STARR: Looks to Improve on Career-Best Sixth Place Finish at Daytona
02-11-2008 12:54 am

David Starr on Racing at Daytona: "As a racer, it is a dream to race at historic Daytona International Speedway.  At the same time, it is a different type of racing and one that requires a lot of patience and luck.  It is very important to save your truck for the end and stay out of trouble such as the "big one".  We had some of that bad luck in the test last month and got into some trouble but the guys on this Red Horse team put a tremendous amount of time and energy into getting the truck back right.  I know our Toyota Tundra will be very fast for the race and if things go our way then we will be there at the end - and as we saw last year that gives you a good shot at the victory."

David Starr on Daytona Test: "We had been 'free' the whole test.  Jamie Jones kept working on it and making it better.  Finally, we got it where we wanted it and I went out there and came from the back to the front.  I was running with the No. 10 (Brendan Gaughan) truck for a while, and finally got around him with a push from someone.  A lap or so later, Brendan got a good run and I'm not sure what happened.  Maybe he didn't realize how fast he was closing.  I came off turn two and was just driving down the back straightaway -- and all of a sudden, the back of the truck came off the ground.  The truck was very good and the guys on my team have worked the last few weeks in getting the truck fixed and making it even better."

David Starr on Returning To Red Horse Racing: "It really feels like I came home.  When I found out late in the season last year that I was coming back to this Red Horse Racing team and Toyota, I couldn't believe it.  Working for Tom DeLoach and Jeff Hammond (Team Owners) and Jamie Jones (Crew Chief) is so much fun, and the guys on this team are some of the hardest working guys in racing.  They showed last year that they can put a top-10 truck on the track every race, no matter the driver, and I'm excited about that."

David Starr on 2008 Expectations: "I want to get to Homestead in November with a shot at the Championship.  We finished fourth in points in 2006 with this team and we were able to win a race, so I think we can improve from that.  We struggled a bit on the mile-and-a-half tracks that year, but Jamie (Jones) says he's got some things figured out where we'll be running near the front throughout the season.  I'd like to win a handful of races and be in the hunt for the championship."

David Starr's NASCAR Stats at Daytona International Speedway: David Starr will be making his ninth career NCTS start at Daytona.  He has two top-10 finishes to his credit in the previous eight starts with a best effort of seventh in the 2002 event.  His best start at the superspeedway was two years ago when he piloted the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota to a sixth place qualifying effort.  Starr also has one Nationwide Series start to his credit at Daytona back in the 2001 season.