Coo Coo Marlin
Coo Coo Marlin
BornClifton Burton Marlin
(1932-01-03)January 3, 1932
Columbia, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedAugust 14, 2005(2005-08-14) (aged 73)
Cause of deathLung cancer
NASCAR Cup Series career
165 races run over 14 years
Best finish20th: 1975 Winston Cup Series season
First race1966 Nashville 400 (Nashville)
Last race1980 Talladega 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 51 0

Clifton Burton "Coo Coo" Marlin (January 3, 1932 – August 14, 2005) was a NASCAR Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.

Local track history

Marlin earned a name for himself at the short tracks in Tennessee and Alabama, running against Red Farmer, Bobby Allison, and Donnie Allison. He was a four-time track champion at Nashville Speedway USA (now Music City Motorplex).

Marlin was a speedway favorite with a lot of kids during the 1960s. He drove a fire-engine red 1964 Chevrolet Impala, No. 711, and was the first real "hero" to many youngsters. During this time, he and his racing "nemesis," Charlie Binkley No. 125, continuously thrilled audiences with their often tense finishes. Marlin was always available for photos and autographs in the pits after a race. His brother, Jack Marlin, was also a crowd favorite.

Grand National and Winston Cup career

Marlin advanced to part-time rides on the NASCAR Grand National circuit, starting with one race in 1966 and three in 1967. He ran more of the schedule as the series changed from Grand National to Winston Cup, but he never competed in more than 23 races in any season. He never won a race in his 165 Winston Cup starts from 1966 to 1980, but he had nine top 5 and 51 top 10 finishes, with many of those starts in a car numbered 14. However, in 1973, Marlin won a non points race, with one of the Duel races at Daytona that year.[1]

Death

Marlin died in his hometown of Columbia, Tennessee, on August 14, 2005, of lung cancer at the age of 73.

Son's use of number 14 as memorial

Shortly after Marlin's death, his son Sterling was in negotiations with MB2 Motorsports to drive the team's second car for 2006. The team was unable to retain the No. 10 (which was to be used by Evernham Motorsports for 2006), so MB2 was looking for a new number. A still-grieving Sterling found the No. 14 available (ppc Racing's defunct Nextel Cup team had been the last to use it) and had MB2 request the No. 14, which was granted. It was run to honor his father during his year and a half with the team until his unexpected release from Ginn Racing mid-way through the 2007 season, after the team merged with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The No. 14 is now run by Chase Briscoe, his owner and former driver Tony Stewart who chose the number for his own race team in honor of AJ Foyt, a childhood hero of his.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 NGNC Pts Ref
1966 Gray Racing 97 Ford AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR BRI ATL HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH CLT DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS DAY ODS BRR OXF FON ISP BRI SMR NSV
8 		ATL CLB AWS BLV BGS DAR HCY RCH HBO MAR NWS CLT CAR 95th 360 [2]
1967 Charlie Hughes 04 Chevy AUG RSD DAY
13 		DAY DAY
50 		AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS MGY DAY TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI SMR 88th 680 [3]
Cunningham-Kelley Racing NSV
17 		ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS CLT CAR AWS
1969 Cunningham-Kelley Racing 07 Chevy MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR AUG BRI ATL CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS MAR AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT MGR SMR MCH KPT
22 		GPS NCF DAY DOV TPN TRN BLV BRI
30 		NSV
7 		SMR ATL
13 		MCH SBO BGS AWS DAR
31 		HCY RCH TAL
10 		CLB MAR NWS CLT
39 		SVH AUG CAR JFC MGR TWS 52nd 375 [4]
1970 RSD DAY
24 		DAY DAY
18 		RCH CAR SVH ATL
9 		BRI
9 		TAL
10 		NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT
30 		SMR MAR MCH
31 		RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY
34 		AST TPN TRN BRI SMR NSV
6 		ATL
15 		CLB ONA MCH
17 		TAL
14 		BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT
34 		MAR MGR CAR LGY 38th 876 [5]
1971 RSD DAY DAY
13 		DAY
20 		ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL
15 		CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL
39 		ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH
27 		RSD HOU GPS DAY
31 		BRI
14 		AST ISP TRN NSV
25 		ATL
34 		BGS ONA MCH
33 		TAL
42 		CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV CAR
38 		MGR RCH NWS TWS 49th 527 [6]

