Starks Focuses on Slower Top Groove to Prepare for Upcoming Dirt Cup

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ALGER, Wash. (June 9, 2013) – Despite sustaining his worst result of the season on Saturday at Skagit Speedway, Trey Starks said it was arguably his most productive race of the year.

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After a rough start to the night and facing tricky track conditions, Starks decided to try something different in the final tune-up before the 42 nd annual Jim Raper Memorial Dirt Cup – June 20-22 at the famed 3/10-mile oval.

 

“The track was insanely slick,” he said. “Never, ever have I seen Skagit like that. It was hard and slick. It was just really slick and on the bottom.

 

“The whole point of putting this car together was to get ready for Dirt Cup. So we thought, let’s go out and see if we can make the top work. I’d rather go run the top instead of running a conservative race on the bottom. (The top) was in no way, shape or form the fastest. We got it to kinda work. Unfortunately on the last lap we had a left rear tire go.”

 

Starks was battling to extend his streak of seven consecutive top-four finishes when the left rear tire expired, relegating him to a 12th-place finish.

 

“We saw it as a productive night because we took a groove that was way worse than the bottom and we could run with cars on the bottom,” he said. “We knew we were kinda behind the eight ball the whole night. We learned some stuff about the car and the combination of what we’re putting together for Dirt Cup.”

 

After mechanical issues plagued the team early in the night, Starks got one lap at the end of qualifying. He timed in third quickest, but was unable to make the invert for the heat race or feature.

 

That started him fifth in the heat race, which he placed fourth, and he began the main event on the inside of the fourth row. That prompted the team to take a learning approach and Starks focused on the outside groove.

 

“Nobody is going to win Dirt Cup on the bottom,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s ever been done. You’ve gotta run the top and that’s what we were trying to do. It was our worst night of the year, but probably one of the most productive nights at the same time.”

 

His plan is to return to Skagit Speedway on Saturday for a 360ci event, which Starks has claimed two wins in already this season.

 

QUICK RESULTS –

 

June 8 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Qualifying 3; Heat race: 4 (5); Feature: 12 (7).

 

SEASON STATS –

 

9 races, 2 wins, 7 top fives, 8 top 10s, 9 top 15s, 9 top 20s

 

UP NEXT –

 

Saturday at Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash.

 

MEDIA LINKS –

 

Website: http://www.TreyStarksRacing.com

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/treystarks55

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreyStarksRacing?fref=ts

 

VIDEO –

 

Here’s a link to Trey’s win at Skagit Speedway on May 25 with highlights beginning approximately 4:45 into the video: http://youtu.be/JlaX5Lvj4VI

 

Check out some in-car footage of Trey provided by Downforce Designs: http://youtu.be/dv2_v22rcO4

 

Here is a link to check out highlights from Trey’s victory at Skagit Speedway on May 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axHzc9tXVaQ&feature=youtu.be

 

APPAREL –

 

Starks has men’s and women’s long-sleeve shirts, t-shirts and hoodies available at any race he attends and at www.TreyStarksRacing.com.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Blue Dot Fabrications

Blue Dot Fabrications is owned by Trey’s uncle, Dean Starks, who fabricates various types of vehicles, including vintage cars and road race cars. Blue Dot Fabrications even built quarter midgets when Trey began racing.

“Blue Dot Fabrications is another business that has been around my family my entire life,” Starks said. “My uncle, Dean, has always been around ready to fix anything that gets dinged up at the track.”

Starks would like to thank his sponsors, including Starks Timber Processing, BR Motorsports, King Racing Products, SpeedMart and Masco Petroleum for their continued support.