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Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint All-Star race.....again
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 19, 2013
Five-time is now four-time when it comes to the Sprint All-Star race. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Johnson was tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for most wins in the annual event with three wins. Johnson bided his time, restarted the last segment in the second spot, dueled Kasey Kahne for two laps to secure the lead and pulled away to a convincing win. Joey Logano started the last segment in the seventh position, took advantage of a slip up by Kyle Busch on the start of the final segment, and ultimately came home in the runner-up spot. Kyle Busch rebounded from his slip up to muscle his way back to third. Kahne started the final segment on the pole but couldn’t hold off Johnson on the first few laps of the restart and ended up fourth. Kurt Busch won two segments, was the first on pit road for the money pit stop, but finished the event in fifth place. Jimmie Johnson summed up his results in two words, “we’re lucky”. It was tongue in cheek but Johnson was poking fun at the people who continue to accuse the No. 48 of preferential treatment, fixed races, and a blind eye to cheating. Johnson has one of the highest winning percentages in NASCAR history and it comes from natural talent and chemistry with his crew. This race also now ties Johnson with Davey Allison as the only two drivers to win the race in back-to-back years. Logano and Busch visited with the media after the race to speak about their runs. Logano was understandably upbeat about his second while Busch was quite dejected, having another All-Star race slip out of his grasp. Kahne spoke about the elephant in the room that is the length of the segments in the race during his post race availability on pit road. He noted that the inherent problem with the format is that the car is designed with downforce, on a track that is cool and has a bunch of grip. The only way to make the races exciting after the first couple of laps of racing would be to extend the segments to the The first 20 lap segment was won by Kurt Busch. Segment two went to his brother Kyle. That segment win allowed Bruton Smith to breathe more easily since he put up a $1,000,000 bonus to anyone who won all four of the segments. Segment three also went to the younger Busch, while the fourth segment win was tallied in brother Kurt’ s account.
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
posted by Mike Neff
Friday May 17, 2013
‘Rowdy’ Busch was back in his familiar No. 51 truck at his favorite track on the Truck schedule. Busch led 80 laps and thought he should have led more but had a fuel issue on pit road that resulted in him having to battle back through the field. The race was slowed by eight cautions that helped him work his way back through the field. Busch beat Brendan Gaughan to the finish by .488 seconds, while Max Gresham chased them both to the line for his first top three finish of his Truck career. Matt Crafton came home in fourth place after having to battle through a couple of tire mishaps during the event. Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5 for his first finish that high this season. Busch led the race three times for his 80 laps. Miguel Paludo was second on the laps led board with 33. Gaughan, Gresham and Dillon also scored bonus points for leading laps. There were two cautions in the first 72 laps of the race while 29 of the last 62 laps were completed under the yellow flag. Jeb Burton started the race on the pole but did not lead a lap. He did however end the race as the Rookie of the Race for his 13th place finish. Matt Crafton leads Burton by 22 points in the season standings after five races this season.
Matt Kenseth Snatches Victory from the Jaws of Defeat at Darlington
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 12, 2013
Kyle Busch appeared to be headed for another weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race at Darlington on Friday night. However, a funny thing happened as they were bringing out the dustpan. Matt Kenseth chased down the dominant car of the night, passed him with relative ease and then strolled away to a 3.165 second victory. Kenseth led the final 13 laps after Busch had held the point for 265 of the 354 laps leading up to Kenseth’s race winning pass. After Kenseth worked around Busch, the No. 18 slid rapidly backwards over the final eight laps to fall from second to sixth place. Joe Gibbs Racing did manage a 1-2 finish after sweeping the podium in Friday night’s Nationwide tilt. Denny Hamlin, in his first full race back in the car since his vertebrae fracture at California, soldiered through the pain of his arms, neck and shoulders more than his recovered back to wrestle a second place finish away from the Lady in Black. Coming home in third was Jeff Gordon, who turned his 700th career start into a top 3 finish. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 in the Bojangles Southern 500. Kurt Busch started the race on the pole and led the first 51 laps before coming to the pits for a green flag stop. After the stops cycled through Busch was back at the point for 18 more laps before his brother began his domination. The race went green for the first 302 laps save a seven lap caution stint from lap 125 to lap 131. The final 65 laps saw four more cautions that flew for accidents involving Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Josh Wise, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne. The race saw four leaders including Jeff Gordon in addition to the Busch brothers and Kenseth. The win is Kenseth’s 27th of his career and breaks a tie between himself and his teammate Kyle Busch. The win is Kenseth’s third this season which is the most among all of the competitors in the Cup series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Rookie of the Race. Jeff Gordon’s top 5 finish was his 300th of his career. He joins Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison as the only four drivers in the history of the sport to accomplish such a feat.
