David Starr
No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra
Michigan International Speedway – VFW 200
June 12, 2010
David Starr and the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra team raced their way to an eighth place finish in the VFW 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday afternoon. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) had just 50 minutes to prepare their trucks for the 200-mile event since a rain shower cancelled final practice on Friday afternoon.
Despite being slightly free through the center and exit of the corner early in the race, Starr immediately began moving through the field when the green flag fell. The driver of the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra moved from his 24th starting position up to 12th-place by the time the second caution flag came out on lap 11.
The team utilized pit strategy early in the race taking just two right-side tires during their first stop on lap 13 and not taking tire during their second stop which came on lap 36. On lap 38, the red flag was displayed for rain around the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval. After about 30 minutes, the track was dried and the race restarted. However, the change in the weather also meant a change in track conditions. As a result, the team utilized every opportunity they had to adjust the truck and help Starr move to the front of the field.
A long green flag stretch in the middle of the race forced the team to make one last green flag pit stop on lap 69. Just before came down pit road Starr was struggling with an extremely loose Toyota Tundra, but after four sticker tires and an air pressure adjustment, the No. 81 Toyota Tundra was handling much better. The team had to overcome several challenges which left them one lap down, but a late-race caution less than 15 remaining in the 100-lap event allowed Starr to capitalize on the “lucky dog” rule to return to the lead lap of competition.
The team stopped on pit road for last time to get four more tires before the final restart and began his charge for the front when the green flag fell. In just 10 laps, Starr moved up eight positions to bring the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra home in eighth-place. The finish moved Starr up one spot in the NCWTS driver championship point standings to eighth-place.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will make its next pit stop at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, July 11th. SPEED, MRN, and Sirius Satellite Radio will all carry a broadcast of the event beginning at 1:30 p.m. EST.
