Sterling Marlin
2007 Ride: No. 14 Ginn Racing Chevrolet
2007 Primary Sponsors: Waste Management, Panasonic
2007 Owner: Bobby Ginn
2007 Crew Chief: Slugger Labbe
2007 Stats: 21 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 40th in points
High Point: The high points of Marlin’s year came early in the season. Racing with his new team at Ginn Motorsports, he started the season without any owner points. This meant he would have to qualify by speed to get into the race. After qualifying 38th in the Daytona 500, Marlin finished 17th.
Throughout the next four races, Marlin continued to qualify by his speed results. He was the only driver outside the Top 35 in owner points to qualify for all five races. His best finish of the season was 13th, which was in the Dodge Avenger 400 at Darlington. Other than his 16th-place spot after the first race of the season, Marlin’s highest points standing for 2007 was 34th, after the Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway.
Low Point: Let’s see, Marlin’s season certainly hit rock bottom this year, let us count the ways. July 17 started Marlin’s snowball, make that avalanche, effect that ended his mediocre year early. Marlin was sitting in a comfortable, but not impressive, 29th position in the points standings after the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland when he was abruptly released from his driving responsibilities. Ginn Motorsports had announced its merger with DEI and had no room at the inn for him anymore. Marlin sued Ginn for the breach of contract and eventually settled out of court.
Summary: After his departure with Ginn, Marlin tried to qualify in the No. 78 at Bristol and the No. 09 at Talladega but failed at both attempts. Later, he did qualify the No. 09 at Phoenix and brought home a 25th-place finish, then qualified at Homestead and finished 33rd. His final season points standing was 40th with a total of 1,752 points accumulated. Marlin’s overall average finish was 27th.
2008 Outlook: Marlin will be driving a limited schedule for Phoenix Racing. His original plans, even when they included possibly still being at Ginn, were to run a limited 2008 schedule.
2006 Frontstretch Grade: F
2007 Grade: C-
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