Marlin builds points lead with Las Vegas win

LAS VEGAS -- Sterling Marlin saved his all his good luck to cash it in Las Vegas.

Marlin, driver of the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge, has been the story at the finish of the first two races this year. However, the attention didn't come from winning.

			Jeremy Mayfield: First top-10 of 2002 Credit: ASP

That wasn't the case as Marlin won the UAW DaimlerChrylser 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. Marlin picked up his first win this year and ninth of his career in 544 starts.

"When I saw that last caution, I said, 'Oh no, not again,'" Marlin said. "Everybody didn't pit then because track position means so much. It worked out great.

"All these guys did a great job today and everything worked good for us. We weren't really good yesterday in practice, so we made some changes this morning.

"We probably had a 10th-place car, so we decided to go for the win. We changed it up and hit right on it with the shocks and springs."

Marlin led the last 16 laps after passing Jeremy Mayfield in the No. 19 Dodge a few laps after a late-race restart. For much of the race, it looked like Tony Stewart had the car to beat. Stewart was gunning for a win to collect an extra No-Bull $1 Million bonus.

Marlin almost had to take another bad luck bullet on lap 122. Just as he was headed toward pit road, Jerry Nadeau tapped him and the car went sideways.

			Tony Stewart leads Sterling Marlin and Kurt Busch down pit road.

As Marlin headed down pit road, he was clocked speeding on pit road. But, a NASCAR official couldn't get to Marlin's pit in time to assess a 15-second penalty. But, a NASCAR official didn't receive the communication from the control tower so Marlin wasn't assesed the penalty.

Just when it looked like Stewart was going to check out from the field in the No. 20 Home Depot Pontiac, a caution on lap 233 flew when Shawna Robinson's ill-handling car brushed the wall.

After the pit stop, Stewart emerged sixth when Jeremy Mayfield only took on two tires and fuel to lead the field out for the restart.

Marlin, with four fresh tires, was able to easily pass him for the lead and the win.

Mayfield was second with Mark Martin third and rookie Ryan Newman fourth. Stewart rounded out the top five.

Mayfield had no regrets regarding the two-tire decision on the last pit stop.

			Ryan Newman: Second in Winston Cup points Credit: ASP

"We were good, real good on long runs," Mayfield said. "We probably got faster than anyone out there. We could never get up there on track position because we kept losing so much at the beginning.

"We were able to capitalize on that two-tire stop and maintain that track position. I didn't have enough for Sterling (Marlin) there at the end.

"Our times were better than the leaders most of the day."

This is Mayfield's best finish with Evernham after being let go from Penske Racing in October of last year.

"This justifies my making the move in the off-season. We were good at Daytona, but it didn't show because we got in that wreck. The same thing happened at Rockingham.

"We were just solid all day. The best part is that the communication on this deal is just getting better and better. Ray (Evernham, team owner) has really helped gel that between Sammy (Johns, crew chief) and it's showing.

"This team put me in the position to win this race; that's what it's all about."

Martin was very pleased with his finish; one of his best in quite awhile in the No. 6 Viagra Ford.

"I'm going to tell you something," Martin said on pit road. "I've run so terrible for so long, that that (finish) was easy. We have run so bad it's unbelievable.

"I had so much more car today than I've had in a year."

Marlin retains his points lead as Newman moved up five spots into second, 75 points behind Marlin.