Marlin's 600th start ends with another DNF

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- For a time Sunday - say, 63 laps or so -- it appeared as if Sterling Marlin's 600th Winston Cup start would be a memorable one.

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Hours later, it proved to be one of the more forgettable days of his lengthy career.

Marlin was running fourth in the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway and wheeling one of his more capable cars of the season. But while negotiating his way through a mosh pit of cars in Turns 3 and 4, Marlin hit in the rear by Ward Burton, spinning his Dodge around in Turn 4.

Fortunately for Marlin, no one hit him. But bad luck wasn't through with the wily veteran just yet. During the accident, Marlin's radiator was punctured, and after several laps spent behind the wall replacing it, the motor expired.

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There were 373 laps to go, and Marlin was on his way home with a 43rd-place finish.

"We had a good car, worked our way up to fourth," Marlin said. "Ward got us in (turns) 3 and 4 and turned us around in front of everybody. Johnny Benson came off Turn 2 and had to check up. It wasn't his fault. We got a hole in the radiator. Just ain't been a good day."

Compared to 2002, when Marlin led the championship points race for 25 straight weeks before suffering a season-ending neck injury, it hasn't been such a landmark year.

Five races remain on the 2003 schedule and Marlin has yet to finish in the top-five, and he hasn't finished in the top-10 in more than three months.