That's Racing: For Sterling Marlin — the daughter also rises

Could she become NASCAR’s Danica Patrick?

Sutherlin Marlin, the 19-year-old daughter of Sterling Marlin, this season launches her racing career at Fairgrounds Speedway, the historic track where her grandfather Coo Coo won four championships in the 1960s and her dad collected three more in the 1980s.

“I attended my first race there when I was two weeks old,” says Sutherlin. “I’ve been around racing all my life and I can’t wait to give it a try.”

A student at Columbia State, Sutherlin is bright and vivacious, and inherited her family’s keen sense of humor.

In other words, she’s an absolute media delight.

Now, if she can just drive …

“She’s got talent,” says her dad. “When she was 5 or 6 we went to a go-kart track in Panama City and she raced against (big brother) Steadman and a bunch of other boys and beat them. She’s been on to me to get her a race car and finally we cut a deal.”

The deal: Sutherlin goes to college and works on her race car.

“I’ll help,” Sterling says, “but she’s gotta work, too.”

In addition to being a college co-ed and racing mechanic, Sutherlin — whose pop’s race winnings stand at around $40 million — also works part-time as hostess at Sperry’s, a local restaurant.

“My dad worked hard when he was getting started and he expects me to do the same,” Sutherlin says.

Sutherlin, who was 4 when her father won the first of his two Daytona 500s, grew up on the NASCAR circuit amid racing celebrities. One of her infield playmates was Taylor Earnhardt, youngest daughter of Dale Earnhardt.

She is conscious of the family legacy: Coo Coo was Tennessee’s first nationally renowned NASCAR driver, and her father is one of the sport’s most popular figures.

“Once at a track a woman came over to show us her twins,” Sutherlin recalls. “One was named ‘Sterling’ and the other was named ‘Marlin.’”

She adds with a chuckle: “My dad sure has some loyal fans.”

Sterling, who is running a limited Sprint Cup schedule this year, is sometimes referred to as “the last of the Good Ol’ Boys.” Sutherlin is proud of her countrified roots.

“When we park our motor home in the infield some of the other families call us the Clampets,” she says, again with a chuckle. “One afternoon mama (Paula) was cooking baloney on the grill and I was shucking corn. Dale Jr. walked by, stopped, grinned and said, ‘I don’t believe it!’”

Sutherlin plans to race in the Speedway’s truck series, a white-knuckle division that runs the swift, high banks of the five-eighths-mile track. It would seem breathless for a beginner.

“I told her if she’s going to race, then race with the big boys,” Sterling said. “We’ll find out pretty fast if she’s got it or not.”

“I’ll be cautious, especially at first,” says Sutherlin, “but I won’t be intimidated.”

Intimidated by a race track? Of course not. She’s a Marlin.

Larry Woody is a veteran Nashville sports writer who has covered racing since the early 1970s.