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Starks Aiming to Add Luck to Fast Race Car as Knoxville Nationals Nears

(Photo by Paul Arch)

Inside Line Promotions – OSKALOOSA, Iowa (Aug. 6, 2019) – Trey Starks is seeking a bit of luck during the second half of Iowa Speedweek.

The Gobrecht Motorsports competitor has had a fast sprint car without much fortune throughout four races in a five-day span.

“The way I look at it is we’ve had good speed, but haven’t had things go our way,” he said. “If we can get that to turn around we’ll be in good shape.”

Starks started on a strong note with a fifth-place qualifying effort last Thursday during his preliminary night of the 29th annual My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank at Knoxville Raceway. He then maneuvered from sixth to fourth place in a heat race to lock into the main event, which he started sixth.

“We had a muffler fall off when we were running seventh,” he said. “When that happens on a big track like that it makes everything sound really goofy. I thought we were having engine troubles so I pulled off. In hindsight if I’d known it was the muffler I would have kept running.”

The DNF relegated Starks to Saturday’s B Main. He battled for one of the four transfer positions into the main event throughout the race before ending fifth, which was one spot shy of advancing.

“We got a bad start and into the fence,” he said. “We lost a few spots and battled back from ninth or 10th. I came up just a few car lengths short at the line to earn a transfer. That was a bummer. We knew we had speed, just the circumstances were unfortunate.”

The team shifted gears on Sunday, putting in a 410ci engine to tackle the 8th annual Bell Helmets Capitani Classic presented by Great Southern Bank. Starks timed in 28th quickest in his group before placing 11th in a heat race and 14th in a B Main.

“We had some issues impeding our speed,” he said. “We changed a bunch of things around for the B Main, but by that point it’s too late. There are too many good cars.”

Starks’ best run came the following night at Southern Iowa Speedway during the 24th annual Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge presented by Musco Lighting. He qualified 10th quickest before maneuvering from fourth to second place in a heat race. That earned a spot into the King of the Hill event, which lined Starks up seventh for the main event.

“We had some of our speed back and we ran around the top 10 all night before we ran out of fuel with a few laps remaining,” he said. “That’s not something that we want, but we know why we ran out. We should have had a 33-gallon tank on the car. It was just a mistake that could be avoided, but we’re pleased with the speed we had.”

Starks was credited with an 18th-place result.

He will return to action Tuesday at Southern Iowa Speedway with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour before tackling the 59th annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores, which is Wednesday through Saturday at Knoxville Raceway.

QUICK RESULTS –

Aug. 1 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 4 (6); Feature: 22 (6).

Aug. 3 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – B Main: 5 (4).

Aug. 4 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 28; Heat race: 11 (10); B Main: 14 (18).

Aug. 5 – Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa – Qualifying: 10; Heat race: 2 (4); King of the Hill: 4 (4); Feature: 18 (7).

SEASON STATS –

26 races, 0 wins, 3 top fives, 9 top 10s, 12 top 15s, 15 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Tuesday at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, with the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour and Wednesday through Saturday at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, for the 59th annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.TreyStarksRacing.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Starks55Trey

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

APPAREL –

Starks has t-shirts and hoodies for sale at http://www.TreyStarksRacing.com.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – J&J Auto Racing

Located in McKenzie, Tenn., J&J Auto Racing has manufactured sprint car chassis and racing parts for more than 40 years. For more information, visit http://www.JandJAutoRacing.com.

“I’ve been working with J&J Auto Racing for several years and they build the best product around,” Starks said.

Gobrecht Motorsports would also like to thank E-Z-GO, FK Rod Ends, Champion Brands, Golf Cart Services, Fibreworks Composites, Moose Blocks, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Beer Hill Gang, Gettysburg Rental Center, Gardy’s Enterprises, Baker Door Company, Moose Lodge 720, Pancho’s Racing Products, Pro Shocks, Auto Meter, KSE Racing Products, Fel-Pro, Taylor Ignition Wires, Miller Welders, K&N Filters, Mettec, Bell Helmets, AL Driveline, DMI, Champion Spark Plugs, ISC Racers Tape, Schroth Racing, HMS Motorsports, King Racing Products, Kinsler Fuel Injection, All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, Ultra Lite Brakes & Components, Security Race Products, Benner’s Butcher Shoppe and Darwin L. Martin Trucking for their continued support.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.

To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.

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