Sterling Marlin turned 50 years old last Saturday with little fanfare.

"Just another day at the office," shrugged Marlin, who spent most of his milestone birthday at New Hampshire International Speedway, trying to help his Ginn Racing team figure out a way to get his No. 14 Chevrolet to go faster for the following day's Lenox Industrial Tools 300.

For more than 30 years now, Marlin's "office" usually has been a racetrack somewhere. As he prepares for Saturday's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, he also prepares for a future that he envisions involving a little less time at the office and a little more time at home.

He would like to begin running a part-time schedule beginning next season, much like Ginn Racing teammate Mark Martin has done this season.

"I probably do. I mean, it gets pretty old," said Marlin, who heads into Saturday night's race ranked 28th in points. "Back when we were running 30 races a year, at least you had four or five weekends off a summer. Now it's just go, go, go. And I've got so much stuff going on at home.

"This is a job, this is what makes it all happen for me. But hell, I've been doing it for 30 years or more. I'd like to run 15 or 20 races, split something with somebody. If the right deal comes along, I guess I would run 'em all again. But I'm really looking to cut it back some."

Don't get Marlin wrong. After a career that has included 728 Cup starts, 11 poles and 10 victories, including back-to-back Daytona 500s in 1994 and 1995, he's thankful for all that racing has enabled him to earn. He's just a little worn out -- and truth be told, sometimes he's a little bored with it all.

"I mean, when you go to Phoenix, you've got to go out Wednesday, practice Thursday, qualify Friday and race Saturday. You're there for four days to one night of racing," Marlin said. "And these 2 o'clock Sunday starts? I like doing stuff. This is the opposite. This is a lot of sitting around and waitin'.

"You like it when you get to the racetrack and you finally can go and practice and race. But now going to Phoenix or California, you can pretty much kill a day just getting out there. All that traveling for testing and everything else, it gets old. You're gone, gone, gone. I've got a grandson now that's 3, and I'd rather be riding around on a truck or a tractor or a bulldozer or something like that with him. I've got a daughter who's 17 and is going to be a senior [in high school]. I'd like to see her play more volleyball and basketball."

The funny thing about Marlin getting older is that the veteran driver helps keep everyone around him feeling young, according to Richard "Slugger" Labbe, crew chief of Marlin's car. (Continued)