Sterling Marlin Gets First Top-Five of the Season at "The Rock"

 

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (February 23, 2004) --- Sterling Marlin and the Coors
Light Dodge drove into a fourth place finish for the Subway 400 at North
Carolina Speedway giving them their first top-five finish in over a
year.

 

"We had a good car today," Marlin said.  "The car was just too tight the
first 20 laps of the run and the other cars would really get away from
us.  Laps 20-40 we would run even with the others and after that we had
a great car.  I am really proud of the Coors Light crew.  They had some
great stops today and they worked hard and I am happy to have my first
top-five of the season."        

 

When the green flag waved for the start of the Subway 400, Marlin
started to work his way around the racetrack from the 13th position.
When the yellow flag flew on lap 39 he was still 13th but Marlin was
able to pick up three spots after a quick four tire, fuel and trackbar
adjustment pit stop by the Coors Light crew.

 

The race restarted on lap 45 and the Coors Light Dodge was in the tenth
position and for the next 75 green-flag laps Marlin drove his way
through the field climbing to the fifth spot when a caution came out on
lap 131.

 

The Coors Light crew continued to make minor adjustments during the next
four cautions.  Marlin was preparing to come in under green for the
final pit stop of the race for fuel and fresh tires when the caution
came out on lap 352.  Marlin radioed in that the "car was tight for the
first 15-20 laps and then comes in".  The crew made the necessary
adjustments and Marlin went on to finish fourth, one of nine cars on the
lead lap.

 

Marlin's fourth place finish jumped him up to 20th in NEXTEL Cup
championship points. Ganassi teammates Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears
finished third and 21st respectively.

 

The Coors Light team has off next weekend but will be racing at Las
Vegas the following weekend.  That race will be broadcast live on FOX
television and PRN radio on Sunday, March 7th at 12:00 p.m. PST.