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Marcis to retire after '02 Daytona 500
By Stephen Thomas, CNNSI.com DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After 34 years, 879 races, five wins and a lifetime's worth of memories, Dave Marcis, truly the last of NASCAR's independents, called it a day Thursday. "I will do the Chicago race, Indianapolis, Dover, Darlington, Atlanta and the Daytona 500 next year," Marcis said, "and that will be my final event." Flanked by Bill France and Bill Jordan, primary sponsor of Marcis's no. 71, wearing hearing aids in both ears and his trademark wing tips on his feet, the 60-year-old Marcis betrayed neither undue sadness nor depression at the thought that his lengthy and legendary career would soon be ending. "It's a decision I had to make, it's a good decision for me," Marcis said. "I'm still in good health and Marcis Auto Racing is still going to be in business to explore new ventures with up and coming drivers. I'm trying to free myself up to bit of hunting and fishing." But before finally turning to those more sedentary and certainly less-exciting pursuits, Marcis has some unfinished business left to attend to: Though he has qualified for only one race in 2000, he has every intention and every hope of going out as he came in, a legitimate competitor. "I'd like to like to be more competitive than I have been," he said. "My goal has always been to be competitive, I've never given up." Though Marcis thanked both NASCAR and the France family for giving him a life he'd never imagined. "I have mixed emotions about this deal," he said. "Is it time or isn't it time? How do you know? Racing has not just been a job, it's been fun. I've really enjoyed it ever since the first day I drove down to Daytona beach and through that tunnel." Still, Marcis acknowledged that his inability to compete with today's well-financed outfits played a large role in convincing him that it was time to step aside. "It's become very difficult to compete," he said. "You need to have the additional people, the engineering people that I haven't been able to hire. I've been really, really fortunate that Richard Childress Racing has helped us. But it's just gotten tougher and tougher as a one-car team." Marcis' best points finish came in 1975, when he finished second to Richard Petty. Marcis finished in the top 10 in points eight times. Though Marcis did win three races and finish and finish sixth in points in 1976, when the team he drove for was sold at the end of the year, he was left without a ride, which ultimately led him to strike out on his own in 1979. Though he has only one win and one pole to show for his untold solo efforts, Marcis soldiered on, endearing him to fans and competitors alike. "Maybe you don't have the best equipment or the money that everyone does," Marcis said, "but I've always raced as hard as I could with what I've had to race with."
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