 | | Sterling Marlin will have to qualify for the Daytona 500 on time next season. Credit: Autostock |
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
November 22, 2006
12:13 PM EST (17:13 GMT)
HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Sterling Marlin hardly seemed surprised when he failed to complete all 268 laps on Sunday. He was more surprised that it was an engine failure -- and not a rival driver -- that had put him in the garage.  |
| The battle for 35th |
| Nextel Cup Owner Points |
| Pos. |
Team |
Car No. |
Pts. |
| 34. |
Evernham |
19 |
2,983 |
| 35. |
Petty |
45 |
2,928 |
| 36. |
Ginn |
14 |
2,854 |
|
|
Marlin was the odd man out of a back-and-forth battle for a spot in the top 35 in owners points, as Kyle Petty finished 28th and scored the final guaranteed spot in the 2007 Daytona 500. It was the first time in recent memory that Marlin hadn't been victimized by a crash. Still, the result was the same. Petty was left with the final spot by 74-point margin. "Yeah, for my guys, it is a win. It is win for all our guys, but I feel bad for Sterling," Petty said. "You don't realize how hard it is to race for 35th position. Jimmie Johnson is standing out there taking the championship trophy, but these guys race hard back here." Marlin wound up 37th. It the latest blow in a disappointing season with MB2 in which he had just nine lead-lap finishes. "We can't make any points sitting in the garage area," Marlin said. "We can't get no luck. We get run over every darn week and lost an engine down here. "Maybe they [NASCAR] will take the top 36." NASCAR awards a guaranteed spot in the first five races of each Cup season to the teams that finish in the top 35 in owners points the previous season. Toyota is bringing an influx of new teams for next season, and the car count for Daytona is expected to be as high as 55. Marlin's team, MB2 Motorsports, enters Daytona with only one guaranteed spot for its three cars. MB2 hired Mark Martin to drive its No. 01 Chevrolet, but Marlin and Joe Nemechek will have to make the field on speed each week. It remains to be seen what effect the setback will have on Marlin's team. Scott Riggs missed the Daytona 500 after entering 2006 without a guaranteed spot, but he eventually recovered to finish 20th in the points. Marlin says he can do the same. "We will get some good racecars and there is no doubt in my mind we can be top 20 in points," Marlin said. Marlin ran well as the season came to an end, but a never-ending rash of accidents derailed him, allowing Petty back into the top 35. Petty was out of the top 35 for most of the fall, but he ran much better as the season ended, finishing 10th at Martinsville and 11th at Texas. "It came down to the last five or six races, to the team that had the least amount of trouble," Petty said. "We had the least amount of trouble, and we put together some good solid runs." Petty didn't have much worrying to do on Sunday. Marlin was the victim of a wreck last week at Phoenix, and Petty ran reasonably well at Homestead despite an early mistake. During the first restart on Lap 12, Petty pitted on the wrong lap and had to start from the rear of the field. "We pitted on the wrong lap and missed the one to go, and had to go all the way to the back," Petty said. "Driver error." Petty's lack of track position gave Marlin a glimmer of hope, but Marlin was in the garage with engine problems by Lap 159. "Kyle was a lap down we were close to getting him in the points, but we fell out again," Marlin said. Ironically, Petty and Marlin both began to run better when each team made crew chief changes midseason. MB2 hired Richard "Slugger" Labbe to work with Marlin on Sept. 5, and one week later, Petty hired former Penske and Yates crew chief Bill Wilburn to run its No. 45 team. Petty credited Wilburn for the drive into the top 35. "Having to qualify put a lot of pressure on the guys in the shop," Petty said. "Billy and our guys handled it real well. They are the ones that got us back in the top 35. "Nothing fell off the car, and you can't beat yourself." | 