Busch Dominates at Darlington as JGR Sets Nationwide Series Record
posted by Amy Henderson
Friday May 10, 2013
Kyle Busch dominated the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday night en route to his 56th career Nationwide Series victory and fifth series win of 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing in general was the class of the field all night at Darlington Raceway, claiming four of the top 5 finishing spots, with only fourth-place Joey Logano keeping them from sweeping the top four spots. It was a historic night for JGR, as no team has ever before placed four cars in the top 5. Elliott Sadler finished second to Busch and Brian Vickers third, with Logano and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top 5. Busch led 107 of 147 laps on the way to the win. Sadler was the best among the Nationwide Regulars, finishing second despite an early spin in Turn 2, and gained points on leader Regan Smith, who finished seventh. Kyle Larson continued to impress at the Lady in Black, posting a sixth-place finish in his first Darlington start as he runs for rookie honors. Sam Hornish, Jr., who remained second in points, finished eighth while Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier filled the top 10. Smith now leads Nationwide Series points by 28 over Hornish. Sadler jumps two spots to third on his second-place run as Justin Allgaier fell one place to fourth. Vickers gained three sports and is now fifth, 49 behind Smith. Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson round out the top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
posted by Summer Bedgood
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday. Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12 points. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s suspension has also been dropped from seven races to one, though he will still be forced to pay the $200,000 fine. Not all of the penalties were reduced, however. Toyota Racing’s manufacturer points penalty was increased from five points to seven. All other penalties were dropped, including the suspension of Joe Gibbs’ owners license, the loss of bonus points for the Chase earned at Kansas Speedway, and the loss of eligibility into the Sprint Unlimited garnered from the pole at Kansas Speedway. JGR has accepted the penalties and will not appeal further. Following a dominant win at Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Kenseth’s car failed post-race inspection when it was found that a connecting rod was 2.7 grams below the minimum weight. Toyota Racing Development accepted the blame for the incident. The reduction moves Kenseth up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. JGR has not announced who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington. The appeal was heard by Mark Arute, Dennis McGlynn, and Jack Housby. NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Roger Penske’s team got some relief Tuesday from NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, as he chose to reduce penalties assessed to that organization at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Middlebrook, after hearing the evidence from both sides Tuesday chose to reduce all suspensions in the case from six to two weeks, plus NASCAR’s All-Star Race on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following: No. 2 car No. 22 car Other Middlebrook’s official statement was short, simply stating, “After looking at all the facts, data, and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties. However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the All-Star race to two points races and the All-Star Race.” However, it seemed both sides, after presenting their cases were far more pleased with how the case was handled during this portion of the appeal. “We were able to talk about areas we worked in,” said Roger Penske, referring to the “gray area” of the NASCAR rulebook officials ultimately felt stepped over the line. “I’m very happy with the outcome. This sport has been built on innovation. All of us have tried to innovate in areas not defined in the rulebook. We were in that area.” In conversations with the parties involved, it was clear the controversy surrounded parts designed to increase the rear-end angle at the back of both cars. In past years, with innovation limited through the Car of Tomorrow templates teams have played around with suspension systems designed to make the rear end of the car easier to “move.” The more the car skews in the corner, the easier it can be to handle and gain extra speed. However, NASCAR had made rules designed to curb those types of innovations this year and made the determination Penske parts to build the rear suspension were unapproved. Why they had gone undetected in previous inspections was never addressed, along with claims someone else in the garage had alerted officials to possible inappropriate car construction. One thing Penske did admit, though is had this decision been issued by the initial appeals panel, he would not have pressed his luck with Middlebrook. “All of us,” he said. “Have lost points for certain infractions over the years. The key thing is to have people back at the racetrack operating in full control.” The end results leave Logano 18th in points, 146 behind championship leader Jimmie Johnson and 43 outside a Chase position. Keselowski is far more stable; fifth in points, he’s 69 behind and 45 ahead of 11th-place Matt Kenseth. Neither of the Penske cars have won a race this season. “Moved on from last few weeks,” Keselowski tweeted Wednesday morning. “And ready to focus on @TooToughToTame (Darlington Raceway).” The next round of NASCAR penalty appeals, focusing on Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth will be heard on Wednesday morning. Connect with Tom!
