Chat Transcript: Sterling Marlin
October 11, 2001
10:58 AM EDT (1458 GMT)
[Nascar_Host1] Welcome to NASCAR.com's chat with Sterling Marlin!
[Sterling_Marlin] Hello to everyone tonight! Thanks for coming.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [hollywood hayley] When the team rushed out to you at the start/finish line after you won this weekend, one of your crew guys took a face dive in the grass --- is he OK?
[Sterling_Marlin] He still has his head stuck in the sand, but I guess he is just embarrassed!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [divine] Is it true that you wanted to drive a lap holding the American flag from your car, but NASCAR wouldn't allow it? If so, why? Thanks!
[Sterling_Marlin] I don't know why, but I was going to make a lap holding the flag out of the car. I don't know where the miscommunication came from, but they were just screaming to go to Victory Lane.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [91MarlinFan] With your up-front consistency this year, where do you put the credit for it given the inconsistency you have had in the past few years?
[Sterling_Marlin] It is really just this new race team. Chip Ganassi and Felix Sabates really hired a lot of great people with Andy Graves and Tony Glover. We have team managers overseeing everything now. They are a good bunch of people, we have our own fab shop doing stuff, and Ernie Elliott is doing our motors. It has just been great for us.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [byron] Do you think NASCAR is too restrictive on victory celebrations?
[Sterling_Marlin] Yeah, I think so. They put that deal around the windows and it just doesn't look right. It is hard to win a Winston Cup race and the guys should be able to celebrate the way they want to.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [nanerhart] I've heard a lot of guys complaining about Goodyear giving them too hard of a tire. Is it really as bad as they say it is?
[Sterling_Marlin] Well, I think it has been better. I think it is saving the owners a little money on tires. We can run longer on the tires now. If a caution comes out with 15 to go, you don't have to pit to get four new ones. Everyone is on the same tires, so you just have to get your car running good with what you got, and like I said, it is saving the owners money.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [zfranovich] What do you think about Tony Stewart's comments regarding a rule change for the Pontiac?
[Sterling_Marlin] I think he won like three races and Bobby won one, so that is two Pontiacs, and all the Dodges have won two. I don't get into all the rules and I ain't gonna argue about it.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [tas] Would you be in favor of dropping the two road courses for regular oval tracks? It seems like many drivers don't like them.
[Sterling_Marlin] I would love it. California is a pretty area for us, but to me, it costs the owners more money. If you have two teams, you have to have four road course cars, so that probably costs the team owner like $300,000-400,000 per team to run the road courses.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Coorslightlover] How were you able to race after UT's loss to UGa?
[Sterling_Marlin] That was over Saturday evening, but to me it looks like they need some defensive backs or something! They are giving up too much!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Coors40Light] Your win at Michigan was rain-shortened, and your win at Charlotte was complete. Does it feel the same, meaning a win is a win, or does the Charlotte win feel better because it was a complete race? Best of luck the rest of the way! Thanks!
[Sterling_Marlin] Michigan was a big race for us because all the manufacturers come to it from Detroit. If it didn't rain there, I think we still had the car to beat. The race in Charlotte is in 80 percent of the race teams backyards, so that is a big win. We completed the race and it was a good win for us.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [wardfan22] Are drivers more aggressive this year or does it just seem that way because of all the TV coverage of altercations?
[Sterling_Marlin] I just think it is probably the TV coverage. The competition is really close and if someone checks up in front of someone, you get into each other and turn each other around. The paper I am reading right now says I got into Buckshot, and I didn't, so that is a writer guessing stuff.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [skidmark] What's the coolest thing you ever found looking for Civil War stuff with your metal detector?
[Sterling_Marlin] Probably the wings off a battle flag. I found that about 4-5 years ago. I don't think I have been out for the last couple of years, to be honest.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [nasfan] How do you think Steadman will do this weekend at Memphis? And what are his plans for the rest of the season?
[Sterling_Marlin] I don't know right now. He is driving the No. 54 car out of Bristol. It is for him to get some seat time and get going. I think he is trying to line up some sponsors for next year so we can go racing.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [cdn] Why has your team selected a different gear ratio than the other teams? It appears that you're running about 200 rpm less than everyone else for a couple of laps?
[Sterling_Marlin] Just the combinations that we have. I noticed it here and there that other teams don't pull a slower gear than we do. Ernie, Tony and Bob put together what seems to work best.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Dodge R/T Fan] What things are being done with the "over the wall" crew to improve on pit stop consistency and speed?
[Sterling_Marlin] I don't get into that. Sometimes we have a couple of good stops, and then we will have one with a couple seconds off. Maybe the lugs are coming off, I don't know. If we are going to contend for a Championship next year, we are going to have to get our stops as good as everybody else.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [nh24fan] Hi Sterling, congratulations on your second win! How do you feel about racing at NHIS the day after Thanksgiving?
