Transcript of David's interview

[ChuckLicata]

DAVID STARR MEDIA TELECONFERENCE

 

#50 Enzyte Chevrolet, Holigan Racing

 

 

 

DAVID STARR OF HOUSTON, TEX., WILL DRIVE THE #50 ENZYTE CHEVROLET OF HOLIGAN RACING IN SATURDAY’S SAM’S TOWN 300 NASCAR BUSCH SERIES RACE AT THE 1.5-MILE LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY.

 

 

 

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST START FOR THE TEAM THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL COMPETE IN 15 BUSCH SERIES EVENTS. IN ADDITION, STARR WILL BE COMPETING FOR THE NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SPEARS RACING.

 

 

 

UNIQUE IN THE SPORT, HOLIGAN RACING IS THE SUBJECT OF A WEEKLY MOTORSPORTS REALITY TELEVISION SERIES – THE REALITY OF SPEED – WHICH BEGAN RUNNING EACH SATURDAY MORNING (10:30 A.M. EASTERN/9:30 A.M. CENTRAL) ON SPIKE TV. ALREADY IT IS THE MOST-WATCHED MOTORSPORTS REALITY SHOW ON TELEVISION.

 

 

 

THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM TUESDAY’S MEDIA TELECONFERENCE, DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR WEST COAST MEDIA:

 

 

 

Q. David, this will be your first race of season with the NASCAR Busch Series team of Holigan Racing. This will be the first of 15 races that they will be running this year, this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Do you have any butterflies?

 

 

 

A. “Man, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity. Being a part of the Craftsman Truck Series has been an honor, but to get involved with Michael Holigan and his new racing team in the Busch Series is something special. We’re really looking forward to going to Las Vegas this week. We actually tested yesterday (Monday) morning at the Texas Motor Speedway, we had about a four hour test. After that, I was pumped up and ready to head to Vegas.”

 

 

 

Q. How did your test go?

 

 

 

A. “It went pretty good. The view from sitting in a Busch car than what I’m used to in one of these pickup trucks, it’s so much different. It took me, I still think I’m not used to it, but it took me close to 20 laps before I could get focused in on the track. The angle of the windshield makes a big difference. On these pickup trucks there is plenty of room and you can see a lot, but when you get in one of these Busch cars… I tell you what, you can’t see near as much. That’s probably the biggest thing right off the start is getting used to you limited visibility. But, I eventually got used to it and we had a pretty good test yesterday. (Crew chief) Todd Myers and the Enzyte team were all excited about it, and ready to head over to Vegas.

 

 

 

Q. David is transitioning from where he’s been very successful in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to the NASCAR Busch Series. He’s running a full truck series this season along with 15 Busch races and then hopefully moving to a full Busch Series next season… correct?

 

 

 

A. “That’s correct.”

 

 

 

Q. Your deal is a little different because your season is on television every week. Spike TV is carrying a show called “The Reality of Speed,” and they have TV cameras in your shop from the minute you open in the morning until the minute you close. It’s already a big hit on Spike TV; it airs 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time/9:30 a.m. Central) every Saturday. It started January 3 and already more people have seen this show than any kind of motor sports reality show. Can you tell us a little about it?

 

 

 

A. “It’s a unique situation that Michael Holigan has put together, this “Reality of Speed” show that airs every Saturday morning. It’s different when you walk into the race shop and there are cameras everywhere. It’s reality. It’s really what happens from the time I walk in the door until the time I leave. By being in the race shop it gives fans a different perspective of what goes on behind the scenes of a racing team - how we prepare our race cars; how the personalities of the race team mesh. It’s a neat deal. There’s no acting involved. It’s all reality. I think the race fans will really get a different perspective of what goes on and the hours and commitment from the crew members that they put into these racing teams. Pretty exciting. The guys at the shop are in there getting dirty and trashing away at these race cars trying to get them ready, and you’ll see tempers flare or a dirty word will fly and they’ll catch it right there on TV. That’s what happens when you have reality programming. You’re going to see stuff you wouldn’t normally see at the race track. When we get back from Vegas, me and my crew chief will have a discussion about the race; about what I should or shouldn’t have done. Fans will get to see some interesting conversation when we get back to race shop after a race. I’m a race fan myself; if I could see what happens at Penske Racing when they return from a race, I think that would be pretty interesting. From what I’ve heard from the fans so far, they really love it.”