Penske Racing LOSES Penalty Case, Will Appeal To NSCRC John Middlebrook
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 1, 2013
A three-member panel Wednesday unanimously upheld penalties assessed to Penske Racing after pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. Comprised of Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, Bowman-Gray President Dale Pinilis and former NASCAR VP Paul Brooks, the trio determined the sanctioning body’s evidence was enough to “convict” Penske to the tune of points lost, suspensions given and $200,000 in fines. Roger Penske, in response has pledged to send a final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner John Middlebrook. That hearing will occur Tuesday, May 7th at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Here’s a quick list of what penalties are pending (everything but the points deductions will be deferred, pending Middlebrook’s approval until after the final appeal): No. 2 team No. 22 team Both teams NASCAR’s representation included Sprint Cup Director John Darby but not Vice President Robin Pemberton, who was whisked away to Florida on jury duty. Owner Roger Penske was in attendance to defend the allegations along with Team Manager Travis Geisler, Tim Cindric, Walt Czarnecki, Joey Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon along with several other key principles. UPDATE: The National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a brief statement, reviewing the penalties and then explaining the following. “Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.” “The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.” Connect with Tom!
Kyle Busch Wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday April 26, 2013
Who says Joe Gibbs Racing teammates don’t get along? Kyle Busch is certainly receiving gifts, from Denny Hamlin in the form of shiny trophies from winning the latter’s annual charity event. Rowdy was romping through the field again at Richmond Thursday night, taking control at the race’s midpoint and cruising during the latter stages to win the Showdown for the third time in the past six years. In a race that benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation, created to help those with cystic fibrosis Busch had his late model hitting on all cyilnders down the stretch. Pulling away from fellow Cup driver David Ragan, in the final segment of the 75-lap race the outcome was simply never in doubt following a 5-minute break for pit stops prior to Lap 47. Ben Rhodes, Ronnie Bassett, Jr., and Garrett Campbell rounded out the top-5 finishers. Other Cup drivers, including defending race champion Tony Stewart were in the field but never a factor up front. Smoke, actually extending his slumping start to 2013 into this race got wrecked before the halfway point and wound up 28th. Matt Kenseth, still distraught after a midweek penalty virtually negated his win at Kansas was never truly competitive, either; he finished 22nd. Also on Thursday night, African-American driver Ryan Gifford won the first K&N Pro Series East race of his young career. Surviving a five-lap shootout, following a red flag he cruised home over Brandon Gdovic. Connect with Tom!
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Penalized As Engine Fails Kansas Post-Race Inspection
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Until the end of time, Matt Kenseth can say he crossed the finish line first at Kansas Sunday. NASCAR Record Books will say the same. But after a harsh series of penalties announced on Wednesday, should they stand that’s about the only thing Kenseth can hang his hat on after a successful weekend turned sour. According to multiple reports, officials at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina discovered a connecting rod on Kenseth’s engine, brought in for Kansas post-race inspection weighed three grams less than the minimum weight of 525g. The consequences, announced today are crippling for both driver and team. Kenseth, along with car owner Joe Gibbs have been docked 50 driver and owner points, actually reducing their overall totals heading into Kansas even though the No. 20 car won the race. That lost chunk of points drops Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. More importantly, the win “won’t count” for either bonus points in the Chase or determine postseason eligibility; that means the driver, now in “Wild Card” position is considered to have one win so far this season instead of two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on these consequences. Crew chief Jason Radcliffe, fined $200,000 based on the infraction has also been suspended for the next six Sprint Cup points events, along with the All-Star Race. Toyota, whose TRD engine department ultimately supplies the JGR powerplants has had five points deducted from its total in the manufacturer’s championship. And finally, Joe Gibbs himself, already docked 50 owner points has had his license suspended by NASCAR, which means he’s ineligible to accrue owner points for the No. 20 until the next six Sprint Cup Series points races are completed. Gibbs, NASCAR has clarified will still be able to travel to the racetrack despite a suspended license. In a tersely worded statement, the owner says he’ll appeal the ruling, which violated three parts of the series rulebook. The one most pertinent is Section 20-5.5.3(E) which states only magnetic steel connecting rods, with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted. Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4J, which gives officials the right to penalize for parts they claim do not conform to NASCAR rules were also cited in the sport’s official release. Toyota Racing Development’s Lee White, in a statement released early this afternoon took responsibility for the violation. During NASCAR’s routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth’s race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway,” he stated, “One of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams. None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team this past Sunday in Kansas — JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines. It was a simple oversight on TRD’s part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company. The goal of TRD has always been — and will continue to be — to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR.” Kenseth, who has led 482 laps this season, two higher than his total last year has been one of the strongest competitiors on the Sprint Cup track in 2013. His engines have also passed several previous inspections.
