Q.
If you were a fan, who would be your favourite drivers?
Sterling Marlin:
I’ve never really thought about it. You have different personalities out there and I respect drivers for a lot of different reasons. I’m friends with many of the guys, but I guess I’d say Mark Martin or someone like that.
Q.
Outside of racing what do you enjoy doing?
Sterling Marlin:
Just hanging out really. We’ve got a good bit of land back home and we’re developing some so I spend a lot of time clearing property. Working, that’s what I enjoy doing. That and spending time with my family.
Q.
Talk about your fascination with the Civil War and the artefacts you collect.
Sterling Marlin:
Where I was born and raised (Columbia, Tenn.) there’s a lot of history. You could go about a mile down the road from my house and find areas where the soldiers camped during the war. You would use metal detectors and find buckles and buttons from their uniforms, things like that. The road that runs from Nashville to Alabama was the main road so the soldiers were always travelling that area during the war.
Q.
Have you ever hunted for Civil War artefacts anywhere else?
Sterling Marlin:
Oh yeah. I’ve gone to Richmond and into North Carolina near Wilmington to hunt. But it’s getting harder and harder to find stuff because a lot of people have been doing this for many years. But it’s a pretty cool thing to hunt for artefacts.
Q.
They say you’re the No. 1 University of Tennessee football fan. Can the Vols rebound in 2006?
Sterling Marlin:
I sure hope so. The expectations were high before the season, but it just didn’t work out. No question, it was a disappointing season and it drove me crazy. But they’ll come back, I know they will.
Q.
Doug Randolph is a graduate of UT and a big Vols fan too. When was the last time you had a crew chief who was a native Tennessean?
Sterling Marlin:
Tony Glover was from Tennessee so he was a big UT fan too. Now I have Doug to share my pain with when they have a bad season. Hopefully they won’t have another season like last year.
Q.
What are your thoughts on Doug?
Sterling Marlin:
Doug’s a great guy and very capable. I worked with him back at Junior’s (Johnson) in 1991 and 1992. He’s done a good job of working his way through the ranks and getting to where he now is. We got along well then and still do today. I’m looking forward to having a good year together and think he and I have the chemistry to be successful.
