CONCORD, N.C. (October 24, 2016) – Trey Starks produced about as dominating of a weekend as he has enjoyed in his career.
Starks, who was driving for Jeff McCall, swept the USCS Series portion of the World Short Track Championships last Friday and Saturday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, where he won for the first time to give him 11 victories at 11 different tracks this season
“I’d say we made quality laps every time we were on the track this weekend,” he said. “We had a successful practice day (on Thursday). We seemed to be pretty good every time we hit the track. We started out good by qualifying good. We laid down a good lap. That sets up your whole weekend.”
Starks, who was quickest in hot laps by nearly a quarter of a second, set quick time during qualifying on Friday. He then maneuvered from fourth to win a heat race and lock himself into the scramble.
“By that time the track slicked off considerably,” he said. “I knew I had to get in the top four in the heat race to get in the scramble. We got the lead a couple of laps in and I started searching to see what we needed later. It turned out the scramble was run the next day.”
Starks started the scramble on the pole and won it to open Saturday’s finale.
“It was a fun 12 laps,” he said. “The track was the best it was for the sprint cars to race on all weekend.”
That gave him the pole position for the 25-lap main event.
“With the track being slick and abrasive I knew I needed to hit my marks and stay smooth and try to conserve my tires as much as I could,” he said. “We had the car dialed in so I knew I needed to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes.”
Starks led the distance of the feature as he was never challenged for the lead en route to his fourth USCS triumph of the year. It provides plenty of momentum entering the Bad Boy Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series this Thursday through Saturday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
“The whole team worked great all weekend,” he said. “Having 300-plus cars all weekend the track took some abuse. We had to work with tire conservation and on a slick track, which I think will do us some favors next weekend. I’d say we’re probably going to have a similar track next weekend, hopefully minus the rubber.”