The preliminary Nextel Cup entry list for Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway includes 48 teams and marks the return of driver Sterling Marlin. Marlin, a popular veteran and Tennessee native, returns to the track this weekend as the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet. He has not driven since Ginn Racing sold his team's points to Dale Earnhardt Inc. as part of a merger, leaving Marlin without a team.
WTVF-TV Nashville reported at 6:00pm/et newscast that Sterling Marlin will drive the #78 Chevy at Bristol, Martinsville, Richmond, Dover and possibly Talladega. Marlin is also negotiating to drive the #78 for about half the 2008 season.(WTVF-TV Nashville)(8-21-2007)
Furniture Row Racing has a seat ready for Sterling Marlin
Marlin will try to qualify the No. 78 Chevrolet for Saturday night's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway as Furniture Row continues its search for a driver or two.
It's tough," Marlin said of qualifying. "I don't wish it on anybody to get in that position. One little slip and you go home. We'll go to Bristol, and the whole field will probably be within three-tenths of each other."
Marlin, who was in town last week to have a seat fitted, has been talking with FRR about possibly driving a second car next season if a sponsor can be found.
"They wanted me to run a second car for them, 15 to 18 races next year," Marlin said. "We talked about that. Then the deal came along with Kenny. They parted company."
Sterling Marlin again will be driving a Colorado-sponsored Cup car. Marlin drove the Coors Light Dodge for years, and he will try to qualify the No. 78 Chevrolet for Denver- based Furniture Row Racing this week at Bristol, Tenn. He recently spoke with Rocky NASCAR reporter Jim Benton.
- Biggest NASCAR achievement?
Probably winning the Daytona 500 (twice). That's what you want to win.
- If you change something about NASCAR today, what would it be?
NASCAR has some trouble with costs. It has just gotten so expensive for the teams. They've got to get it down to where more people can get in it. The COT might help, over time.
Furniture Row Racing has inquired about Sterling Marlin's services, with the idea of putting him in a second entry to bolster the performance of the team, which currently fields the No. 78 Chevrolet driven by Kenny Wallace.
"They've mentioned something about it" Marlin said. "I said, 'Well, if I don't run [a more permanent program] next year, I might run 15-18 races for you just to get more track time, more test time.'"
I believe Sterling screwed the pooch when he let it be publicly known that he was thinking about running a part time schedule next year. He did so without having any plans in place. I don't know, maybe he went to Bobby Ginn with it first and then let it be public knowledge to put some feelers out. But Ginn doesn't appear to be holding his breath.
Joe Nemechek and Sterling Marlin's contracts are both up at the end of this season. Jay Frye acknowledged Marlin wanted to go to a partial schedule next season, but said he would not be in the 01 car. Frye said plans included Regan Smith in one full-time Nextel Cup car, either the No. 13 or No. 14. He said Mark Martin's exact schedule, which includes 24 Nextel Cup points races this season, was yet to be determined, and ideally another young driver would be paired with him in the 01 car.
Jayski has reported a rumor that Marlin is going to Furniture Row.
I am hearing that Marlin will go to Furniture Row Motorsports and run a 2nd team part-time in 2008, Kenny Wallace is the full time driver in the #78 Chevy. Regan Smith would replace Marlin in the #14 Chevy at Ginn Racing.
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