Eight Years Ago: Jamie McMurray and Chip Ganassi Shocked the World

September 7, 2002 was a tough day in the life of Sterling Marlin. Going into the day the points leader by 91 points over defending champion Jeff Gordon, Sterling was optimistic. After over 20 years of racing action, Sterling was headed to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. It wasn't meant to be. Sterling hit the wall hard on lap eight. As Sterling climbed out of his battered No. 40 Coors Light Dodge, an expression of pain came across his face. Sterling continued to race in 2002 until a crash at Kansas resulted in a broken vertebrae in his back, and Sterling's hope of a championship was officially over. But the race in Richmond resulted in the original injury. The list of names to replace Marlin was long. Most thought a Nationw...

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