Marlin extends points lead with gritty drive

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	Sterling Marlin's Dodge has held the points lead since February. Credit: Autostock

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- If Sterling Marlin holds on to win his first Winston Cup championship, he'll point to Saturday's Sharpie 500 as a key reason why.

Marlin, who started the event at Bristol Motor Speedway 27th, was black-flagged on lap-59 for dragging the jack down pit road following a routine stop under caution. Hence, he was sent to the rear of the line and restarted in 37th position.

Though mired deep in the field, Marlin patiently maneuvering through the mayhem ahead of him and into 11th position by the race's halfway point. After Steve Park's spin some 40 laps later, he'd surged to ninth.

That's when the most crucial moment of the race occurred for Marlin. On the ensuing restart, Dale Jarrett spun Jeremy Mayfield, triggering a three-car crash in Turn 1. As Marlin entered the corner, he dove low onto the apron, narrowly missed Jeff Burton's spinning Ford.

	Marlin led the points race late in 1995 but faded to third. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt finished a close 1-2 for the title. Credit: Autostock

Now in seventh position with 194 laps to go, Marlin set his sights on the leaders. Unable to ascend any higher, however, crew chief Lee McCall cued the radio on lap 351: "We can't win like we are. We can run seventh, but we can't win pitting every time the leaders do. Get down here."

Marlin pitted, restarting 13th with 126 laps to go. Three laps later, Mike Skinner got together with Casey Atwood in Turn 2, bringing out the night's 13th caution.

As the field came to the green flag on the restart with 124 laps to go, Robby Gordon got into the rear of the Jimmie Johnson's Chevrolet, sending Johnson hard into the outside wall. During his accident, Johnson collected Mark Martin.

Big score for Marlin, who led Martin a mere 43 points, and Johnson by just 60, entering the affair.

Then, on lap 411, Marlin got yet another boost when Tony Stewart ruptured an oil line under caution after the lapped machine driven by Jerry Nadeau simply slammed the brakes ahead of Stewart.

After a trip to the pits for repairs, Stewart returned to competition three laps down in 26th position, spoiling a night in which he ran as high as fifth.

Meanwhile, Marlin trudged on, eventually taking the checkers in seventh position.

"It was a good race for us, we came out seventh," said Marlin through a wide grin. "We were really good on long runs. I wanted to see it go green all the way. We would have been in good shape. We had a good night. I guess the 6 and the 20 and Jimmie Johnson had trouble.

"We'll keep hammering and doing what we need to do. All I've heard all week is how I'm losing points. We gained 'em back."

One driver, race-winner Jeff Gordon, made up some ground Saturday. Gordon entered the event 150 points behind Marlin in fifth place.

After his win Saturday, which snapped a well-publicized 31-race winless drought - Gordon now trails Marlin by 111 points heading to Darlington.