Sterling Marlin was the Cup points leader for 25 consecutive weeks in 2002 before an injury at Kansas ended his season. Credit: Autostock

Cross' Words: Michigan

"This business is a young man's sport today. Coors brand is catering to the 22- to 30-year-old crowd. Unfortunately we all get old." -- Felix Sabates

And with that, Sterling Marlin is on the outside looking in when it comes to driving a Nextel Cup car for Chip Ganassi in 2006.

	Inside the Numbers David Stremme's career stats Year Races W T-5 T-10 2005 16 0 3 7 2004 34 0 5 14 2003 18 0 3 7 Totals 68 0 11 28 Ganassi turnoverStremme excited to be taking over the No. 40 car in 2006 Sign up for TrackPass now and earn Fan Miles BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

In case you missed it, Coors is looking to go "Junior Lite" and try to lure some of the 22- to 30-year-old beer drinkers to tap into the Rockies. David Stremme is the driver who will be the face of Silver Bullet keggers from Daytona to Sonoma.

Stremme, a product of the driver development program, is eighth in the Busch Series point standings.

Ganassi and Sabates have offered a high six-figure salary in an attempt to show Marlin some love for his eight years of dedication, but Marlin hasn't decided if he'll take the golden parachute.

Marlin told Sabates that he's not going to drive for somebody that doesn't have a competitive Cup team, and Ganassi said that if Marlin doesn't land a quality Cup ride that there is a full-time Busch seat for him next year.

The deal, Sabates said, is for Marlin to just "hang around."

This is what we've come to, folks: It's not about the racing -- it's about pushing product.

So you can drive the wheels off a car, but you don't have the "look" a sponsor wants? Go grab a back-marker.

So you're 0-fer in the Busch Series? Hey, at least you're young and camera-friendly; sign on the dotted line.

The only redeemable aspect of the Coors deal is at least they're being honest.

However, Stremme should proceed with caution. He turned 28 on Sunday; there's a two-year window before he's no longer inside Coors' marketing demographic.

Unfortunately, we all get old.

Flags

BATMAN BEGINS 400 •   Unofficial Results •   Unofficial Standings •   Lap-by-Lap Coverage Final lapsGreg Biffle stays out late and it pays off with fifth victory Batman Begins 400Check out all the highlights from the 15th race Sign up for TrackPass now and earn Fan Miles BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

• Red -- Ryan Newman finished 15th at Michigan, the 29th time in 32 from-the-pole starts that he has failed to win. He dropped to seventh in the point standings and now trails Jimmie Johnson by 317 points and is just eight points ahead of eighth-place Rusty Wallace.

• Yellow -- Greg Biffle is on a roll -- five wins and 10 top-10s in 15 races -- and he now trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by only 49 points. ... However, Biffle has not thrived on road courses. In two races at Infineon, he has finished 13th and 37th and has not led a lap.

• Green -- Tony Stewart was second at Michigan and vaulted from 10th to sixth in the point standings. He now has seven top-10s this year and is 311 points behind Jimmie Johnson. In six races at Infineon Raceway, Stewart has one win and three top-10s.

Quote, Unquote

"We just couldn't get it going [Sunday]. We were off from the start. We had a good qualifying lap and thought we would be pretty good. But the way it turned out, I maybe should have stayed home this weekend. The guys worked really hard to make improvements to the McDonald's Dodge, but we never could get it right. At least we know our next race won't be any worse."
-- Bill Elliott, who qualified 10th and finished 35th at MIS

Around the Track

Inside the Numbers Kyle Busch's recent success Track NCTS BGN NNC Michigan 2 -- 9 Pocono/Texas -- -- 4 Dover 1 36 2 Charlotte 1 1 25 Richmond -- 23 4

• Rookie Kyle Busch has had a notable run in his past 11 races (all series) -- three wins and eight top-10s.

• Greg Biffle has eight wins in 93 starts for a .086 winning percentage -- third-best among active drivers: Jeff Gordon (.173), Jimmie Johnson (.127).

• For the third time this year -- Michigan, Martinsville and Daytona -- Tony Stewart led the most laps but did not win. His average finish in those races: 11.6.

• Joe Nemechek, sixth at Michigan, has posted consecutive top-10s for the first time since Talladega, Kansas and Charlotte in October 2004.

