NASCAR Star Sterling Marlin Enters the Mercy Masters of the Pro’s 144
Lebanon, MO / May 6, 2014 – Two time Daytona 500 Champion Sterling Marlin has officially filed his entry to compete in the 2nd Annual Mercy Masters of the Pros 144 to be held at the “High-Banks” of the Lebanon I-44 Speedway. The highest paying Pro Late Model Race on the schedule in 2014 takes place on Saturday May 17th and Sterling will be driving his own Pro Late Model entry in the $8,000 to win event.
Marlin, who competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, captured 10 wins with 216 top 10’s and 11 pole awards.
Sterling’s first NASCAR win came in the 1994 Daytona 500 in the Morgan-McClure Kodak Oldsmobile backed that up with a 1995 Daytona 500 win. The 1983 NASCAR Rookie of the Year competed in 748 races in NASCAR’s top tier division. His highest finish in the point standings was third. Sterling had a chance at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2002 while driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, but a hard crash at Kansas Speedway forced him out of action with a cracked vertebra after a stellar 2001 season finishing 3rd in the standings. He brought Dodge their first major win after returning to NASCAR Racing. Marlin announced his retirement in 2010 and was a 3-time Nashville Fairgrounds Late Model Champion from 1980-1982.
Marlin still competes in the Pro Late Model class at Nashville and was second in points in 2013 while capturing 2 wins. Understanding the importance of weekly short-track racing, he helped to lead a group to save racing at the 5/8ths Nashville oval. This will be Sterling’s first ever JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance event and his first race in the state of Missouri. “Kevin hit me up to come race and after seeing pictures of the track and how racy it looks and the facility, it made me want to take a road trip and $8,000 is a good reason to compete.” said Marlin
Marlin will be one of a great field of entries expected from multiple states and Canada attempting to make the field of 28 on May 17th. Marlin will take part in the popular autograph session after Boyne Machine Qualifying around 5:45 along with all of the JEGS/CRA ALL-STARS.
The event is the largest paying on the JEGS/CRA ALL-STARS tour and the longest feature they compete in at 144 laps. Fans get plenty of green flag racing as cautions after the lap 100 pit stop do not count.
The event will also include the NASCAR Budweiser Modifieds along with one more I-44 Speedway class.
Mercy is the sixth largest Catholic health care system in the U.S. and includes 32 hospitals, 300 outpatient facilities, 38,000 co-workers and 1,900 integrated physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Health care in Lebanon, Missouri and surrounding communities has always been built upon a cornerstone of serving the needs of the area residents. The Mercy Health Foundation Lebanon continues this same commitment of providing for the medical needs of the community members. Mercy Health Foundation Lebanon is led by a volunteer board of community leaders and served by an active group of committee volunteers. Since 2004, the Foundation has continued to grow because of a need for more medical services and the generous spirit of the people of this community. For more information visit www.mercy.net
Champion Racing Association (CRA) sanctions four different nationally and regionally recognized short track racing tours. Founded in 1997, CRA tours include the ARCA/CRA Super Series for Super Late Models, the JEGS/CRA All Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance for Pro Late Models, the Top Speed Fabrication/CRA Late Model Sportsman, and Stealth Trailers/CRA Street Stocks. For more information on the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour or CRA Racing, visit their site at www.cra-racing.com. Fans and teams can find even more news and discussion on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CRARacing or on Twitter at @CRARACING.
For more information visit WWW.I44Speedway.Net or WWW.CRA-RACING.COM . Additional information can be found at WWW.SPEED51.COM
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About Lebanon I-44 Speedway
Lebanon I-44 Speedway is Missouri’s only NASCAR facility and weekly Asphalt Racing Oval settled nearly 300 miles from any other and proudly flies the NASCAR Whelen All American Series banner. Located in Lebanon, Missouri, along Interstate 44 on Route 66 adds easy access from any direction. Just about 45 minutes to the East of Springfield, Missouri on I-44 and just 2 hours West of St. Louis on I-44 as well as just 30 minutes south of Lake of the Ozarks.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway has a history of producing great racecar drivers, and some of the biggest stars in American motorsports honed their skills on our tracks high banked 3/8-mile asphalt oval. Legends such as the great Larry Phillips, the only 5-time national champion in NASCAR’s weekly racing series, along with NASCAR stars like Mike Wallace, Jamie McMurray, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart and the late Tony Roper have either won races or even track championships over the years.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway has perhaps the smoothest racing surface of any weekly racing facility in the nation along with new aluminum backed Monster Energy Grandstand seating, Budweiser “Wild Side” tier parking that you can pull up in your car or tailgate in your pickup and enjoy all of the racing from a great view, the beautiful VIP Suites in the middle of the front stretch and entering turn one is the newest addition, the Budweiser Fan Deck.
Lebanon I-44 Speedway runs many special events throughout the race season as well as an exciting NASCAR weekly show that consists of Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman, Road Warriors and the Chargers with special appearances by the United States Super Truck Series, Pro National Baby Grand Cars, NASCAR racing special events and various Concerts.
For more information visit the website at www.i44speedway.net and be sure to visit and like the ever growing Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for updated information as drivers from Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Illinois compete each Saturday Night.