Marlin's too tough not to bounce back

Writer's Note: Before you read this column, please give a moment to Blaise Alexander, who died one year ago.

When the news of Sterling Marlin's neck injury came down, it honestly brought forth a feeling of sadness.

	Tim Packman

Here's a guy who is in the twilight of his career, just led the points battle for 25 of 29 weeks, who was only 121 points out of getting back on top -- and all of a sudden, he's out of it.

Sterling is one of the last true racers left in NASCAR. He's one of the last that will still stick his head under the car to fix, tweak or improve his car himself.

There are drivers, and there are racers.

Case in point: At Watkins Glen this year, I was walking through the garage area and saw the No. 40 Dodge team thrashing at the car. Something happened to the transmission during practice, and the team placed the car on jack stands.

As the crew was feverishly taking the car apart, Marlin was on his knees, with uniform on, with his head and upper body up under the left-rear tire well. He was working on the car to get back out on the track. He was not just sitting in the hauler letting someone else make the repairs.

If Sterling is upset or hurting, you'll never know.

Even on Friday at Talladega, with his Aspen collar around his neck, he still kept his sense of humor about him.

"The doctor said take it off at night and wear it (neck brace) as much as you can during the day," Marlin said. "Paula (his wife) is about to kill me. I had it off a good bit yesterday.

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"We did a charity bit at home and Dale Jr., Michael (Waltrip) and Steve Park came up. I had it off. I thought I was going to have to fight Paula there at the end. She showed up and I had it off. I've got it back on today.

"Get some pictures and I'll show her I've got it on and then I'll take it off again."

For him to get out of the car shows that he's not only smart enough to realize what he's up against, but that he knows there's still plenty of wins and championship chasing left him.

"I'm disappointed," he said "The guys put so much into it this year. They were really focused on winning the championship, and I was, too.

"It was a deal where I had to get out. Another lick and I could have been paralyzed or whatever. I think my health is more important than the championship.

"We'll rebound and come back and get 'em next year. I told him we'd get some duct tape and just tape me to the seat and cut me loose when the race was over, but they wouldn't go for it."

That's the one thing I like about Sterling the most --- he keeps it real.

He's one of the few drivers who will walk into a restaurant on race weekend and just hang out. He doesn't get all caught up in the fact that he's a NASCAR driver and feel he needs to stay in his motorcoach because he's too big to go out in public.

With Jamie McMurray going into the car, it's kind of interesting to note that Sterling got his first Winston Cup Series start in the same way. When his dad, Coo Coo Marlin had a broken shoulder in 1976, Sterling took the wheel.

Now, some 26 years later, Sterling's injury is giving another young driver his first Cup start.

So, don't write off Sterling and think he's lost his best chance at a championship.

If anything, this year may be just the inspiration to fuel his quest for next year.

Tim Packman's column appears every Saturday on NASCAR.com.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the writer.