From Inside Line Promotions
– TULARE, Calif. (March 21) – Except for one miscue and a rainstorm, last weekend was arguably a career best for Trey Starks.
The 15-year-old from Puyallup, Wash., was set to start 12th in the World of Outlaws’ feature Friday at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., before a heavy shower soaked the track – postponing the main event until March 31.
However, Starks followed that by tying a career-best World of Outlaws result with a 17th-place finish on Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.
“It was a great weekend of racing and I can’t wait to make up the feature from Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway,” Starks said. “We were much better in qualifying both nights and that just sets you up better for a full night of racing.”
On Friday in Hanford, Starks qualified eighth, which started him outside veteran Joey Saldana on the front row of their heat race.
“Joey got the jump on me,” Starks said. “We strung out a little bit and I was running him down. We came up to a lapped car and he got stuck up on the cushion. There was a big wall of clay and I hit that thing, which caught my right rear tire and shoved me off the track.”
Starks, who was two laps away from qualifying for the dash with a top-two finish, restarted ninth and finished seventh – one spot outside of a transfer to the feature. However, he started on the pole of the B Main and finished second, picking up a transfer and earning the 12th overall starting position for the feature.
That’s when the rain began to fall.
“They had us run hot laps on the track,” Starks said. “It was actually looking good. The track was starting to take the water and pack up. But when we slowed down and lined up for the green flag, it started raining harder and the track got slicker and slicker.”
Starks picked up where he left off on Saturday in Tulare. After qualifying 14th and finishing seventh in his heat race, once again missing a transfer by just one spot, Starks earned a transfer by placing fifth in the B Main.
He started 23rd – second to last – and eventually worked his way up to 15th. However, contact on the last lap with Saldana, who was battling with Jason Meyers for the victory, relegated him to a 17th-place finish.
“We figured it out toward the last 10 laps,” Starks said. “We started running really hard on the top. That cushion got so high. It was literally on the fence. If you could run it hard, you could beat the guys on the bottom.”
Starks returns to action on March 31 in the postponed World of Outlaws’ feature at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway. He will then race with the World of Outlaws the following two nights at Merced Speedway in Merced, Calif., and at Callistoga Speedway in Callistoga, Calif., respectively.
QUICK RESULTS –
March 18 – Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif. – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 7 (2); B Main: 2 (1); Feature: Postponed to March 31 (12).
March 19 – Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif. – Qualifying: 14; Heat race: 7 (5); B Main: 5 (2); Feature: 17 (23).
SEASON STATS –
9 races, 7 features, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 3 top 15s, 6 top 20s
UP NEXT –
The World of Outlaws’ feature from Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., on March 31, followed by WoO events at Merced Speedway in Merced, Calif., on April 1 and at Callistoga Speedway in Callistoga, Calif., on April 2.
FAVORITE NUMBER –
17: Starks tied a career-best with the World of Outlaws, finishing in this position in the feature last Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.treystarksracing.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TreyStarks55
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TreyStarksRacing
APPAREL –
Starks has shirts, sweatshirts and beanies for sale. The colors are black and grey 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 – Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting
Based out of Seattle, Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting is a powder coating business. It is owned by crew member Dallas Melby’s father, Chris.
“Chris, Dallas and Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting do a great job of making my car look awesome,” Trey said. “From the frame to the wings and everything in between, Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting does a clean, professional job.”
Starks would like to thank his sponsors, including Starks Timber Processing, Blue Dot Fabrications, Masco Petroleum and SpeedMart for their continued support.