Start your engines!
Play RPM.ESPN Stock Car Challenge!
Win a Honda S2000!
Play The CART Challenge powered by Honda!
|
|
Friday, July 6
Dodges take top four spots at Daytona
Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For good and bad, Sterling Marlin
will always claim a significant spot in the Daytona history books.
He added another entry on the plus side Friday.
Marlin won the pole position for Saturday night's Pepsi 400 on
the 10th anniversary of his first Winston Cup pole -- also at
Daytona -- driving his Dodge around the famed 2½-mile track at
183.778 mph.
|  | | Marlin had to wait through a three hour rain delay to confirm he won the Pepsi 400 pole. |
Ward Burton qualified second at 183.072 mph, followed by Stacy
Compton (182.678) and rookie Casey Atwood (182.597), as Dodges
swept the top four spots and continued to dominate qualifying at
NASCAR's fastest tracks.
Dodge also swept the top three spots in the Daytona 500 and the
Talladega 500. Daytona and Talladega are the only two tracks that
require carburetor restrictor plates to limit speeds.
The image of Marlin on the pole is fitting for this, NASCAR's
somewhat uneasy return to Daytona for the first time since the
death of Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500.
It was Marlin's car that made first contact with Earnhardt, as a
pack moved between Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap of the Feb. 18
race. Earnhardt slammed into the wall and was killed instantly.
Immediately after the race, many inconsolable fans blamed
Marlin. He received nasty letters and e-mails, and even some death
threats. He strongly denied doing anything intentional and believes
the accident was just a stroke of bad racing luck.
"I think everyone went back and watched what happened, and it's
been 100 percent positive," Marlin said of the reaction after the
initial uproar. "Tons of Earnhardt fans sent me mail, or would
come up to me in the garage and apologize. They didn't do it, but
they were apologizing for the few who did."
Not that the accident should be Marlin's legacy at this track.
He started coming here in 1964, riding the back of his father
Coo Coo's pickup truck to watch him race. The first time Sterling
raced at Daytona, he finished second.
But there were bigger days to come.
Marlin won back-to-back Daytona 500s in 1994 and '95, then won
the summertime race in 1996. Combined with a pair of victories at
Talladega in '95 and '96, Marlin enjoyed a three-year stint in
which he overtook none other than Earnhardt as NASCAR's pre-eminent
restrictor-plate driver.
"I love this place, it's been awful good to me," Marlin said.
"I've always enjoyed it here. I know the tragedy in February was
awful for all of us, but I know Dale would want the show to go on,
and that's what we're all here to do."
Winston Cup points leader Jeff Gordon will start fifth in a
Chevrolet. Over the last seven years, the driver with the points
lead after the Pepsi 400 has won the Winston Cup title. Gordon
leads 1999 champion Dale Jarrett by 126 points.
Qualifying was originally scheduled for Thursday night, but was
postponed because of rain. Drivers also experienced a 3 hour, 10
minute rain delay midway through Friday's run.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., qualified after the rain delay and earned
the 13th starting position. He was second-fastest during a clean
Happy Hour practice, turning his best lap at 189.577 mph. Kevin
Harvick, who took over Earnhardt's car after his death, also
qualified late and will start 29th.
By sweeping the top positions, Dodge once again will have its
best chance to break into the win column for the first time in
this, Chrysler's first year back in Winston Cup racing after a
16-year hiatus.
Burton was racing among the leaders at the Daytona 500 before he
got caught in the 19-car crash that changed the complexion of the
race with 25 laps remaining. Marlin, Compton and another Dodge
driver, Bill Elliott, all finished in the top 10.
Compton qualified first at Talladega, but finished last because
of engine trouble. The rest of the Dodges were running strong, but
got shuffled back in the final lap of an exciting finish.
"Ward had a car capable of winning here in the spring, I had a
car capable of winning at Talladega," Compton said. "I think our
speedway program is as good as anyone's right now. We just need to
have a little luck. If the stars can align, Dodge can win."
Atwood earned the best starting position of his young career
driving the Dodge that his teammate, Elliott, used to win the pole
position at the Daytona 500. In a newer car, Elliott qualified
18th.
"The No. 9 team built a few more speedway cars, I don't know
why," Atwood said. "But they let me drive this one, and I'm
pretty happy about it."
Andy Houston had the fastest Ford, qualifying sixth after
missing the last three races -- a great way to celebrate the birth
of a son earlier this week.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
|
|
