Marlin's 2001 win returns Dodge to MIS Victory Lane (cont'd)

When the race resumed, Martin pitted, handing the lead back to Elliott. Wallace got by shortly after the restart. And Rudd, who had the dominant car until he lost two cylinders, saw his day go from bad to worse when the engine expired on Lap 121, bringing out the caution. While Jeremy Mayfield stayed out, the rest of the lead-lap cars headed for pit road. And while Elliott gambled on a two-tire stop, Marlin took four fresh tires.

Elliott quickly disposed of Mayfield on the restart and built up a 2-second advantage over the field. But Marlin's lap times were significantly quicker, and once he worked his way through traffic, he began to close on the leader. Getting to Elliott and passing him was a different story. Twice Marlin found the way blocked before he finally got a clean shot on Lap 145.

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"The first time I tried to pass him, I didn't catch him in the right place on the track," Marlin said. "The last time I caught him, I got a good run up off Turn 4 and just got on by."

But Craven was just as fast, if not faster, and passed Elliott for second four laps later. Now the only question would be whether Craven could catch Marlin before it rained, as the radar showed more showers nearby.

"I kept looking in my mirror and I saw Ricky coming," Marlin said. "It was raining and I was thinking, 'Man, they've got to call it,' because it was getting slick out there.'

"I kept watching the clouds get bigger. It kept getting darker and darker. I said a little prayer to let it rain, and it rained."

The caution flag flew on Lap 157, with Craven's Ford getting closer and closer in Marlin's rear-view mirror. And five laps later, NASCAR halted proceedings for the final time -- 32 laps shy of the scheduled distance -- allowing Marlin to secure Dodge's first victory in 24 seasons, and his first win since 1996.

"I never doubted myself," Marlin said. "I knew we could get the job done if we could get some stuff to do it with. I felt in my heart that I could still drive a race car as good as anybody."

Craven's only wish was for the rain to have held off just a few more laps, which might have resulted in his first Cup win.

"With it raining, you say, 'Gosh, we're going to be second. I wish I could have just 10 more laps,'" Craven said. "You've got to be reasonable. That's what I've got to remind myself. That's my best career finish.

"I was chasing Sterling down and would've loved to have had 10 laps to duke it out."

Two races later at Darlington, Ward Burton would record another win for Dodge. And after Marlin's triumph at Charlotte, Elliott would finally get to Victory Lane at Homestead.

For Craven, he would erase his disappointment at Michigan later in the season with a win at Martinsville.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.