Sterling Marlin & Morgan-McClure Motorsports' Daytona 500 Rings
by Daniel J. Simone, Ph.D. May 27, 2020
Win the Daytona 500 and not only do you get a trophy and a check, but you also get some pretty slick bling, too.
Description: Sterling Marlin amassed 35 top-five finishes and seven poles prior to the 1994 season—but remained winless. That changed on February 20, 1994, after the second-generation, Columbia, Tennessee, driver captured the Daytona 500. The following season, Marlin won NASCAR’s marquee event again, joining Richard Petty (1973-74) and Cale Yarborough (1983-84) as the only drivers to claim back-to-back victories in the Great American Race. Both of Marlin’s wins came in No. 4 Kodak-sponsored Morgan-McClure Motorsports-owned Chevrolets. As a token of their appreciation, Morgan-McClure Motorsports gifted these rings to select Eastman Kodak employees.
These rings represent the success of Marlin, his crew chief Tony Glover, and the rest of Morgan-McClure Motorsports
— Daniel Simone
Significance: Marlin’s back-to-back Daytona 500 victories were thrilling moments in NASCAR’s history and certainly worthy of commemorating in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. These rings represent the success of Marlin, his crew chief Tony Glover, and the rest of Morgan-McClure Motorsports—a team that picked up 14 NASCAR premier series victories from 1990-98. These artifacts will likely be included in a future rendition of Heritage Speedway, where the NASCAR Hall of Fame features milestone accomplishments in NASCAR’s history. Because a vast majority of the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s permanent collection consists of paper-based items (programs, press kits, periodicals), donations such as these are especially rare and very much appreciated.
Donor: Ann Fisher
Plan your visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and purchase tickets by visiting nascarhall.com/tickets.
