David Starr
No. 24 Autismspeaks.org/Zachry Toyota Tundra

O’Reilly Auto Parts 250

Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, KS, (April 29, 2009) – As if battling tornadoes weren’t enough for the Zachary Racing Team at Kansas Speedway, they were plagued by numerous bouts of rain, red flags and a flat tire eventually killed their hopes of winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 on Monday.  The team was forced to pit late in the race for a flat right rear tire and never got the chance to make up the lost positions when the rain shortened the race only nine laps later.  Starr finished the race in the 17th spot.

The No. 24 Autismspeaks.org/Zachry Toyota Tundra Race Recap

• Starr qualified in the 18th position with a lap time of 32.802 seconds at a speed of 164.624 mph. 
• By the first caution on lap three, Starr had already moved up to the 13th position. 
• The second caution came out on lap nine and Starr told Crew Chief Jason Miller, “I’m a little free getting into the corners.” 
• Under the third caution on lap 37 Miller called Starr into the pits for four fresh Goodyear tires in which they adjusted the air pressures to help tighten him up.  And then the team loaded him up with Sunoco fuel.  Starr was caught going too fast exiting pit road and had to restart at the tail end of the longest line. 
• Starr held his position in the ensuing laps until the fifth caution came out on lap 50 for rain which stopped the race two laps later. 
• The race resumed on Monday afternoon and Starr was listed in the 14th position. 
• The sixth caution came out on lap 71 and several teams used the time to pit in front of Starr.  He inherited the eighth position.  After the restart Starr drove some of his fastest laps of the race.  He moved up to the sixth position. 
• Then the competition caution came out on lap 86.  Starr told his team, “I love my truck.”  The happy team pitted for fresh tires and gas and Starr restarted in the 16th position. 
• Under the next caution on lap 104 Starr told his team again, “It is perfect!” 
• Then on lap 112 under the eighth caution Starr told his team something felt wrong.  “It’s like I can’t keep momentum up.  I’m a little free in turns one and two.”  The team pitted on lap 114 for fuel and returned to the track in the sixth spot.
• In the ensuing laps Starr said, “I feel like I have a flat or something.”  So on lap 124 he pitted for the team to assess the tires.  They discovered the rear quarter panel had split in half and the panel was cutting the right rear tire.  The team put tape on the panel so it would stay together and then changed the tires so Starr could finish the race. 
• Unfortunately the race was shortened due to another bout of rain on lap 132 and Starr never got the chance to work his way back through the field.  He finished the event in the 17th position.

Mike Skinner won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. Johnny Benson, Brian Scott, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Brian Ickler followed in the top five.