Johnny Sauter Penalized For Fuel Cell Infraction At Kansas
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Thorsport Racing, along with former Truck Series point leader Johnny Sauter are reeling this Wednesday after a major penalty involving their No. 98 Toyota. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced the team was fined $10,000, crew chief Joel Shear has been suspended for four races and 25 owner points were taken away as a result of a faulty fuel cell, confiscated during pre-race inspection at Kansas. Driver Sauter was also hit was a loss of 25 points, completely reshaping the championship Chase heading into the next race of the season at Charlotte May 17th. According to NASCAR officials, the team violated multiple sections of the rulebook. The key ones involve Section 20B-16 and 20B-16.1B, regarding the proper size and functioning of fuel cells. “Once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified,” the rules say, “Modifications of any kind will not be permitted.” The 16.1B portion refers to black safety foam, with a minimum height of eight inches that must be used as a safety mechanism when putting together the fuel cell itself. By violating that rule, NASCAR is insinuating the team modified or enhanced the cell in some way by cutting back / replacing that foam. Section 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing was also listed as a rules violation along with 12-4K, which gives NASCAR Officials the leeway to penalize teams when they feel previously legal equipment was modified, in any manner after being initially inspected. Thorsport, as of yet has not said whether they plan to appeal. The penalties mean Matt Crafton becomes the new Truck Series point leader, by 13 over Jeb Burton while Sauter gets pushed back into a tie for second place. |
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A longtime veteran of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, David Starr has a new lease on life, switching to the Red Horse Racing Toyota #11 Truck for 2006 after several years of driving the #75 Chevrolet owned by Wayne and Connie Spears. With that change has come new challenges, but with three finishes of 17th or better to start the year, Starr seems more ready and able than ever before to overcome all obstacles before him and return to Victory Lane for the first time since the 2004 season.
I had a chance to catch up with David this week before he headed off to Martinsville, getting his opinions on everything from his new team, to Mark Martin’s presence in the Truck Series, to his undying love for Texas Motor Speedway.
Tom Bowles: Like many drivers this offseason, you switched teams. It’s the first time in 4 years you’ve been with a different group"¦after all that time with the #75 bunch, how hard was it to leave?
David Starr: Well, to leave the Spears team"¦that was a tough decision to make when somebody gives you an opportunity of a lifetime like they gave me. I was a struggling race car driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series back then, looking for a sponsor and trying to get with one of the top teams that had major funding. That was the tough part (of my career)"¦and then Spears hired me, and I had an opportunity to race full-time. I never worried about a sponsor when I was there, and I knew we were going to have everything we needed to have a winning team. It was just an incredible dream come true. To win races and finish high in the championship points 3 out of 4 years we ran, that’s pretty good"¦so, I have mixed emotions about it. You always want to have loyalty to the people that brought you here, and Wayne and Connie Spears gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, the big break I needed.
But, it ran its course. We were together for 4 years. We did everything I think we could do together. I think that, after 4 years, it was time for a change. They needed to try another driver, and I needed to try another team. I had an opportunity become available to go become involved with Red Horse Racing and to get to drive their Toyota Tundra, and I thought that was a new opportunity for myself, and an opportunity for me to join a group of guys that had a winning team. Red Horse won a race in 2005, while with Spears, we went winless. It was a tough decision"¦but once I made the decision, you just keep moving forward.
Bowles: Now, when you move from one team or another, do you change the way"¦do you evaluate yourself as a driver, change the way you’re doing things from one week to the next? Or is it the same old routine?
