The Coors Light Dodge Gets Caught in Multi-Car Wreck at Dover

 

DOVER, Del., (June 6, 2004) --- While running 11th, Sterling Marlin and
the Coors Light Dodge got caught up in a 17-car wreck on lap 347 and
finished 29th in the MBNA 400 at Dover International Speedway.

 

"Somebody turned somebody and everybody got to hitting everybody,"
Marlin said.  "I don't know how many it took out. We were back on the
lead lap. I don't think everybody was lined up right. Something was
wrong with the way we were lined up and on the restart and everyone got
together. I guess 15 or 20 cars were in it. I just saw a big wreck and a
lot of smoke. We did our best to fix the car but we had to park it and
end our day early."

 

After starting 16th, Marlin started to work his way up through the
field.  When the first caution came out on lap 12, Marlin radioed that
the "car started off free but was coming in now."  The Coors Light Dodge
restarted 14th and had moved up a spot when the mandatory competition
caution came out on lap 30.  Marlin was still reporting that the car was
free so he brought the Coors Light Dodge down pit road for four fresh
tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment.

 

When the race resumed on lap 38, Marlin was running in the 23rd position
but had moved up to 16th by lap 108 when the yellow flag waved again.
The Coors Light crew made a quick air pressure adjustment and was able
to gain three spots and send Marlin back out 13th.

 

Seventeen laps later, Marlin reported that the car was tight as he began
to drop a few spots to 18th when a caution came out on lap 158.  Since
Marlin was at the tail end of the lead lap, crew chief Lee McCall made
the decision to stay out and lead lap 161 before bringing the car down
pit road on lap 162.  Marlin had radioed the crew that the car was
getting tighter the longer he ran and he needed more grip.  The crew
pulled the rubber out of the left rear and sent the Coors Light Dodge
back out in the 17th spot.

 

Marlin continued to fight the handling of the car and was running 18th,
one lap down to the race leaders, when a caution came out on lap 321 for
Ryan Newman who spun out on pit road.  The Coors Light crew thought this
was just the break they needed as most teams had made green-flag pit
stops and they had held off for theirs.  Marlin brought the Coors Light
Dodge down pit road on lap 326 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure
adjustment.  

 

As the cars ran around the track under caution, Marlin was being scored
11th, the first car a lap down to the leaders.  McCall appealed to the
NASCAR officials that the Coors Light Dodge should be the last car on
the lead lap but the scoring remained the same.  

 

When the race resumed on lap 346, after 25 laps under caution, Marlin
restarted 11th.  During the restart, 17 cars got caught up in a wreck
and the Coors Light Dodge suffered considerable damage to the front end
and radiator.  Marlin brought the car to the garage on lap 347 and the
Coors Light crew worked furiously to fix the damage and return to the
track.  

 

Marlin returned on lap 364 and made nine laps around the track before
being parked by NASCAR.  The Coors Light Dodge was credited with a
29th-place finish.

 

Marlin is currently 18th in the NEXTEL Cup championship points, 239
points out of the top 10.   Ganassi teammates Jamie McMurray and Casey
Mears finished 15th and 28th respectively.

 

The Coors Light team races at Pocono Raceway next weekend.  The Pocono
500 will be broadcast live on FOX and MRN radio on Sunday June 13th.