[Sterling_Marlin] I am not a fan of NHIS anytime! I love the area, but the racetrack needs a lot of work. It always gives us trouble. Ninety-nine percent of the drivers and crews aren't looking forward to it, but when you gotta go, you gotta go.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [laidback] Congratulations on your win at Lowe's. Now that there have been a few races run with the extra two inches on the front of the Dodges, does it seem to be helping or is still just good ole guessing on what is going to work at a race?
[Sterling_Marlin] Our car has been really good all year. The guys at the motor room have been working hard and they are getting better. Our car is driving good, and if the two inches did a whole lot or not, I don't know.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Marlin] What do you think about all the rumors floating around right now?
[Sterling_Marlin] I am just glad to be where I am with Chip and Felix. I am locked in. I signed another contract for two more years with them. I am just tickled to death to be where I am at.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [tom3699] Sterling, why is your car slow on restart?
[Sterling_Marlin] You are probably the 20th person to ask me! Sometimes in the past we had problems with the fuel pump, but that wasn't the case this time. It just took a couple of laps to get all the junk off your tires before we could get going.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [NORTHCAROLINA] Sterling, what do you have to say about the rumor that Jimmy Spencer will be your teammate next year?
[Sterling_Marlin] Guess you would have to ask Jimmy Spencer! Ha, ha!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [chazzoie] Are you going to have any appearances at Talladega?
[Sterling_Marlin] Yeah, I have an appearance on Friday night. I think it is at the pace car right at the exit of the track from 6-8pm. I also have to go to a hockey game on Friday night in Roanoke, Va.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [dodge40boy] Are you going to using the same car that you won with on Sunday at any other track this year?
[Sterling_Marlin] Yeah, we are going to carry it to Homestead to test next Tuesday and Wednesday. Then we are going to run it at Atlanta, too. That is also the same car that we won at Michigan. We won twice, had a fifth, third and a second with that car.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [pit] Living in Tennessee, do you ever go to the shop in Mooresville? And why did they stop the shop tours?
[Sterling_Marlin] I get to go to the shop during the week. I try to go any time I am close to Carolina, maybe once a week. I check on the cars and everybody. I don't really know anything about the shop tours, sorry.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Ron] Any chance you might hit up Chip for a CART ride down the road?
[Sterling_Marlin] No. No problems there! I am going to stick with what I got!
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [gordon24] Sterling, how do you feel going into Talladega in a few weeks with the restrictor plate racing?
[Sterling_Marlin] Well, I was hoping that they would make a change where you got to think a little bit at Talladega. Now it is just a mad house. Everyone is on top of everybody.
It isn't a good race when you hear good drivers say they are going to go to the back, drive around for 450 miles, and then race at the end after they miss the big wreck.
These are the rules that we have and we just have to go race with them. To me, that isn't racing. Just run from the green to the checkered and the best car wins.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [crazy4jr] I live in Kansas and I wanted to know how you like our new track, the people of Kansas City, and did you go out at all while you here?
[Sterling_Marlin] I love that racetrack. To me, it had a lot of grip to it. We could almost run side-by-side there. I got to go downtown on Saturday night and I did a Dodge appearance. I met a lot of people and really had a good time in Kansas City.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [x3widRacin] Do you feel that you still have a chance at the championship or are you just racing for wins and top five in points now?
[Sterling_Marlin] Yeah, Jeff would really have to have some serious trouble to lose it. We are just racing for wins and top-fives and just try to get as many points as we can. Maybe we can get to second or third. We are just never going to give up.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [ColumbiaSharon] Sterling, congratulations on the win Sunday! I love the Silver Bullet paint scheme. They're not going to change it next year, are they?
[Sterling_Marlin] No, it is going to stay just like it is. It took a long time to get the car looking like that, and to me, it is the prettiest car on the racetrack. I think we will run KISS at Homestead, but it will still be a silver car. I don't know 100 percent though.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Andy_Homan] Do you have a good chance at Martinsville this week?
[Sterling_Marlin] Yeah, I think so. We are carrying the same car we ran fifth with in the spring. We made a few changes on it during the Richmond race, too, so I think we have a good chance.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Dale8futureofNascar] Did Coors deck the basement out at your house, like Budweiser did Junior's?
[Sterling_Marlin] No, they haven't yet! I am probably out of that stage that he is, with all that loud music and stuff. As long as they keep the cold Coors Light coming, I guess we are OK.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [Sterl] What kind of music do you listen to Sterling?
[Sterling_Marlin] Oh me, I live right here with country music, so I listen to it. I listen to some old rock 'n roll stuff, and some oldies.
[Nascar_Host1] Question from: [DBaran] How do you feel about being the only Dodge in the top five in points?
[Sterling_Marlin] I feel good about it! We have a great race team and we are going to try to get into the top two or three in points next year.
[Nascar_Host1] That's all the time Sterling has for us this evening. Thanks, Sterling! What are your final thoughts?
[Sterling_Marlin] Thanks for listening in tonight. I was worried about the terrorist deal after Dover and I didn't think we would have a full house, so I want to thank all you fans who continue to support Winston Cup racing at all these race tracks.
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