Starr: Well, it’s pretty much"¦nobody’s more focused or more dedicated to racing than me. I live, sleep, and eat it. I live in Dallas, but the last three weeks I’ve been in Charlotte with my team, getting to know the guys, taking them to lunch. Just getting to know everybody and letting them know I’m a team player. I think when the driver works at the race shop with the team, it lets the guys see the dedication, the passion behind what they’re doing. And I think they appreciate that.
The transition from being with the same team for the last four years to moving over to a new group of guys, a new manufacturer, a new owner, a new crew chief"¦everything’s new to me. I think we’re still in that transition phase right now"¦we’ve been to three races, and definitely haven’t run up to our expectations and our potential. We’re a lot better than where we’ve finished. We lost some tape on the grill at Daytona, and then the motor was too cold right there at the end of the race, and the motor wasn’t running up to its potential because it was so cold. California, I thought we were going to have a Top 5 finish, had a wheel come loose right there with 20 laps to go and had to make a pit stop. We went to Atlanta and"¦sounds kind of funny"¦but my seat wasn’t mounted right in the Truck, and I was kind of falling out of the seat. So, the transition for me to the Toyota trucks, and me working with Jamie Jones and all my guys, and them learning what I like in a Truck and how it handles and everything, I think that with the transition phase, we’ll be working on that, maybe 5 or 6 more races. But it’s all positive"¦we’re learning things, and making our team as a group better.
Bowles: Because of that transition"¦do you modify your goals for the season? Does it become"¦the first 8 races, you simply try not to knock yourself out of championship contention? Or is the mindset clearly to win the race every time out?
Starr: Well, you know, our mindset is obviously to win a race, but we know there’s a transition period there. The setups that Jamie Jones runs are something completely different than something I’ve ever run in my career. So there’s a"¦there’s a feel to the way our truck’s handling, and the ride that you have in the truck is such a new feel to me. Once I get that, then I’m learning when I tell them it’s loose or it’s tight, how tight or how loose it really is. And my team understands that"¦they know it’s going to take time.
Right now, our goals are Top 10s. We haven’t finished in the Top 10 yet, but we’re close. We’ve been in the Top 10, we just haven’t finished there. Once we start finishing in the Top 10 on a consistent basis, then we’ll set our standards to Top 5s, and after you run in the Top 5 week in, week out, your wins will come. But right now, with everything, them learning me and me learning them, I think our realistic goal is just to keep getting our Top 10s, and once we do that, we can set our goals higher. But right now, if everything lives up to its potential, we’re capable of winning races.
Bowles: Now, you’re also driving a Toyota for the first time this year. Is there a different feel to a Toyota as opposed to a Chevy? Or are the templates to the point now where it’s so similar it doesn’t make a huge difference?
Starr: Well, I don’t think it’s so much where it’s a Chevy to a Toyota. I think the difference is in the resources we have, the engineering we have, and the things that Toyota brings to the technical side, the engineering support. Everything that goes behind that"¦I can’t believe how much there is compared to what I’m used to. So that’s the difference I see.
Is there a difference from the Chevy Truck to the Toyota Truck? Not really. The difference is in the way we run the setups, the "feel." It’s such a different feel to me, the way the truck rides and how it goes through the corner and everything. Jamie Jones (my crew chief) knows what these Trucks need to go fast, and he knows that’s what it takes, but that feel and what that Truck takes is something that I’ve never felt before. It takes a little bit of time"¦ I’m surprised that it’s taken this long, to be honest with you, but it’s going to take 2 or 3 or 4 more races to get that. But every race we run, we’re getting better and better.
Like my seat in Atlanta"¦we went and tested at Caraway 5 days after we ran the Atlanta race, and we moved our seats around. Man, I was so comfortable at the test at Caraway, I’m looking forward to going to Martinsville because we figured out just where we need the seats now. And it took going to a high-speed race track where you run real fast, it took me being uncomfortable in the seat to figure that out.
Bowles: Now, the most well-known owner on your team is current FOX analyst and former Nextel Cup crew chief Jeff Hammond. How has he involved himself with the team and helped you as a driver so far this season?
