When #14-Sterling Marlin takes the green flag for Saturday night’s Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway it will be two days shy of the 30-year anniversary of his first NASCAR Cup start. Marlin made his NASCAR Cup debut on May 8, 1976 at Nashville Speedway, substituting for his father, Clifton Coo Coo Marlin, who sustained a shoulder injury during an ARCA qualifying session at Talladega Superspeedway the week before. When it became evident that the elder Marlin wouldnt enter the Nashville race, he made a deal with his son, If you can fix it, you can race it. Sterling took his father up on the offer and climbed behind the wheel of the #14 Cunningham-Kelley Chevy soon after. Though the 18-year-old Marlin posted an uneventful, but respectable finish of 29th in his maiden ride, it was the beginning of a high-profiled journey for the Columbia, TN native. Saturday’s race in the #14 Waste Management Chevy will mark Marlins 685th start in the Cup series. To date, his career statistics include 10 wins, 83 top fives, 215 top 10s, 11 pole positions and earnings of more than $37 million.(MB2 Motorsports PR)(5-4-2006)
