Championship Chase: Sterling Marlin isn’t the first NASCAR driver to lose a shot at the championship late in the season because of an injury. Herb Thomas lost the 1956 championship after a late-season crash [with 2 races to go]; Buck Baker won that title.(Winston Salem Journal) [Ernie Irvan was also running for the Championshio in 1994 after 20 races when he had his near fatal accident at Michigan] AND The points leader after the 20th race of the season went on to win the championship in each of the last nine years, but it won’t happen this year. Sterling Marlin was the leader after 20 races this season. The winner of the Brickyard 400 has gone on to become the champion in each of the last four years, but 2002 Brickyard winner Bill Elliott would be a long shot to do it this year. He is ninth, 201 points back.(Dallas Morning News)(10-5-2002)