Starr: It’s been amazing. Tom DeLoach and Jeff Hammond are my two bosses, and they own the Five On Five Off Pit Stop School in Mooresville. Jeff, him being involved as an owner, when I go over to the pit facility and do pit stop practice, he’s always there. At the races, at Daytona, he sat down with me and Jamie Jones, and we talked about some things. He came over to talk after the last practice before the Daytona race, and I talked to him again after the race. Again, in California, I talked to him after practice, and again after the race. Atlanta, he was down before the race, and during practice, he was right there. He’s pretty much a hands-on owner. He’s not at the shop every day where the race team’s based, but that’s his racing team, him and Tom. He’s working on sponsorship, and I’m constantly in contact with him. To have an owner like Jeff Hammond and the things he’s accomplished in this industry"¦it’s incredible because when I have a question or need a question answered, he pretty much can answer it.
Bowles: A lot of the buzz over the first three races in the Truck Series has been about Mark Martin’s strong performance. With all the Nextel Cup regulars invading the Busch Series, are you a fan of Martin coming to race in the Trucks? Or do you think they should keep a current Nextel Cup regular out?
Starr: No, I like it. You have to look at what we race against every week. The Cup experience"¦Steve Park. Brendan Gaughan. Todd Bodine. Mike Skinner. Ted Musgrave. There’s so much Cup experience full-time in the Truck Series. You know, we race against the Cup experience pretty much our whole career already because the Truck Series is just full of former Cup drivers. When you have a Mark Martin, a Kevin Harvick, and a Tony Stewart race, people like that, I think it’s a good thing, because once we get through this transitional phase with my new team and I learn the setups, I think I’ll be up there fighting with Mark Martin. But we’re not at that level yet. We’re going to be"¦but we’re not there yet. If you can beat a Mark Martin, beat a Todd Bodine, and beat these Cup guys that race full-time in the Truck Series, then you can measure yourself up with the best. So I welcome them"¦I’m glad Mark Martin’s won the first two races. I’m glad Todd won the third one. They’ve set the mark high, and I want to be the best I can be.
Bowles: Let’s talk about Texas Motor Speedway a minute. It’s always interested me that most Nextel Cup drivers look to make their Cup debut at Daytona, Indianapolis, or other legendary tracks"¦but you’ve always looked to make your Cup debut in Texas. How has the Speedway held a special place in your heart?
Starr: Well, we tried to make the Cup race a couple of years ago. My uncle, who owns the Team Texas Driving School here, bought a car from Childress and had a Childress motor, and my crew was all the guys that work here at the driving school. We didn’t make the race, but we thought it was fitting that the first time we tried, we try here in Texas. It’s always been a special place to me. Eddie Gossage, the General Manager, when this place opened up in 1996-97, my uncle bought a shop right across the street from the race track. We were here while it was under construction, the first time they let any car on the race track, and we were given a racing school here. Over the years, the people, Eddie Gossage and his staff, they have brought me sponsors, introduced me to people"¦so they’ve been a big help in my career. The race track’s been really good to me and my family. Just being from Texas here, too, it’s a neat place.
Being a race car driver, I love the Texas Motor Speedway, but man, I’m looking forward to going to Martinsville. People always say, what’s your favorite race track? I always say I like them all. But you know, Texas holds a special place in my heart. Your family comes and watches you race. Your friends, the people that have kept behind you over the years and helped you and given you the opportunity to move onto the next level, they’re all here. So it’s just a neat place.
Bowles: A few fun questions before we wrap up. If you’re racing me one-on-one at any Craftsman Series Truck on the schedule, what is the greatest strength you have as a driver that would propel you to beat me?
Starr: Just giving it my all. Relaying back to my crew chief what the truck is doing and then making the right adjustments, getting it where I can get everything that truck will give me out of any given day. I just think that’s my biggest strength"¦ giving it 110% and being on top of my game.
Bowles: If you had an opportunity to race one-on-one with anybody through the years in racing, living or dead, who would it be?
Starr: A.J. Foyt. Because he’s the greatest race car driver ever. He could run a NASCAR stock car, an Indy car, a dirt Sprint car, a road racing car, he was just an all-around good driver and could win in anything.
Thursday on the Frontstretch:
NASCAR Mailbox: Hall of Fame Anomalies, Career Shifts, and High Expectations
Going The Distance: Fantasy Picks For The Coca-Cola 600
The Indianapolis 500 History Lesson, Part II
Tech Talk: Jason Ratcliff Looks Back On Suspension, Moves Forward To 600
Truckin’ Thursdays: Off Week Observations
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