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– COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (May 16) – Two nights, two wrecks, too many obstacles.
That pretty much summarizes last weekend for Trey Starks, who was anything but happy after crashing in both nights of the ASCS Northwest Region’s opening races at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore.
“I couldn’t figure out how to drive the car and we couldn’t figure out how to set it up well,” he said. “It was one of those weekends that you don’t want to remember.”
The 15-year-old from Puyallup, Wash., opened the weekend when he spun out while battling another driver during the heat race on Friday. Starks then drove from 10th to fifth in the B Main, missing a transfer by only one position.
However, this year the ASCS Northwest has established a Last Chance Race, which is an eight-lap dash for the final position in the feature. Starks led all eight laps for the win and transferred to the main event.
That was the positive moment of the night as Starks slid off the track in turn three, hitting a U-tire and ending his race in 20th several laps into the feature. The impact damaged the front axel, bent the engine plate, ripped the torque tube out of the rear end and bent up the wings and panels among other things.
The team pieced the car together for Saturday’s race and it ran well in hot laps; actually, three-tenths of a second faster than anyone else. However, Starks, who started third in his heat race, struggled to get to the top line quickly and a fifth-place finish relegated him to the B Main.
He was scheduled to start on the pole, but he spun out on the warm-up lap and had to start in ninth. That lit a fire under the teenage driver, who rocketed to a top-three finish to earn a transfer to the feature.
Starks then drove from 18th to 13th before turn three bit him again. As he was trying to power by another driver on the top, Starks spun around and backed into the wall in turn four. With a damaged tank and rear nerf, Starks restarted in the back and finished 16th.
“We were just off this weekend,” he said. “I was definitely not on top of my game either.”
Starks will stay in Washington to race Saturday at either Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma or at Skagit Speedway in Alger.
“I just hope this week goes better,” he said.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 13 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Heat race: 8 (3); B Main: 5 (10); Last Chance Race: 1 (1); Feature: 20 (20).
May 14 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Heat race: 5 (3); B Main: 3 (1); Feature: 16 (18).
SEASON STATS –
17 races, 15 features, 0 wins, 1 top five, 4 top 10s, 7 top 15s, 13 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Saturday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Wash., or at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash.
FAVORITE NUMBER –
8: Laps Starks led to claim the ASCS Northwest Region’s first-ever Last Chance Race to advance to the feature last Friday at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore.
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 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.