Sterling Marlin Scores Fourth Top-10 Finish at Michigan

Contact: Jennifer Powell, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, cell:
(704) 658-8540, jpowell@ganassi.com

 

For Immediate Release

 

Sterling Marlin Scores Fourth Top-10 Finish at Michigan

 

BROOKLYN, Mich., (June 20, 2004) --- Marlin piloted his Coors Light
Dodge to a sixth- place finish in the DHL 400, his fourth top-10 finish
of the 2004 season.

 

"We kept adjusting on the car until we finally got it where we needed
it," Marlin said.  "We had a real good car today and we kept adjusting
on it.  It started out too tight and then we finally got it where it
needed to be.  That last set of tires we adjusted the air pressure just
a wee little bit. It started bottoming out a lot. We had 'em. They threw
a caution. It was another one of those debris cautions. I never did see
any debris, but that's it. That cost us the win up here last year. We
pushed those last few laps, and I had to lift. It just got too tight."

 

After starting 24th, Marlin began to slowly work his way through the
field of cars and was running 18th when the yellow flag flew on lap 34.
Marlin radioed that the car was tight so the Coors Light crew fitted the
car with four fresh tires, fuel and made a slight air pressure
adjustment during the pit stop on lap 35.

 

When the race restarted on lap 39, Marlin and the Coors Light Dodge took
off and rocketed into the top10 within six laps.  Marlin continued to
run in the top13 and when green-flag pit stops started on lap 79 he
reported that the car was going in spells, it would get tight but then
it would come back to him.

 

Marlin brought the Coors Light Dodge down pit road on lap 80 and the
crew made another four tire, fuel and air pressure adjustment stop.
Marlin had climbed to eighth when the yellow came out on lap 89 and the
Coors Light crew continued to make slight adjustments to the air
pressure over the next 41 laps to get the handling of the car just
right.

 

When the race restarted after the fourth caution on lap 120, Marlin was
running in the fifth position.  It took 10 laps but Marlin was able to
run down Elliott Sadler, the race leader, and take over the top spot.
Marlin continued running out front and when the caution came out on lap
151 he reported that the car was good in turns 3 and 4 but tight in
turns 1 and 2.  The Coors Light Dodge came down pit road for a quick
four tire, fuel and air pressure adjustment and returned to the track in
the lead.

 

Marlin continued to run first, leading second-place Dale Jarrett on lap
173 by 1.177 seconds.  The seventh caution came out on lap 175 and
Marlin gave up the lead to get four fresh tires and fuel.  The Coors
Light Dodge restarted 10th and had worked its way back up to fourth when
the yellow flag waved again on lap 192.

 

Marlin took third on the restart but was unable to challenge for the
lead as his car was too tight.  Marlin was able to hold on and get his
fourth top-10 finish and 12th top-10 finish in 38 races at Michigan
International Speedway by taking the checkered-flag sixth.

 

Marlin's sixth place finish jumped him up to 18th in the NEXTEL Cup
championship points, 260 points out of the top 10.  Ganassi teammates
Casey Mears and Jamie McMurray finished 31st and 37th respectively.

 

The Coors Light team races at Infineon Raceway next weekend.  The
Dodge/Save Mart 350 will be broadcast live on Sunday June 27th.

 

XXX

 

Jennifer Powell

Media Relations

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

office: (704) 662-9642 x1147

cell: (704) 658-8540

jpowell@ganassi.com