For David Starr the beginning of the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series season has been like the lyrics to Wet Willies' 1974 rock classic "Keep On Smilin". You got to keep on smilin, has been Starr's point of view while he and his International MaxxForce Diesel team have gotten up to speed in the opening months of 2007.

The pieces of the puzzle started to finally fall in place last week at Starr's home track, Texas Motor Speedway. Keep on smilin through the rain, laughin at the pain, have been more than lyrics, they've kept Starr from about to go insane while he and three time Championship crew chief Dennis Connor worked to get their team back to the front. For the first time in Texas, Starr felt truly comfortable in his Circle Bar Ford F-150, CB-9. Chassis CB-9 was the first Circle Bar chassis built from the ground up just for Starr and his International MaxxForce Diesel team and the results have been impressive with a top 5 in Texas. Knowing how his driver felt about his truck from Texas, Connor and the crew made quick work of turning around CB-9 for the Michigan 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

Off the trailer CB-9 proved to be up to the task of going fast at Michigan. Starr and the crew of International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 worked hard in both practice session trying to get Starr the right feel for the wide open ultra fast Michigan International Speedway. With an eye on the race and not qualifying the International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 would post a 20th starting position.

With the drop of the green flag, Starr had his International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 hung out. By the time the field completed the first circuit around the 2-mile oval, Starr had moved from 20th to 13th and was looking for more, brother keep on smiling. With each lap Starr setup competitors and worked his way into the top 10 by lap 25. By lap 28 Starr was up to 8th when the first caution flag of the day flew. Under caution, Starr would bring his International MaxxForce Diesel machine to pit road to the attention of Dennis Connor and the crew. A little loose on entry Connor called for 4 fresh Goodyears with an air pressure adjustment and a full load of Sunoco fuel. The over the wall gang had a great stop and picked Starr a spot up on pit road.

Starr would spend the next 30 laps jockeying for position inside the top 10 with the best in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. As the track conditions worsened Starr's International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 continued to get looser, forcing Starr to the high side of the racetrack. A caution would give Connor an opportunity to bring Starr to pit road for fresh rubber, fuel and adjustments to improve the ailing International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150. With another great stop the over the wall gang would pick up a spot for Starr on pit road.

On the restart, Starr got hung up in a slow lane of traffic and dropped 3 spots to 10th. With teammate, Rick Crawford, in tow Starr was moving back to the front and was one of the fastest trucks on the track. As the race wore down so did the set of tires Starr picked up on the last stop. With each lap his International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 kept getting looser and looser. During the final laps Starr felt like he was on a dirt track with his truck kicking sideways on each turn. With the drop of the checkered flag Starr was in 13th, a solid run but not what the team was looking for when they rolled in the gate. How quickly the teams expectations have changed. You got to keep on smiling, keep on smiling.

Dennis Connor: "The over the wall guys had another solid day. The track got hot and slick and we couldn't get the loose out of it today. The last set of Goodyears didn't really help us either. I think we can at least see our way out of the forest now."

David Starr: "I'm a little disappointed. My International/MAXX Force Diesel Ford F-150 was pretty awesome all race long. It seemed like the last 20 laps it just got loose on me. I thought we were going have a shot to get up there and race with the guys up front. It seemed like the last caution came out and my truck was too loose. I could run up and get up on the outside and get back to the gas real quick and steal the position from them, but the last 20 laps it just lost all grip in the rear and I was doing everything to hang on. I'm just disappointed because we were moving forward and all of sudden we just fell back there at the end. We gave it all we got. Our team's turning it around, so I'm pretty happy about that. We're getting there; we just got to keep working hard."