From the CBR Website.

Sep 19, 2007

VEGAS ROLLS STARR'S WAY THIS WEEK IN FORD RACING

Las Vegas — David Starr has enjoyed a great deal of success at this week’s stop on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit—Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Starr won his first touring series race at the 1.5-mile oval and then won his first NCTS event in 2002 at LVMS.

DAVID STARR – NO. 10 INTERNATIONAL MAXX FORCE DIESEL FORD F-150 YOU’VE WON AT LAS VEGAS IN THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES, SO YOU MUST BE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK, RIGHT? “Las Vegas has always been a really magical place, even the old configuration. When they tore the race track down, I couldn’t believe they were tearing it down because it really produced good racing. I loved the facility and the first NASCAR race I ever won—a NASCAR Winston West race—was there at that track and then I turned around and won my first truck race there at Las Vegas, so it’s a special place for me.”

WHAT ABOUT THE NEW BANKING? “Last year with the new configuration, they did a really tremendous job. It’s supposed to be a showplace and I can’t wait to get back because last year all of the facilities weren’t completed, so I’m anxious to see what the final product looks like. I bet it’s probably going to be one of the finest facilities on our circuit.

"We didn’t run very good there last year. We struggled and I had never struggled there before. With this new configuration, you can almost run wide-open there or you can if your truck is perfect. Before, you couldn’t really run wide open, but it’s kind of like a Charlotte, Texas, Atlanta track now—it’s got a lot of banking to it. That’s the difference. The track has always been smooth, even before they dug it up, so the biggest difference is just a lot more banking. It’s a fun place to race and we’re gonna put on a good show for the fans. I thought the racing was good before they dug it up, but it’ll be just as good now.”

THE TRUCKS PUT ON A GOOD SHOW REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A TRACK IS BANKED OR NOT DON’T THEY? “It doesn’t matter. The way the trucks are and the competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with the depth of talent we have in the series among drivers and teams, we’re gonna put on a good show no matter where we race. Flat track, short track, banked track, fast track, it doesn’t matter—the truck series puts on a good show with good racing and you’ll see that at Las Vegas.”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A CHASE FORMAT IN THE TRUCK SERIES? YOU WOULD BE IN RIGHT NOW IF THEY TOOK THE TOP 12 AND RE-SEEDED. “That’s a hard question to answer because the last three years it’s come down to the last race at Homestead before we knew who our champion was gonna be, so it’s not like somebody always gets out to a big lead and we know who our champion is before the last race of the season. It always seems to come down to the last laps of the last race at the end of the season. That being said, it also depends on where you’re at and how your season has gone. Today, sitting where we are in the points, I’d like to see a Chase for the Championship. Maybe last year when I was sitting fourth or fifth at this point, I don’t know if I would have liked to have seen a Chase. But with the truck series having only 25 races, I’d like NASCAR to maybe add five more races and if they did that, I’d like to take maybe the last 10 and have a Chase for the Championship. I think that would be good. Right now, though, I don’t know if they kept the same format with 25 races and after 15 races made the last 10 a Chase, I don’t know if that’s enough races.

"NASCAR always does what’s best for our sport, so whatever they do, I’m gonna bet on their side because every move they make has always been for the betterment of our sport. They haven’t put a Chase in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or the Busch Series yet and if they see a need to do and they do it, I’m gonna be right behind them.”

From the CBR Site..

As a former winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway David Starr and his International MaxxForce Diesel team had high expectations for the Smith’s (West Coast Grocery Chain) Las Vegas 350. Coming off a solid run in Loudon a week ago, crew chief Dennis Connor picked the chassis with the team’s best finish to try and return Starr to victory lane in Las Vegas. Chassis CB-18 is a new chassis developed specifically for Starr in 2007 and had posted the teams best finish of the season, with a 4th place run in Nashville.

Off the hauler, CB-18 struggled to find grip on the reconfigured Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Connor and the International MaxxForce Diesel team continued to make changes to their Ford F-150 to get Starr to the top of the speed chart. While the team thrashed on their F-150, Starr’s teammate Rick Crawford was struggling also. Collectively the Circle Bar teams worked on improving their Ford F-150’s. Once again weather bit the International MaxxForce Diesel team, leaving only 1 practice session limiting much needed track time. Starr’s Ford F-150 gained ground in practice but the International MaxxForce Diesel team posted a disappointing 26th place starting position.

As an impound race, the team made the changes they could and Starr was on the move with the drop of the green flag. Starr picked up 4 spots on the first lap and 5 laps into the race the International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 broke into the top 20 for the first time. Working traffic, Starr was posting lap times equal to the trucks running in the top 10 but with the field strung out, track position would be at a premium. With the nights first caution on lap 33, Starr would bring his International MaxxForce Diesel F-150 to the attention of Connor and the over the wall crew. Connor, a master race strategist, was already working for the final laps with his the first stop. Connor called for a full load of Sunoco fuel, an air pressure adjustment and right side tires only. The move would pick up 8 spots on pit road and put Starr back on track in the 12th position. By lap 40 Starr cracked the top 10 for the first time and by lap 46 was up to 8th. Another caution would bunch the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series field back up and Starr would move to 7th by the time the field completed lap 50. As the laps wore on, the trucks that had taken 4 tires started to move to the front and the International MaxxForce Diesel F-150 was starting to slide backwards through the field. By the halfway point, Starr was back to 15th and looking for a set of fresh Goodyears. Hometown favorite Brendan Gaughan hit the turn 4 wall, bringing out another caution on lap 86. By this stage of the race Starr’s International MaxxForce Diesel F-150 had gotten aero loose with other trucks behind him entering the corner. Connor called Starr to pit road for an extra full load of Sunoco fuel (to make it to the end) and 4 fresh Goodyears with air pressure adjustments. The International MaxxForce Diesel over the wall gang ripped off a 16.92 second stop and while other teams took 2 only tires the team held their spot and returned Starr to the track in the 14th position. 20 laps in Starr was on the move again and with a bold 3 wide move jumped back into the top 10. As the laps wore on the aero loose condition returned and the International MaxxForce Diesel slid back to 16th. With 13 laps to go, Connor Called Starr back to pit road for right side tires and a big adjustment on the right front. The return to pit road would cost Starr 4 spots and he would restart 20th with less than 10 to go. With 5 to go Starr was up to 16th and with 2 to go he picked up 2 more spots to finish 14th.

David Starr: “We finished 14th, but our International MaxxForce Diesel Ford F-150 was better than that. It seemed like we could race up to the sixth or seventh position, but when we got spread out, I couldn’t get in the corners like I needed to. I would get loose and nearly spin out and crash by myself. We pitted real late because I just couldn’t get it in the corner. Our F-150 was much better after the last stop and we rebounded back to 14th. It was another solid effort by our Circle Bar team, but we just need that little bit and we’ll be up there. This series is just so competitive. If you’re off a little bit, you’re off a whole lot. I’m little disappointed in our finish but we’ll just keep digging and hold our chin up.” "

The International MaxxForce Diesel Team will be in action when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series holds round 20 of the 2007 season in the Mountain Dew 250 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday October 6th at 4:00 PM EST