David Starr

David Starr Bio

David Leon Starr (born October 11, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Houston, Texas. He is best known as a four-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he also earned the 2002 Most Popular Driver award. Starr has spent more than two decades competing across NASCAR’s three national touring series, building a reputation as a dependable veteran and a fan favorite.

Throughout his career, Starr has driven for numerous teams in the Truck Series, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Xfinity Series), and the NASCAR Cup Series. He most recently competed part-time in the Cup Series driving the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Garage 66, while also running selected O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races in the Nos. 53 and 35 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen.

Early Life and Background

David Leon Starr was born on October 11, 1967, in Houston, Texas. Growing up in the Lone Star State, he was surrounded by the culture of short-track racing that thrives across Texas. He got his first taste of the sport at the age of fourteen, when he served on a neighbor’s pit crew, an experience that sparked his lifelong passion for stock car racing.

At sixteen, Starr began driving in street stock racing and won the championship at Big H Motor Speedway in his very first year behind the wheel. Over the next seven years, he built a steady résumé by winning twenty late model races. In 1993, he took his career a step further by attending the Team Texas driving school, where he eventually became a race instructor, sharpening his technical knowledge of the sport.

During this formative period, Starr also worked for veteran racer Donnie Allison as a crew member on Allison’s Busch Series team, gaining valuable insight into NASCAR’s national level operations. In 1996, he joined the Texas International Driving Association and made history as the first rookie to win a race in that series, setting the stage for his move to NASCAR.

Path to NASCAR

Starr’s progression to NASCAR’s national stage began with his Truck Series debut in 1998, when he drove the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado for Reher-Morrison Racing in five races. His best finish that year was eighteenth at his home track, Texas Motor Speedway. The following season, he committed to the Truck Series full-time, splitting time between Tagsby Racing, Team 23 Racing, Conely Racing, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, and McGlynn Racing, finishing twenty-second in the standings.

When Tagsby Racing closed its doors at the end of that season, Starr was left without a full-time ride. He continued to run a part-time Truck schedule while making his Busch Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway for Day Enterprise Racing in 2000. He later joined Team Menard for four races, finishing no lower than seventh, which helped him secure another full-time opportunity.

David Starr Career

Early Career (1998-2001)

Starr’s earliest Truck Series seasons were a mix of perseverance and learning. Driving for multiple teams across his first few years, he gradually improved his results and adapted to the demands of national-level competition. His debut at Texas Motor Speedway and his qualifying performance on the outside pole at the same track showed the promise that bigger teams would later recognize.

Beyond the Truck Series, he made his Busch Series debut at Talladega in 2000 for Day Enterprise Racing and also ran select events for TKO Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway. These early opportunities, combined with a stint at Team Menard, helped him establish the connections that would lead to his breakthrough campaign.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2002-2006)

Starr earned his second full-time Truck Series ride in 2002, joining the No. 75 Spears Motorsports team. That season proved to be the turning point of his career, as he captured his first victory at Las Vegas and posted a fifth-place points finish. His popularity among the Truck Series fan base also earned him the series’ Most Popular Driver award that year.

In 2003, he finished tenth in the standings despite missing four races due to injuries, still managing thirteen top-ten finishes along the way. Starr elevated his performance in 2004, winning two races and climbing to sixth in the final points standings. After a winless 2005, he moved to the No. 11 team fielded by Red Horse Racing, where he picked up his most recent Truck Series victory at Martinsville Speedway and recorded a career-best fourth-place points finish in 2006.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Era (2014-2019)

Following his long Truck Series run, Starr transitioned to the NASCAR Nationwide Series (now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) in 2014, joining TriStar Motorsports for a partial schedule before moving to a full-time ride with the team in 2015. That year, he opened the season with a career-best sixth-place finish at Daytona and ran the No. 44 Zachry Toyota before being replaced midseason.

Over the following years, he drove for RSS Racing, B. J. McLeod Motorsports, Jimmy Means Racing, and JD Motorsports, with the No. 52 and No. 6 entries. In 2017, he earned his first career Xfinity Series top-five at Daytona, a race he was not even originally scheduled to run, after a last-minute substitution. He continued to run the full Nationwide/O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule through 2019, building a reputation as a steady presence in the garage.

