Starr Fights Rain and Handling in Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. (March 10, 2007) – David Starr and his Red Horse Racing team had high hopes heading into Atlanta Motor Speedway this past weekend after an early season test session provided crucial track time at the speed plant.  Those hopes were dampened by inclement weather in the area forcing cancellation of the first scheduled practice session earlier in the day on Friday and handling issues which relegated Starr and his No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota to a disappointing 21st place finish in the American Commercial Lines 200.

Starting from the 21st position as a result of his qualifying effort, Starr felt confident as he liked the drive-ability of his truck and felt it would be good in the race.  The drop of the green flag saw the No. 11 Toyota Tundra maintain its position on the track as its driver radioed back that his truck was “free into the corner and through the center”.

With a timely caution coming out on lap 18, Starr came down pit road to the attention of his crew for four fresh tires, fuel and two rounds down on the trackbar.  A great stop by the Red Horse Racing crew returned Starr to the track in the 16th position for the lap 26 restart.

While dodging a few close calls on the track, Starr battled his truck and slid back to the 23rd position before another caution fell on lap 40.  Crew Chief, Jamie Jones, took advantage of the timely caution and brought his driver down pit road for four tires, fuel, air pressure adjustment and another trackbar adjustment.  Another solid stop returned David to the track in the 22nd spot for the lap 45 restart.

As the field settled into the mid section of the race, a long green flag run would see the field strung out and Starr would ultimately loose a lap to the leaders as he continued to experience the loose condition on his truck. He radioed to his crew and let them know that he was having a hard time getting into the corner due to the loose feeling.

As the trucks approached the end of their fuel run, the race would see green flag pit stops for the first time.  On lap 92 Jones called his driver down pit road where the crew once again clicked off a solid stop for four tires and fuel.  As the cycle of pit stops came to an end, Starr found himself riding in the 23rd position and now two laps down to the leaders.

With rain descending once again around the track, the race would be stopped a few times late for track drying efforts to restore conditions for racing.  In an effort to improve on the handling of their No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, the team would make one last pit stop under caution on lap 113 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.  Starr would hang on in the closing laps and come home safely in the 21st position.

“This was definitely a disappointing night for all of us,” Starr said.  “I am not sure any of us know why we struggled so bad this evening but I can guarantee that this team will find out and we will learn from this.  I just struggled with the handling and I am not sure if it is a product of the tire we had here this week or something else we did.  We are a top running team and for sure none of us are happy with a performance like this.  We will just regroup and take a few weeks to figure tonight out and prepare for Martinsville where we have had a lot of success in the past.”

Starr fell to eighth place in the driver point’s standings, 29 points out of the fifth place.  After a few weeks off, Starr and the Red Horse Racing team will return to racing at Martinsville Speedway on March 29, 2008 for the Kroger 250.  Starr and the team will be competing in this upcoming weeks Martinsville test in preparation for the March 29th event.