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Coo Coo Marlin

 

 
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Coo Coo Marlin
 
 
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Clifton "Coo Coo" Marlin (January 3, 1932–August 14, 2005) was a NASCAR
NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is the largest sanctioning body of stock cars in the United States. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series....
 Winston Cup driver who spent 14 years in the series.

in earned a name for himself at the short tracks in Tennessee
Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
 and Alabama
Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the Southern United States of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west....
, running against Red Farmer
Red Farmer

Charles "Red" Farmer is a former NASCAR racecar driver....
, Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison

Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
, and Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison

Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s....
. He was a four time track champion at Nashville Speedway USA.

Coo Coo was a speedway favorite with a lot of kids during the 1960s. He drove a fire-engine red 1964 Chevy Impala, #711, and was the first real "hero" to many youngsters.






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Clifton "Coo Coo" Marlin (January 3, 1932–August 14, 2005) was a NASCAR
NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is the largest sanctioning body of stock cars in the United States. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series....
 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
Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
 and Alabama
Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the Southern United States of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west....
, running against Red Farmer
Red Farmer

Charles "Red" Farmer is a former NASCAR racecar driver....
, Bobby Allison
Bobby Allison

Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
, and Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison

Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s....
. He was a four time track champion at Nashville Speedway USA.

Coo Coo was a speedway favorite with a lot of kids during the 1960s. He drove a fire-engine red 1964 Chevy Impala, #711, and was the first real "hero" to many youngsters. During this time, he and his racing "nemesis," Charlie Binkley #125, continuously thrilled audiences with their often nail-biting finishes. Coo Coo 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. Coo Coo 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.

Death

Marlin died in his hometown of Columbia, Tennessee on August 14, 2005 of lung cancer
Lung cancer

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissue of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is the invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs....
 at the age of 73.

Son's use of number 14 as memorial


Shortly after his death, his son Sterling
Sterling Marlin

Sterling Marlin is a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver who drives the #09 Finch Racing car on a part time basis. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin....
 was in negotiations with MB2 Motorsports
MB2 Motorsports

Ginn Racing was a NASCAR NASCAR Championship team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte, North Carolina. Its principal owners in its final season, 2007, were 80% Bobby Ginn and 20% Jay Frye....
 to drive the team's second car for 2006. The team was unable to retain the #10 (which was to be used by Evernham Motorsports
Evernham Motorsports

Richard Petty Motorsports is a racing team in NASCAR. It is owned by Montreal Canadiens owner and Liverpool F.C. co-owner George N. Gillett Jr....
 for 2006), so MB2 was looking for a new number. A still-grieving Sterling found the #14 available and had MB2 request the #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.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina. Originally formed in 1980, the team was owned by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, before his Death of Dale Earnhardt on the closing lap of the 2001 Daytona 500....


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