In the Pits- GINN
Marlin makes Civil War pit stop on his way to Richmond
Sterling Marlin made a recreational pit stop on his way to Richmond International Raceway for the Nextel Cup event in May.
A known Civil War buff, Marlin used the weekend’s Jim Stewart 400 as an excuse to make a side trip to Cold Harbor, one of the many parts of Richmond National Battlefield. Cold Harbor was the site of a Civil War battle that raged from May 31-June 12, 1864.
Marlin, who has always had a fascination with the Civil War, began collecting artifacts from that time period years ago.
“I know a guy that owns a farm out there that hasn’t had much hunting done on it, if any,” said Marlin. “So I thought I’d take the opportunity to go and see what I can find, since I’m on my way to Richmond anyway.”
“I’d been up there to that area before,” added Marlin. “But that land was new to me and was really interesting.”
Marlin’s collection includes a vast array of items including buttons, swords and pieces of guns. One of his favorite artifacts is the sheath for a sword, known as a scabbard.
Marlin admits that as much as he enjoys hunting for the relics, a lot of the items in his collection have been gifts.
“I love going out and looking for this stuff, but I don’t have the time to really get into it as much as I’d like,” offered Marlin. “Friends and fans give me some pretty neat things because they know I really enjoy it.
“The best thing anyone ever gave me was General Custer’s gun,” continued Marlin. “It was a guy I knew that was kin to Custer. He said that he didn’t have any kids to hand it down to, so he passed it along to me. He knew I’d like it, and that was pretty neat.”
After his day of searching the old Civil War grounds, it was back to business as Marlin made his way to the racetrack. The May 5 showdown at Richmond was rain delayed until Sunday, where Marlin brought home a 23rd-place finish.
“It’s a nice, relaxing way for me to enjoy the day before I get down to business,” said Marlin.
Photo caption:
Driver Sterling Marlin
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