, the team
knew that the engine was gone and their day was done.

"Something happened to the motor," Marlin said after getting out of the car.
"It got to missing real bad and pushing the water out of it.  We had a good
car early and we just kept adjusting on it.  We had a real good car on the
long runs.  I think we could have stayed up there and got a top-5."

Tony Santanicola, Engine Specialist for Ernie Elliott Engines, explained
that the water pump failed in the engine.

"The water pump failed," Santanicola said.  "The front seal came out of it
and then all of the water came out of the motor and it burned up.  We're not
sure why right now."

Although the Coors Light team had to retire early from the race, they had a
great car and could have finished in the top-5 if not for the malfunction. 

"We drove all the way up on Rusty (Wallace) on the long run and was a little
quicker than him and I thought we'd be in good shape.  The track changed and
we got a little too tight.  But the car would really come in after 20 laps
of a run.   We'll look for some luck in Las Vegas next weekend."

Hopefully, Sterling Marlin and the Coors Light team will find their luck in
Las Vegas next weekend.  Marlin is the defending champion at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway and the team will be returning with the same car that won the race
last season.  The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 will be broadcast on FOX
television and PRN radio on Sunday, March 2, 2003.