Posted by Music City MotorPlex on October 9, 2007, 3:37 pm
Board Administrator

Marlins will race at Motorplex this weekend Sterling, son face off for first time since '04 By TOM KREAGER Staff Writer Three generations of Marlins have raced at Music City Motorplex. Two of them will be back on the track Sunday in the Southern 300. Sterling Marlin has entered the field for the 200-lap late model race, along with his son, Steadman. It will mark the first time since Oct. 12, 2004, in Charlotte that the two have raced together. "We had an extra car," Sterling said. "I thought we'd get it ready and go out and have some fun. This is one of the best short tracks in the country." The late model race is the final of three races set to begin at 2 p.m. A 75-lap sportsman race and a 100-lap super trucks race also are planned. Sterling said it's been about seven years since he and his son raced together at the Fairgrounds. Prior to being released by Ginn Racing this summer, Marlin said, he rarely had time to race a non-Cup event. "It's been a long time since I ran a late-model race here, probably since 1999 and 2000," Sterling said. "We used to have a lot of off-weekends. We would come in and run these 200 lappers." Steadman said he's happy his father is in the field, but hopes he can finish the race with his father. "The last two times I've ran here I haven't finished," Steadman said. "The first time he had me beat, but I ended up getting T-boned. The second time I thought I had something for him, but I still got tore up. "I just want to finish the race with him here." Sterling Marlin said his plans for next year's schedule have yet to be finalized. "If I had my choice, I'd like to run about 15 Busch (will become Nationwide) races," he said. "I've been talking to (car owner) James Finch a little, and I think he wants to run about 10 Cup races. "But right now they've got the qualifying format so screwed up, it's hard to get in a race. We qualified 20th at Talladega last week and had to go home."