Starr Moves Into Top-Five In Points Race

High Sierra Photo

David Starr and the No. 11 Red Horse Racing team scored its second consecutive top-five finish by finishing fifth at New Hampshire International Speedway on Saturday afternoon in the New Hampshire 200.

After starting in 26th place, Starr used patience on the race track to move through the field and score his fifth top-five and ninth top-10 of the season. The fifth-place finish moved Starr to fifth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings, 334 points behind leader Todd Bodine.

"This is exactly the type of finish that Red Horse Racing needs to make a run on this point's championship," Starr said. "We know if we want a shot at the title, we have to finish in the top five week in and week out.

"The Red Horse Racing Toyota was really strong today. I needed to qualify better to start the race and I needed to be able to keep my Toyota on the bottom a little better. If I could have done those things, I might have been able to catch those guys in front of me."

When the caution waved on lap two of the 200-lap race, Starr reported to crew chief Jamie Jones and his team that the truck was a little tight in the center in traffic. Starr restarted on lap six in 23rd place.

By lap 10, Starr had picked up another three spots and was sitting in 20th place on the race track. Although Starr was ticking off positions on the track, his truck continued to be tight from the center off.

Starr had moved up to 16th place at lap 30. When the caution waved at Lap 43, Starr brought the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota to the attention of his pit crew. The pit crew made a track bar and air pressure adjustment to help the tight handling condition. The team also added four tires and fuel.

Quick pit work returned Starr to the race track four positions better in 12th place.

"The guys really helped me out today in the pits," Starr said. "I got us behind with my qualifying effort, but they really busted their butts in the pits and got us out in front of people, which helped us to move through the field and get the top five we deserved."

By lap 60, Starr had moved into the top 10 for the first time of the day, but he was still battling a tight race truck. Over the course of the next 30 laps, Starr held the ninth-place position on the race track.

At lap 90, Starr narrowly avoided a wreck involving defending Series champion Ted Musgrave. Starr made a little contact getting through the wreck, but he reported to the team that his truck was ok.

When the race restarted at Lap 94, Starr had moved into seventh-place. But Starr continued to struggle with a tight race truck.

The caution waved once again at lap 117 for debris on the race track. Starr came down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Again, a good pit stop helped Starr to pick up positions. He returned to the race track in sixth-place for the restart at lap 123.

Starr told his crew that he was struggling to keep his race truck on the bottom of the race track, but that he was working with it as best he could. Starr was able to pick up one more position on lap 140.

He remained in fifth place over the final 60 laps of the race, which is where the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra would finish.

"I just couldn't keep my Toyota on the bottom of the race track, and that kept me from getting a good run and making an attempt at catching the four trucks in front of me," Starr said after the race. "We had a great truck tonight and the guys did a tremendous job in the pits. It was a good point's night for this Red Horse Racing team, and hopefully this will give us the momentum we need to make a run for this title as the season winds down."