5 questions for Sterling Marlin

Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Sterling Marlin again will be driving a Colorado-sponsored Cup car. Marlin drove the Coors Light Dodge for years, and he will try to qualify the No. 78 Chevrolet for Denver- based Furniture Row Racing this week at Bristol, Tenn. He recently spoke with Rocky NASCAR reporter Jim Benton.

1 What got you interested in collecting Civil War artifacts?

From where I was raised in Tennessee, I was always kind of interested in it. I got a metal detector 15 years ago, went out with my buddy and found some bullets and just got interested in it. I did a lot of reading on it. I had a great-great- great-granddaddy who fought in the war. He survived. He had three brothers, and they all survived.

2 What is the best artifact you've found?

The wings off a battle flag.

3 How will your favorite team, the Tennessee Volunteers, do this season?

I don't know. The year they won the national championship, they weren't supposed to do nothing. They have a great quarterback in (Erik) Ainge, and a good tailback in Arian Foster, and a bunch of sophomore and freshman receivers. Who knows? The defense should be pretty good.

4 Biggest NASCAR achievement?

Probably winning the Daytona 500 (twice). That's what you want to win.

5 If you change something about NASCAR today, what would it be?

NASCAR has some trouble with costs. It has just gotten so expensive for the teams. They've got to get it down to where more people can get in it. The COT might help, over time.