Back-to-back Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin has received a significant honor. He has been added to the list of NASCAR‘s Greatest Drivers.
NASCAR announced the news on April 18 ahead of the trip to Talladega Superspeedway, a track where Marlin secured two of his career Cup Series wins. The veteran driver joins an ever-expanding list that has recently featured Tony Stewart, Mike Stefanik, Kasey Kahne, Randy LaJoie, Kyle Larson, and Greg Biffle.
A superspeedway ace and a back-to-back #DAYTONA500 champion!
Welcome to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers List, Sterling Marlin! #NASCAR75
Marlin made his Cup Series debut in 1976 at Nashville Speedway. He went on to make 748 total starts over 33 years while driving for multiple teams. Marlin celebrated 10 points-paying victories during his career, captured Rookie of the Year honors in 1983, and went back-to-back in the 1994 and 1995 Daytona 500s.
Along with the time in the Cup Series, Marlin also made 77 starts in what is now the Xfinity Series. He won at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the 1990 season, and then he won at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2000.
Marlin Achieved Success for 2 Different Team Owners
GettySterling Marlin signs autographs for NASCAR fans.
The first few years of Marlin’s career did not feature wins or consistency. He only ran part-time from 1976 until 1982 while driving for multiple teams.
Marlin’s first full-time season was in 1983 when he drove for Hamby Racing and finished 19th in the standings. He was part-time again in 1984, 1985, and 1986 before going back to a full-time schedule in 1987, which lasted through 2006.
Marlin delivered strong performances for Hagan Racing, Junior Johnson & Associates, and Stavola Brothers Racing, but he did not reach Victory Lane until the 1994 season.
This is the season when he joined Morgan-McClure Motorsports and kicked off his tenure with the Daytona 500 win. Marlin won six races for Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and he finished a career-best third overall in the 1995 championship standings.
The other four wins all took place after Chip Ganassi moved into the NASCAR Cup Series. Marlin won four races for Chip Ganassi Racing, and he made the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge an iconic part of NASCAR history.
Marlin Could Have Won a Championship
GettySterling Marlin practices at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Marlin achieved success in the NASCAR Cup Series, and he helped turn Chip Ganassi Racing into a winning organization. He also set himself up to be a champion before a crash derailed his season.
The year was 2002. Marlin took over the top spot in the championship standings after finishing second at Rockingham Speedway, and he held onto that spot for the first 25 weeks of the season while delivering wins at Darlington Raceway and Kansas Speedway.
While Marlin lost his lead after a crash at Richmond Raceway, he remained in contention until the 29th race of the year. A crash at Kansas Speedway resulted in a broken vertebra in his neck, and it took him out of the No. 40 for the remainder of the season.
Chip Ganassi Racing had to turn to Jamie McMurray while Marlin recovered. The Missouri native started the final six races of the season, and he delivered a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in his second career Cup Series start.
Marlin ended the injury-shortened season 18th in the standings after spending the majority of the schedule as the favorite. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart went on to win his first career Cup Series championship.
Marlin continued to race full-time through the 2006 season, and then he made 37 more starts between 2007-2009. He did not win again after the 2002 season. Though he added four more top-fives to his resume.
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NASCAR Honors 10-Time Winner Sterling Marlin