Inside Line Promotions
– COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (Sept. 20) – Since Trey Starks knocked out his first career victory this season, he’s gunning for that inaugural ASCS win.
The 15-year-old from Puyallup, Wash., thought he was close last Saturday at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., at the ASCS Northwest Region event. Starks, who started sixth in the feature, had driven into second place within two laps and was on the tail of leader Roger Crockett.
“Roger won the ASCS Northwest championship and the Cottage Grove track championship last year, so I knew we had a great car to be challenging him that quickly,” Starks said. “Then it became a heartbreaker.”
When Starks slowed for a caution on the third lap, the header on the right side of his car broke and the muffler fell off.
“I think it was just from wear and tear,” he said. “I heard when it happened, too.”
Starks was forced to the pits and the race went green before the crew could fix the issue, ending Starks’ best shot at an ASCS victory with a 20th-place finish.
He started the weekend on Friday at Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore., where he tied an ASCS career-best runner-up finish in his last appearance at the semi-banked, 1/3-mile track.
“There wasn’t much passing in the heat race,” said Starks, who started and finished third in the heat. “It was still pretty tacky.”
His result earned him a spot in the redraw, where he pulled the No. 8 to start on the outside of the fourth row for the 30-lap feature. However, he didn’t intend to stay there very long.
“I had a huge run and I was going to be in fourth or so on the first lap,” he said. “But the frontstretch was so slick that if you came off the bottom you’d slip. I got hung up behind another guy off turn four and I fell back to about ninth when all those guys got back by me.”
Starks sporadically picked off a couple of positions, trying various lanes from the top to the bottom throughout the race. He eventually climbed into the top five before losing that position when a lapped car slowed in front of him on a late restart. That allowed Crockett to get by and Starks settled for sixth place.
Heading into this weekend’s ASCS Northwest two-day finale at the Yakima Dirt Track in Yakima, Wash., Starks is third in the standings.
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 16 – Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, Ore. – Heat race: 3 (3); Feature: 6 (8).
Sept. 17 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 20 (6).
SEASON STATS –
48 races, 46 features, 1 win, 8 top fives, 20 top 10s, 29 top 15s, 43 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at the Yakima Dirt Track in Yakima, Wash., with the ASCS Northwest Region
FAVORITE NUMBER –
298: Point advantage for third place in the ASCS Northwest Region standings with two 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 – Masco Petroleum
Established in 1999, Masco Petroleum is a family-owned fuel and lubricant distributor in Aberdeen, Wash. Masco Petroleum offers fuel, including race and marine, as well as lubricants and various ancillary products. For more information, visit www.mascopetroleum.com.
“Masco Petroleum has been very helpful to my dad’s business for many years and now they have jumped on-board with our race team,” Starks said. “I couldn’t be happier to represent Masco Petroleum and the long relationship they have with my family.”
Starks would like to thank his sponsors, including Starks Timber Processing, Blue Dot Fabrications, Northwest Powder Coating & Sandblasting and SpeedMart for their continued support.