Marlin Debut: Steadman Marlin will attempt to make his BGN debut at the BellSouth Mobility 320 Presented by Ericsson at Nashville in the #42 BellSouth Mobility/Ericsson Chevy. Steadman is the son of Winston Cup driver Sterling Marlin and grandson of Grand National legendCoo Coo Marlin, the Columbia, TN-native. Steadman’s quest to follow in his family’s footsteps began early in life. He began working on cars at his father’s race shop in Columbia at the age of 12. His talent was apparent soon thereafter, and he made his racing debut in the Legends division at Nashville Speedway USA in 1996. Steadman’s NASCAR driving premiere came in the July 1997 NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Series race at Nashville Speedway USA in a car owned by his father. Engine failure dashed his chances of a strong finish that day. The high school senior ran his first full season in the 1998 NASCAR Late Model Stock Car Series, again driving for his father. Steadman logged his first top-10 finish the same year. The blond-haired Marlin earned his first pole position in the Late Model Stock Car Series at Nashville Speedway in April 1999. His first victory in the series came the next month, after starting from the outside pole position and leading every lap of the race. That feat made Steadman the first third-generation driver in Nashville’s premier division to win a race – his father and grandfather both hold track championships at Nashville. The younger Marlin claimed three pole positions, two top-five and five top-10 finishes that year(Team SABCO)(4-5-2000)
