Marlin Takes the Checkered in 15th at Dover International Speedway

Contact: Jennifer Powell, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates,
office: (704) 235-1147, jpowell@ganassi.com

 

For Immediate Release

 

Marlin Takes the Checkered in 15th at Dover International Speedway

 

DOVER, Del., (September 26, 2004) --- Sterling Marlin piloted his Coors
Light Dodge to a 15h-place finish in the MBNA America 400 at Dover
International Speedway.  The 15th-place finish was Marlin's 13th top-15
finish of the season.

 

"I don't know what we adjusted one time, but it was terrible," Marlin
said.  "We drove up to 12th. And then all we did was change tires and a
little bit of air pressure and went from top 12 to a 30th-place car. It
was terrible."

 

After qualifying 34th, Marlin was able to gain eight spots within the
first 11 laps of the race.  Marlin continued to gain spots as he radioed
to the Coors Light crew that he was a little bit tight.  Marlin was
running 19th when the second caution of the day came out on lap 47.

 

Marlin headed for pit road for four tires, fuel and a slight chassis
adjustment to free the Coors Light Dodge up.  Marlin exited the pits
16th, but on the restart he passed two cars on the outside and was
credited with 14th on the restart.

 

The Coors Light Dodge was able to run as high as 13th before Marlin
reported that the car was getting tight again and needed to be freed up.
The yellow flag came out on lap 119 when the No.17 car crashed at the
entrance to pit road.  However, due to the extensive damage the race was
red-flagged on lap 122 while NASCAR and track officials worked for 15
minutes to repair the track.  

 

When the race was restarted, Marlin brought the Coors Light Dodge down
pit road for four fresh tires, fuel and an air pressure and wedge
adjustment.  Marlin restarted on lap 127 in the 12th position.  

 

Marlin continued to fight the handling of the car and was running 16th
when the race reached the halfway point on lap 200.  Marlin made a
green-flag pit stop on lap 249 for four tires, fuel and a slight air
pressure adjustment.  The Coors Light Dodge returned to the track 22nd,
three laps down to the race leader.

 

As the race reached the final 100 laps, Marlin continued to fight for
track position and he was able to work his way up seven spots to 15th.
Marlin ran 15th for the final 25 laps of the race and was able to get
his third consecutive top-15 finish, and 13th for the 2004 season.    

 

Marlin's 15th-place finish kept him 18th in the NEXTEL Cup championship
points.  Ganassi teammates Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears finished
eighth and 24th respectively.    

 

The Coors Light crew heads back to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend
for the EA Sports 500.  The race will be broadcast on NBC television and
MRN radio.

 

XXX

 

 

Jennifer Powell

Media Relations

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

office: (704) 662-9642 x1147

cell: (704) 746-5066

jpowell@ganassi.com