NASCAR Cup Series (2011-Present)

Starr made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the 2011 Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, the track closest to his hometown of Houston. Although he failed to qualify for several early attempts, including a 2009 Sprint Cup effort at Fontana with BlackJack Racing, he eventually broke through with starts at tracks like Bristol, Martinsville, and Talladega. His best Cup Series finish remains fifty-first in the 2020 standings, and he has continued to make occasional starts in recent years.

In 2017, he returned to Cup competition at the AAA Texas 500 driving the No. 66 Chevrolet for MBM Motorsports. Since then, he has made further Cup starts with Rick Ware Racing, Obaika Racing, and Garage 66, where he currently pilots the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse on a part-time basis.

Garage 66 Era (2024-Present)

In 2024, Starr returned to the NASCAR Cup Series with Garage 66, driving the No. 66 Ford at Martinsville Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. The move marked a new chapter in his career, returning to Ford power and aligning with an emerging team. He has continued to make select Cup starts with the organization, while also running part-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen.

Driving Style and Strengths

Starr is widely regarded as a smooth, consistent driver who excels on intermediate and short tracks. His decades of late model experience in Texas helped him develop a patient race craft, allowing him to pick his moments and avoid unnecessary risks. His long-running partnerships with teams like Red Horse Racing, SS-Green Light Racing, and Spears Motorsports reflect his value as a reliable wheelman who can deliver steady finishes and bring home equipment in one piece.

Notable Races and Milestones

Among the highlights of Starr’s career are his four Truck Series wins at Las Vegas and Martinsville, his 2002 Most Popular Driver award, and his first Xfinity Series top-five at Daytona in 2017. His debut at the 2011 Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway remains a meaningful milestone, as does his continued presence in Cup Series competition well into his fifties.

David Starr Career Wins

David Starr is a four-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, with victories spanning from 2002 to 2006. His first win came at Las Vegas in 2002 with Spears Motorsports, and his most recent came at Martinsville Speedway in 2006 with Red Horse Racing. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has recorded four top-ten finishes but no victories.

Craftsman Truck Series Highlights

Across his Truck Series career, Starr tallied four wins, 117 top-ten finishes, and five pole positions, with a career-best fourth-place points finish in 2006. He competed in the series from 1998 through 2013, including runs with Reher-Morrison Racing, Tagsby Racing, Spears Motorsports, Red Horse Racing, Circle Bar Racing, HT Motorsports, SS-Green Light Racing, and Arrington Racing. His 2002 Most Popular Driver award remains one of the most celebrated honors of his career.

Other Wins and Performances

Outside the Truck Series, Starr has yet to win in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series or the NASCAR Cup Series, though he has posted top-ten finishes in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Earlier in his career, he earned twenty late model wins across Texas, won the street stock championship at Big H Motor Speedway, and became the first rookie to win a race in the Texas International Driving Association in 1996.

David Starr Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

David Starr comes from a Houston, Texas, family that nurtured his early interest in motorsports. His introduction to racing came through a neighbor, on whose pit crew he worked at the age of fourteen, suggesting a tight-knit community that helped shape his path to the sport.

Personal Life

Starr is married to his wife, Kim, and the couple has two sons, David Jr., known as DJ, and Vance. In December 2020, he launched the podcast Let’s Go Racing with David Starr, joining forces with news anchor Tyler Jones and TheRacingExperts.com founder Dominic Aragon. Starr has shared on the podcast that he is Catholic.

2025 Season Performance

David Starr’s 2025 campaign has continued his part-time approach across NASCAR’s top national series. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has driven the No. 53 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, posting a forty-seventh-place position in the standings. He has also made select starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with Garage 66, including an appearance at the 2025 Quaker State 400 at Atlanta, finishing the year ranked fifty-sixth in Cup points.

Despite the challenges of running a limited schedule, Starr has remained a respected veteran presence in the garage, drawing on more than two decades of experience. His ability to balance part-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Cup Series duties with Garage 66 reflects the demanding nature of independent-team competition in today’s NASCAR.

Heading into the closing stretch of 2025, Starr’s focus remains on delivering solid finishes and helping his teams build momentum for the following season. With a long career still going strong, he continues to serve as a mentor figure for younger drivers and a familiar face for longtime NASCAR fans.