By Starks Racing PR
Puyallup, Wash. August 8, 2012 — For a teenager turning 16-years-old means one thing — getting a driver’s license. While that one certainly held true for Trey Starks, there was an even more pressing item that awaited him as well when that monumental birthday came back in March. And that was the fact that he could now race in the famed Knoxville Nationals in Iowa.
After patiently waiting two years to compete in sprint car racing’s biggest event, the native of Puyallup, Wash., will take to the track this week in the 52nd Annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals aboard his family-owned No. 55.
“I’m definitely excited for the Nationals,” said Starks. “We learned a lot during the 360 Nationals last week and also racing the 410 this past Sunday. Knoxville is a tough track and you have to absorb everything you can and learn. I’m pretty confident and I think we’ll do pretty good.”
Starks, who made his debut at Knoxville Raceway in April, with the World of Outlaws winning a heat race that night, took to the historic half-mile last week in the 22nd Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville Nationals. He also raced in the inaugural Capitani Classic for 410-sprint cars on Sunday, August 5, to get some extra laps in. The third-generation driver has had veteran crew chief Leonard Lee turning the wrenches for him for the last week and will continue to have that experience on his side for the next few weeks.
“It makes a huge difference having Leonard (Lee) with us for the Nationals,” said Starks. “He’s been doing it a long time, and has a lot of knowledge in the sport. He can make up for some of the mistakes that I make driving. He gives me a nice comfortable car that I can go out figure the track out with.”
Starks is set to begin his first Knoxville Nationals on Thursday, August 9, in the second of two qualifying nights. Each night will begin with two laps of time trials, followed by heavily inverted heat races, and feature events. Drivers will earn event points each time they take to the track, which will help set the field for Saturday’s feature events.
“Qualifying is the most important two laps of your week,” he explained. “That pretty much sets up your whole Nationals. Racing on Sunday was great preparation for the Nationals, because the field in that race (the Capitani Classic) was probably tougher than the field on the qualifying night at the Nationals, since all the good guys were there, not just half of them like on the qualifying nights.”
A change to the Friday-portion of the Knoxville Nationals has been implemented for this season. The new format will place eight drivers in Saturday’s A-Feature from the first night of qualifying and eight from the second based on their point totals. The next ten drivers, who are 17-26 in event points, will have the option to either fill the first ten positions in the B-main on Saturday or race in a complete show on Friday night, looking to finish in the top four and earn a spot in Saturday’s 50-lap main event.
After competing in the inaugural Capitani Classic at Knoxville on Sunday night, Starks made his first trip to Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa for the 17th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge on Monday with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. He finished 11th after starting 22nd in the 25-lap main event at the half-mile.
“To make it all the way up to 11th was a pretty good run,” said Starks. “We were really rolling around there and found some rubber as well. I think we were almost as fast as the leaders and for my first time there, it was a pretty good night.”
Following the 52nd Annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals, Starks will make his debut at Huset’s Speedway in South Dakota on Sunday, August 12, as the All Stars continue their annual Thunder Through the Plains. He will also compete with the series next Wednesday, August 15, at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D.
“Huset’s is a track that Leonard (Lee) knows well, and has a lot of experience at,” stated the young driver. “I’m looking forward to getting over there and seeing the track for myself. Hopefully we’ll have a good run there.”
Trey Starks and Starks Racing would like to thank their valued partners: BR Motorsports, FX Signs, King Racing Products, Masco Petroleum, Northwest Powerdercoating & Sandblasting, Starks Timber Processing and T&C Concepts.
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