David Starr – No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra

Round 17 of 25 – Gateway International Raceway: Camping World 200

STARR ON GATEWAY AND THE UNIQUENESS OF THE TRACK: “Gateway is very unique for many reasons but the most obvious is the two different ends of the racetrack.  Turns one and two are a lot like Martinsville – especially with the long frontstretch. This results in carrying so much momentum followed by hard braking going into turn one.  Then turns three and four are a lot like Phoenix.  This gives you really two race tracks in one and that is pretty darn unique. Also, you can run a variety of lines around the track – low, middle or high.  This creates great racing and is one of the reasons that races at Gateway are a fan favorite.”

STARR ON HIS DRAMATIC 2004 GATEWAY WIN:  “That 2004 race was a tremendous race and provided maybe one of the most exciting races in the history of our series.  It was a rule changing race and one that provided multiple attempts at a green-white-checker finish – something that fans no longer find.

If I remember correctly, I was probably going to finish about fifth in that race as Bobby Hamilton, Sr. and Shane Hmiel were the class of the field that night.   I was working hard to try to get past the fourth place truck.  Then the leaders just kept wrecking it seemed like, starting with Bobby and Shane getting together. After a few more attempts at a green-white-checker finish - the next thing I know I was in second with a great shot at the win.  We took the white flag and I was able to get up under the leader and we touched a little and he washed up the track and that enabled me to go on and win the race.

The race was memorable for me as it was my second career win in the series. In typical Truck Series fashion, it ended in a bang; so much of a bang that it resulted in a rule change and now we only have one attempt at a green-white-checker finish.”

STARR ON REBOUNDING AFTER BRISTOL DISAPPOINTMENT: “In the last few races our No. 11 Toyota Tundra has been awesome.  I honestly believe that we had a chance to win the last two races at Nashville and Bristol.  At Nashville we were at least a top-three truck and we had some trouble in traffic late in the race and I think we finished ninth.  Then in Bristol we were being patient and running in the seventh spot late in the race when a lap truck spun in front of us and we got collected and it ended our night.  As a team, we just need to keep doing what we have been doing and our luck will eventually turn around.  We have had fast trucks and I am confident that we will continue with that and things will eventually fall our way.”

GATEWAY CHASSIS: Crew chief Jamie Jones has chosen chassis TRD 43 for Saturday’s Camping World 200. This will be the fourth time that Starr has raced this chassis in the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, as he raced it at Martinsville Speedway in March, Mansfield Motorsports Park in May, and most recently at The Milwaukee Mile in June. Starr started 9th and finished 6th at Martinsville and started 3rd, led 170 laps, and finished 2nd at Mansfield. Most recently, Starr received major damage to his Toyota Tundra and finished 23rd at The Milwaukee Mile. Since then, TRD 43 has received a new body and is looking for success this weekend at Gateway.

STARR AT GATEWAY: This weekend will be David’s ninth career Truck Series start at Gateway.  In the previous eight series starts at the 1.25-mile oval, Starr has one win (2004), two top-five and four top-ten finishes.  He has led just one lap in those previous eight starts – but it was an important one as it was the last one in the dramatic 2004 event.  He has completed 95.7% of the laps (1238 of 1294) and has recorded one DNF.  Starr’s average starting position is 15.2 and his average finishing position is 13.2.  He also has one Nationwide Series start to his credit where he finished 24th in the 2004 event.

INTRODUCING THE 2008 RED HORSE RACING OVER-THE-WALL CREW:
Led by Crew Chief Jamie Jones

No. 11 Toyota Tundra NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Over-the-Wall Crew

ABOUT RED HORSE RACING:

Red Horse Racing’s ownership consists of General Manager Tom DeLoach, a former Mobil Corp. executive; and Jeff Hammond, a NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship Crew Chief now serving as an analyst for FOX Sports.  DeLoach and Hammond also own and operate PIT Instruction and Training LLC, the number one pit crew training center in the world.