 

 

 

Q. Tell us about Las Vegas. It’s been a good track for you in the past.

 

 

 

A. “It’s just a great race track. It’s multi-grooved, smooth, fast, the track’s exciting just the way it’s setup. It’s one of my favorite tracks on the circuit - magical really, whether under the lights or during the day. What makes it so exciting for the driver are the multiple racing grooves. Two or three grooves allow you to race in different areas. If you aren’t handling like you want in one groove you can change and lots of times get better. I think if you asked any driver, they’d have to list Las Vegas as one of their favorite tracks.

 

 

 

Q. NASCAR’s zero-tolerance policy was again tested today when Kevin Grubb was suspended indefinitely for violating that policy. What are your thoughts on NASCAR’s substance abuse policy and how much trust do you have that other drivers in the series aren’t abusing alcohol or drugs?

 

 

 

A. “That’s a good question and let me start by saying I hate to hear that about Kevin, he’s a good person and a really good driver. I’m really shocked to hear about that. But, my hat goes off to NASCAR. You know, we’re out there running at speeds well in access of 150 mph in most places and the zero tolerance is something I strongly believe in. We aren’t going to always agree on certain things at the race track, it’s a performance-driven business and we’re all out there to win races, but to bring in drugs and alcohol to this environment is uncalled for and I think NASCAR does a good job policing that. We, the competitors, know that NASCAR has a zero tolerance policy. With the physicals we have to go through before Daytona, I believe NASCAR does a good job making sure in where good shape to compete. It’s an exciting sport, you have to trust you competitors out there, and to think one was not thinking or seeing clearly would bother me.”

 

 

 

Q. A story came out yesterday saying Rusty Wallace had been confronted by a NASCAR official suggesting that he run a limited schedule. You’re 34 years old, you aren’t exactly the youngest guy out there, but you sure aren’t the oldest either. Is 18 or 19 to young to run these cars, and how old is too old?

 

 

 

A. “You know, talking about the youth, it seems that our sport is heading in that direction… and there’s nothing wrong with that. Seems like it took me a long time to become a part of NASCAR, which was always a dream, it took me a while longer to make the right steps and get hooked up with the right people in order to be a part of NASCAR now. The younger guys 17, 18, 19 years old… more power to them. It seems like when I was that age I was trying to gain as much experience as possible along with as much financial support from different sponsors and team owners to pay attention to myself and what I could do in the race car. If a driver today in 19 or 20 and gets an opportunity on any touring series, then my hat’s off to them. Looking back, I wish that could have happened to me, but I think it’s great for guys that young to get the opportunity to drive in NASCAR. But, how old is too old and how young is too young? Well, you look at Rusty Wallace, Kenny Schrader, and Terry Labonte. Labonte won a race last season. I watched Rusty run up front at Rockingham last week. Sterling Marlin and Dale Jarrett were both there. You know these guys are 48 and 49 years old and they can still compete. Personally, if I’m 45 or 46 and not competitive anymore, I think I’ll know it’s time to quit. But, as long as when you get to the race track and you’re competitive out on the track, you’re fine. When you can’t do that then maybe it’s time to quit, but what age is that? Dale Earnhardt was 49 or 50 years old and he was still out there competing for races and championships. So, how old is too old… that’s a good question.”

 

 

 

Q. Running just 15 Busch races in the Enzyte Chevrolet for Holigan Racing, what are your goals this year?

 

 

 

A. “My goal is to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship. I run full time in that series with Wayne and Connie Spears as my team owners and Dave McCarty, my crew chief. My focus is to win a Craftsman Truck Series Championship. Having the opportunity to run for Holigan Racing and team Enzyte is a great opportunity for me. I’m looking to move to the Busch Series and hopefully onto the Nextel Series. But, to have this great opportunity is special to me. For a ‘start-up’ team we’re looking to go to Vegas for our first race, qualify in the top 20, and be competitive all day. If we can run in the top 15 or top 10 all day and get the best finish we can get, then grow on that each race, build a competitive race team, for me and Todd Myers to learn how these cars react on the track, then I’m looking to go full time in the Busch Series with Holigan Racing. It’s an exciting opportunity and Michael Holigan has given us all the resources we need to build a competitive racing team. We have The Reality of Speed show and everything that’s involved with that. It’s just an exciting time to be a part of NASCAR racing, and I feel real honored just to be a part of Holigan Racing and also to be a part of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.”