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– ELMA, Wash. (Aug. 29) – There’s always a silver lining and Trey Starks found it.
After a parts failure and a crash ended both of his features last weekend with the ASCS Northwest Region at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., Starks pinpointed where he was at prior to those DNFs.
“It’s disappointing that we didn’t get to finish,” he said. “It also feels pretty good that both times we were going forward and going forward fast. It’s kind of bittersweet.”
Starks had driven into the top five in both races, which he ended up finishing 13th and 14th, respectively. However, he climbed a spot to third in the ASCS Northwest standings with four races remaining.
On Friday, the 15-year-old from Puyallup, Wash., was marred in the back of his heat race on a narrow track. He drove from fifth to fourth, which lined him up 10th for the main event.
It didn’t take long for Starks to begin passing cars on the fast track.
“It was pretty hooked up and we got a bunch of dirt packed in on the left front side,” he said. “I thought my power steering was going out because it was hard to steer.”
For about two laps Starks hustled the car around the track in fifth place until the front axel broke going into turn three midway through the race.
Starks continued passing cars from the start of Saturday, when he charged from fourth to win his heat race. That made him the high-points driver for the redraw, which took the top eight drivers to a random draw that lined up the first four rows of the feature.
“Knowing my drawing skills, I drew a seven out of eight,” Starks said.
He started on the inside of the fourth row and it took him a few laps to get into the top five.
“The leaders were out front by the time I got by two cars,” Starks said. “We were really fast. I made up a full straightaway they had on me in two laps. I was so quick. I think I was the only one holding it wide open on the cushion.”
Starks was going faster than much of his competition entering the corners and began using slide jobs.
“I tried sliders from a half straightaway back,” he said. “I jumped the cushion about four times in a row.”
In a three-way battle for fourth with about 10 laps remaining, Starks jumped the cushion for good in turn two.
“It did one barrel roll and I ended up back on my wheels,” he said.
Starks was pushed to the pits with his 25th top 15 of the season.
He is scheduled to race with the World of Outlaws on Friday and Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. Starks will then compete at Grays Harbor Raceway on Sunday before rejoining the World of Outlaws on Monday at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 26 – Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. – Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 13 (10).
Aug. 27 – Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash. – Heat race: 1 (4); Feature: 14 (7).
SEASON STATS –
40 races, 38 features, 1 win, 7 top fives, 18 top 10s, 25 top 15s, 36 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash., with the World of Outlaws, Sunday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., and Monday at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., with the World of Outlaws
FAVORITE NUMBER –
3: Starks’ ranking in the ASCS Northwest Region standings with four races remaining.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.treystarksracing.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TreyStarks55
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TreyStarksRacing
ON THE AIR –
Here is a video of Starks’ first career victory – Aug. 20 at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. It starts around the two-minute mark.
APPAREL –
Starks has shirts, sweatshirts and beanies for sale. The colors are black and gray for the shirts and hooded sweatshirts. Shirts are $15, sweatshirts are $30 and black beanies are $15. All sizes range from small to XL. For ordering information, visit www.treystarksracing.com.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Starks Timber Processing
Starks Timber Processing is a logging business owned by Trey’s father, John, who is a third-generation logger. It has been based out of Washington for the last 15 years.
“Starks Timber Processing is what provides me the opportunity to race,” Trey said. “It has played a huge role in my life, both on the track and away from it.”
Starks would like to thank his sponsors, including Blue Dot Fabrications, Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting, Masco Petroleum and SpeedMart for their continued support.