Marlin Out For Season

[Firetiger(MN)]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Sterling Marlin, who led the Winston Cup standings for 25 weeks, will miss the rest of the NASCAR season because of a broken vertebra in his neck.

 

Marlin was injured in a crash Sunday in Kansas, and the break in his vertebra was diagnosed Wednesday in Charlotte, said team co-owner Felix Sabates.

 

Jamie McMurray, who was hired to drive a third car for Chip Ganassi Racing next season, will drive the No. 40 Dodge Intrepid for the rest of the season as well as complete the Busch series schedule for Brewco Motorsports, Sabates said.

 

Marlin took over the points lead after the second race of the season and held it until three weeks ago. He has slipped to fifth in the standings, 121 points behind new leader Jimmie Johnson.

 

Now he will miss the remaining seven races and will fall considerably further.

 

``Sterling obviously is very upset,'' Sabates said. ``He felt like he had a legitimate chance at winning his first championship. Yes, the team had fallen off a little bit over the past few weeks, but with the tightness of the points race, he had a good a shot as anyone.''

[Elwood]

I was about to post this same news.

 

Here's a little bit that was in the article that I read that wasn't in this one.

 

Marlin out for season with fractured vertebra

By JENNA FRYER

AP Sports Writer

October 2, 2002

 

...... But McMurray will have to miss the Winston Cup race in Martinsville, Va., later this month because the Busch series, where he is committed to finish out the season, will be racing in Memphis, Tenn., that weekend. No driver for the No. 40 car has been named for the Martinsville race.

 

The 46-year-old Marlin said he was given the option of having surgery in the offseason or wearing a neck brace immediately and getting out of the car, Sabates said. Marlin chose to wear the neck brace for long-term health reasons, Sabates said.

 

Under NASCAR rules, a driver can start a race, complete a lap, then be relieved by a second driver and still receive all the points earned in that event. The Ganassi team apparently did not want to continue to collect points for Marlin under that system. .....

[Guest Friz]

Man, that sucks! :angry:

I was hoping Sterling would be able to rebound.

[MountaineerTom]

Well, that sucks.  ???

[Jpshostr]

Yeah I saw that too.  I was rooting for him to come back, he was still within striking distance.

[99Silver6.0]

I heard that today on MRN, thats no good.  He wasnt having a bad run at Kansas Speedway on sunday.  Though I didnt stay long enough to see that beeyatch Gordon take the flag....   Sterlings wreck didnt look too bad, he got out of the car and was walking around.  Oh well, hes only out for the rest of the season.  He always has next year to rack them points back up.  Would have been interesting to see Burton win the ProtectionOne 400.  He ran a pretty good race on saturday.  Anybody here attend or watch the races?

[General Lee 01]

I admit, I wanted to see Marlin slightly drop outta the points race.

 

BUT NOT LIKE THAT!  

[sincityZ71]

That sucks.  I am not a Marlin fan, I would much rather see Stewart or Johnson win, but I don't like to see any drivers out because of injuries.

[hogger999]

  Sterlings wreck didnt look too bad, he got out of the car and was walking around.

Had he been in the NFL he would layed on the ground for a week. Drivers are tough I tell ya.

 

I suppose it would be wrong to collect from the people that I bet Sterling would not finish the year in the top 10

 

It is to bad. He has had a great season and I hate to see anyone not be able to finish it out. Except maybe R. Gordan, M. Skinner, or Rusty Crybaby.

[Kansas Kid]

Thats too bad, I wouldn't have mind seeing him win a championship.  He has been around a long time.  I have been pulling for Stewart to win it for the last few months, only guy up there I really like.  But I really don't care so long as neither the 24 or 48 win.  I can't stand either one of those guys.