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Big weekend for Star Motor sports notebook. This weekend marks a pair of firsts for veteran NASCAR driver David Starr.
Starr, who regularly drives the No. 81 Zachry Toyota Tundra for SS Green Light Racing in the Camping World Truck Series, will be looking to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup debut in Saturday night's Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
"Words can't describe how big this is," Starr said. "Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to attempt to qualify for a Cup race. The ultimate dream is to race in the biggest series in the world. I can't make the word be big enough to what it means.
I'm just honored, proud and blessed to have the opportunity to do that with good equipment. Even though it's my home track, I'm racing against the most competitive drivers in the world, and to have the opportunity to race against the best in the world is pretty cool."
The Houston native also will be looking for his first NASCAR Nationwide victory tonight, when he makes his 18th career start in the series driving the No. 05 Chevrolet Impala SS for Wayne Day. The Texas Farms and Ranches Chevy will be painted red, white and blue and carry the "Lone Star State" logo on its hood.
"This is a Texas effort, so we want to keep the trophy in Texas," Starr said. "I am looking forward to coming home to Texas Motor Speedway, racing under the lights Friday night. It is magical any time the NASCAR Nationwide Series goes under the lights."
Starr will make the quick transformation from the NNS to the NSCS and drive the No. 95 Ford Fusion for the brand new Leavine Fenton Racing team.
Making the field in Saturday night's first venture under the lights in a Sprint Cup Series race at TMS would be a dream come true for Starr.
But to do that, Starr will have to qualify on speed.
Which is easier said than done for first-time teams in the Sprint Cup series.
"With the equipment that Bob Leavine and Lance Fenton have purchased for our new team, and with Wally Rogers as the crew chief and everybody working hard, I feel that we have a really good chance to perform well," Starr said. "We will learn from our mistakes and failures."
Starr has made 30 starts at TMS — 25 in the truck series and five in Nationwide — and finished third three times, all in a truck.
Along with having raced 4,265 laps on the track, he also has plenty more as an instructor at his family's driving school at TMS.
That kind of familiarity has Starr thinking victory, without losing sight of the big picture.
"Our expectations are high, but the reality is that you are racing with the best teams and drivers in the world," Starr said. "If we don't have success right off the bat, then we will stick together as a team and learn from it and keep digging."
Starr is scheduled to make six starts for LFR this season.
Foyt back at track
After missing the first IndyCar event of the season, A.J. Foyt will be back at the track this weekend in Alabama.
Foyt, who had a stent inserted in the main artery to his heart just before the season opener at St. Petersburg, Fla., two weeks ago, returns to the team that carries his name.
"I feel pretty good," Foyt said. "I'm glad to be back."
A.J. Foyt Racing and driver Vitor Meira are eighth in points as the series hits Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.