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Cunningham-Kelley Racing 14 Chevy RSD DAY
25 		RCH ONT CAR ATL
12 		BRI
6 		DAR NWS MAR TAL
35 		CLT
28 		DOV
24 		MCH RSD TWS
3 		DAY
4 		BRI
22 		TRN ATL
29 		TAL
16 		MCH
34 		NSV
26 		DAR
10 		RCH DOV
36 		MAR
11 		NWS
30 		CLT
34 		CAR
27 		TWS
7 		25th 3852.9 [7]
1973 RSD DAY
29 		RCH CAR
14 		BRI
7 		ATL
6 		NWS DAR MAR TAL
6 		NSV
6 		CLT
33 		DOV
35 		TWS
28 		RSD MCH
11 		DAY
38 		BRI
27 		ATL
30 		TAL
40 		NSV
3 		DAR
7 		RCH DOV
6 		NWS
11 		MAR
23 		CLT
19 		CAR
10 		22nd 4233.89 [8]
1974 RSD DAY
4 		RCH CAR
24 		BRI
10 		ATL
28 		DAR
19 		NWS MAR
12 		TAL
7 		NSV
9 		DOV CLT
38 		RSD MCH
13 		DAY
18 		BRI
12 		NSV
28 		ATL
9 		POC TAL
35 		MCH
11 		DAR
29 		RCH
18 		DOV
25 		NWS
11 		MAR
22 		CLT
22 		CAR
12 		ONT 22nd 581.66 [9]
1975 RSD DAY
17 		RCH CAR
26 		BRI ATL
7 		NWS DAR
5 		MAR TAL
5 		NSV
3 		DOV
6 		CLT
40 		RSD MCH
12 		DAY
34 		NSV
26 		POC
7 		TAL
5 		MCH
35 		DAR
39 		DOV
31 		NWS
12 		MAR
29 		CLT
42 		RCH
9 		CAR
10 		BRI
7 		ATL
8 		ONT 20th 2584 [10]
1976 RSD DAY
21 		CAR
8 		RCH BRI ATL
6 		NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH
13 		DAY
6 		NSV
8 		POC TAL
34 		MCH
12 		BRI DAR
8 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
32 		CAR
10 		ATL
30 		ONT
DNQ 		28th 1412 [11]
1977 RSD DAY
4 		RCH CAR ATL
8 		NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL
8 		NSV
8 		DOV CLT
12 		RSD MCH DAY
13 		NSV
11 		POC TAL
40 		MCH BRI DAR
26 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
12 		CAR ATL
10 		ONT 34th 1004 [12]
1978 RSD DAY
26 		RCH CAR ATL
39 		BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL
41 		DOV CLT NSV
22 		RSD MCH DAY
38 		NSV POC TAL
26 		MCH BRI DAR
30 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
7 		CAR ATL
10 		ONT 36th 765 [13]
1979 RSD DAY
9 		CAR RCH ATL
38 		NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL
10 		NSV DOV CLT
30 		TWS RSD MCH DAY
25 		NSV POC TAL
29 		MCH BRI DAR
36 		RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT 33rd 613 [14]
1980 RSD DAY
QL† 		RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL
11 		NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY
14 		NSV POC TAL
37 		MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL ONT 54th 303 [15]
† - Qualified but replaced by Sterling Marlin
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1967 Charlie Hughes Chevrolet 27 50
1970 Cunningham-Kelley Racing Chevrolet 40 18
1971 26 20
1972 3 25
1973 4 29
1974 31 4
1975 35 17
1976 10 21
1977 13 4
1978 16 26
1979 37 9
1980 QL†
† - Qualified but replaced by Sterling Marlin

References

  1. ^ Coo Coo Marlin page of Racing-reference website [1], retrieved May 21, 2007.
  2. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  3. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  12. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  13. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  14. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  15. ^ "Coo Coo Marlin – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.

External links

Categories