David Starr
No. 24 Zachry Toyota Tundra
MemphisTravel.com 200 Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts
Memphis Motorsports Park

MILLINGTON, Tenn., (June 27, 2009) – A savvy pit strategy proved to be the best call for David Starr in the MemphisTravel.com 200 at Memphis Motorsports Park.  Under the scorching heat Crew Chief Jason Miller made the call to top off with fuel early in the race and then only have to pit for tires in the following laps.  The strategy played out according to plan when Starr inherited the second spot while others pitted for fuel.  Then Starr was able to hold his own conserving all the fuel he could until the final shootout to the end.  He brought his No. 24 HT Motorsports Toyota Tundra home in the third position. 

The No. 24 Zachry Toyota Tundra Race Recap

  • Starr qualified his Toyota Tundra in the 14th position with a lap time of 23.424 seconds at a speed of 115.266 mph. 
  • When the race began, Starr strategically worked his way through the field.  By lap 11 he was already in eighth. 
  • Under the first caution on lap 13, Starr radioed into Miller and said, “I like what we have Jason.”
  • By the second caution on lap 51 Starr told Miller his truck was getting tight in the center and had no forward bite.  It was just as the team had predicted due to the extreme heat.  During the pit stop the team took a spring rubber out of the left rear and pulled tape off his grill to cool down the truck.  Starr restarted in the 17th spot on lap 57.
  • Under the third caution on lap 62 Starr had worked his way into the 13th position.  Miller called him into the pits on lap 64 to top off with fuel and pull some more tape off the grill. 
  • Then under the fourth caution on lap 74 Miller called Starr in again to top off with fuel hoping for track position later in the race when all the other competitors would have to pit for fuel.  Starr restarted 20th on lap 78. 
  • On lap 109 the fifth caution of the day came out.  Starr said, “It rolls through the center good and we have our forward bite back.”  The team pitted on lap 112 for fresh tires and when most of the field came back for fuel, Starr did not.  Therefore Starr jumped up to the second spot. 
  • In the ensuing laps Miller reminded Starr to not charge the gas and conserve fuel. 
  • On lap 195 a caution came out forcing the race to end in a green-white-checkered-flag finish.  Finally Starr did not need to conserve gas and could go for it.  
  • With fingers crossed and all eyes on the race track, the HT Motorsports team watched as Starr crossed the finish line in the third spot on lap 201. 

Starr said, with a sigh of relief as he poured water over his head, “Man I just cannot say enough about this team right now.  I am so honored to drive this Zachry Toyota Tundra every weekend.  My crew chief made a great call today on pit road and we were able to bring this truck home third.  I had a great truck earlier in the race, but track position was key.  It was a great race today!”

Ron Hornaday won the MemphisTravel.com 200.  Brian Scott, Starr, Aric Almirola and Matt Crafton followed in the top five.