Up Next

Infineon Raceway

Inside the Numbers Drivers who have competed in all 16 races at Sonoma Driver W T-5 T-10 D. Jarrett 0 1 3 T. Labonte 0 5 7 S. Marlin 0 1 4 M. Martin 1 7 13 R. Rudd 2 9 10 K. Schrader 0 2 6 R. Wallace 2 8 10 M. Waltrip 0 1 7

• Ricky Rudd posted his last Cup victory at Infineon in the 2002 Dodge Save Mart 350, 107 races ago.

• Mark Martin has one win and 13 top-10 finishes -- tops among all drivers -- in 16 starts at the track.

• Jeff Gordon has led 361 laps in 12 races at Infineon Raceway. Mark Martin is second with 161 laps led.

• Darrell Waltrip was running at the finish in 45 road course races. Ricky Rudd can tie that mark Sunday.

Mail Call

Last year was storybook for NASCAR's new championship format. Most of the most favorite drivers made the "playoffs." It looks like a real possibility that Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't make it this year. What effect do you think this will have on "playoff" excitement and NASCAR?
-- Mike McKovich, Wrightwood, Calif.

Junior will make the Chase; it's in the fine print at the bottom of the point standings disclaimer.

E-MAIL Got something to say to Duane?

Can someone please explain to me why every race has to start with a one hour ceremony featuring the military? The Pocono 500 featured the Army's parachuting team, a four helicopter fly-over, the Army chorus singing a concert and a fly-over by four A-10 Warthogs. I'm the first person to thank military folks for their service to our country, but this has gotten out of hand at every track and event. The worst part I see in "honoring" America is that after the parachuting demonstration the narrator threw in some quick ad for people to go to GOARMY.com to "see over 200 ways that you can be an Army of one." Honoring servicemen and women is vital to our country, but the military shouldn't be using the pomp and circumstance of fancy jumps and fly-overs to lure young men and women into serving. After all, we're paying fans, trying to enjoy a race that used to start at noon and end by 4 p.m. And who foots the bill for all of the fly-overs and military groups presence at the tracks?
-- Russ Ebersole

The same people who are supposed to believe that the insurgency has been quelled.

Thank you for including the quote from Kyle Petty in Cross' Words, for it has shown another side of Kyle. Before I take Kyle to the woodshed I would like to first say he has done an amazing job with the Victory Junction Gang Camp. However, comments like Kyle's saying that Brendan Gaughan should have stayed in Texas showed his true colors. Real classy. Referring to Brendan as a "Truck driver" instead of by name just shows how he thinks he is a better class than Brendan.
-- David Sheleheda, Las Vegas

Several people e-mailed about Kyle's comment, but remember that frustration was a large part of his rant. Some of the most controversial things these drivers say come immediately after an on-track incident, when the drivers are unfiltered.

Hey dude, if you're not a race fan then you don't have to watch. Despite everyone's constant effort to alienate the true hardcore fans, there are those of us out there who still love watching stock car races for the racing. So, hey if you don't want to watch, don't watch -- just don't rain on our parade cause you aren't original enough to come up with something better than a bitching, complaining, moaning puff piece that includes nothing but your opinion. Even sadder is the fact that you are such wussies you'll never post anyone's opinion unless it caters to or agrees with your story.
-- Jeremy Spencer

The First Amendment in action.

Fantasy Perspective

• Michael Waltrip is the only driver to finish all 16 of his races at Infineon Raceway.

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not posted a top-10 finish in five races at this serpentine track.

• Jeff Gordon has finished sixth or better in nine of his last 10 races at this road course.

Road Warriors Active drivers' highest average finish at Sonoma (minimum five starts) Driver Races W T-5 T-10 Avg. Finish Jeff Gordon 12 4 8 9 8.8 Tony Stewart 6 1 2 3 9.2 Mark Martin 16 1 7 13 9.6 Ricky Rudd 16 2 9 10 12.4 Rusty Wallace 16 2 8 10 13.8 Fantasy Racing NASCAR.COM's Duane Cross takes part in a weekly fantasy racing segment on 790 The Ball in High Point, N.C. The season-to-date standings: Player Points Last Week ... Show host Marc Amazon 237 10 for Biffle, 8 for Martin, nada for Newman, Gordon and Johnson NASCAR.COM's Duane Cross 229 10 for Biffle, 8 for Martin, 3 for Sadler, blanked on Busch and Jarrett Update anchor Bill Kimm 220 10 for Biffle, 9 for Stewart, 7 for Kenseth, zippo for Newman and Kahne 790 The Ball Listeners 208 10 for Biffle, 3 for Sadler, shutout on Newman, Gordon and Johnson

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