Marlin finds part-time ride

Veteran Sterling Marlin wanted to do a limited schedule of Sprint Cup racing next season, and according to Phoenix Racing general manager and crew chief Marc Reno, Marlin will get to do more than that for owner James Finch.

Reno was feeling optimistic after his organization, which runs two full-time teams in the Busch Series but only makes intermittent trips to the Cup Series, tested at Memphis Motorsports Park and then came to Phoenix to make its first Car of Tomorrow attempt.

Marlin qualified 29th for the Checker Auto Parts 500, and six teams with about 200 more attempts this season than Finch's bunch, went home. Marlin ended up 25th, the first car one lap down.

It's got Reno and company anticipating 2008 already, although first they'll attempt their South Florida sponsor's home race next weekend at Homestead, with Marlin.

"We've got a Hendrick's car and motor for there, and we've signed a Hendrick [Motorsports] engine deal for next year," Reno said. "We got a car and a motor from them for Homestead. That will be the first time we use a Hendrick's motor -- this was a Childress motor.

"We've got at least nine Cup races scheduled with [the Miccosukee Resort in South Florida], and we may do more next season if we get the sponsorship. We'll do the four speedway races [two apiece at Daytona and Talladega], the two road courses, Bristol, Richmond and Homestead.

"Sterling will probably do most of them, but he doesn't want to road race, and before we knew Sterling was available we picked two of the road races, because we figured those were easier to get into. So we'll probably put in Max Papis or [Scott] Pruett."