David Starr Bio
David Leon Starr (born October 11, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A longtime veteran of NASCAR’s national touring divisions, Starr is best known for his four career victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, along with stints in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series. He has also competed in what are now known as the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series West.
Throughout a career that began in the late 1990s, Starr has built a reputation as a reliable, hard-working journeyman driver who has driven for numerous teams across all three of NASCAR’s national series. He continues to compete on a part-time basis, balancing limited Cup and Xfinity schedules.
Early Life and Background
David Leon Starr was born on October 11, 1967, in Houston, Texas. Growing up in the Lone Star State placed him in the heart of a vibrant short-track racing scene, where he was first exposed to motorsports at a young age. By the time he was fourteen, Starr had joined a neighbor’s pit crew, giving him an early look at the inner workings of race teams and sparking his lifelong interest in driving.
At sixteen, Starr began racing street stocks at Big H Motor Speedway, where he won the track championship in his very first season of competition. Over the following seven years, he accumulated twenty late model wins, gradually building a regional reputation as a talented and determined driver. His Texas roots would remain a defining part of his identity throughout his career.
Path to NASCAR
In 1993, Starr took a step toward a professional career by enrolling at the Team Texas driving school, where he eventually became a race instructor. During this period, he also worked as a crew member for veteran racer Donnie Allison on Allison’s Busch Series team, gaining valuable technical experience.
In 1996, Starr joined the Texas International Driving Association, where he became the first rookie in the series to win a race. That success opened the door to NASCAR, and in 1998, he made his Craftsman Truck Series debut driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado for Reher-Morrison Racing. He competed in five races that season, posting a best finish of eighteenth at Texas Motor Speedway, his home track.
David Starr Career
Early Career (1998–2001)
Starr transitioned to a full-time Truck Series schedule in 1999, driving primarily for Tagsby Racing and also making starts for Team 23 Racing, Conely Racing, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, and McGlynn Racing. He finished twenty-second in the standings that year. When Tagsby shut down at season’s end, Starr kept racing part-time for Conely, Ware Racing Enterprises, and TKO Motorsports, recording a best result of twelfth at Texas.
He also made his Busch Series debut during this stretch, finishing forty-second at Talladega for Day Enterprise Racing. After running one race for TKO at Daytona International Speedway, Starr joined Team Menard for four events, finishing no lower than seventh and signaling his readiness for a full-time opportunity.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2002–2009)
In 2002, Starr earned his second full-time ride, joining the No. 75 Spears Motorsports team. That season proved to be a career breakthrough: he won his first Truck Series race at Las Vegas and was named the series’ Most Popular Driver after a fifth-place points finish. The following year, he was tenth in the standings before injuries forced him to miss four races; he still managed thirteen top-ten finishes.
Starr added two more wins in 2004 and climbed to sixth in the final standings. After a winless 2005, he moved to Red Horse Racing’s No. 11 team, where he captured his most recent victory at Martinsville Speedway and posted a career-best fourth-place points finish. He later rejoined Red Horse in 2008, recording eight top-ten results, and ran one season with HT Motorsports in 2009 before HT closed its doors.
NASCAR Xfinity Series and Cup Series (2010–2024)
Beginning in 2010, Starr increasingly split his time between the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series. After a stint with Randy Moss Motorsports was cut short by financial difficulties, he ran the remainder of 2010 and the full 2011 season with SS-Green Light Racing, scoring multiple top-ten finishes. He also made several Sprint Cup starts for Leavine Family Racing, with a best result of twenty-seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway.
In 2014, Starr moved to TriStar Motorsports on a partial Nationwide Series schedule, expanding to a full-time role in 2015. He later ran for RSS Racing, B. J. McLeod Motorsports, Jimmy Means Racing, and JD Motorsports, where a sponsorship shortfall tied to the COVID-19 pandemic ended his 2020 season early. He joined MBM Motorsports for the full 2021 Xfinity schedule, briefly ran the No. 02 for Our Motorsports in 2023, and returned to MBM in 2024. He continues to make part-time Cup starts, including recent efforts in the No. 66 for Garage 66.
Driving Style and Strengths
Starr’s career has been built on consistency, mechanical sympathy, and the ability to adapt to a wide range of equipment. Long Truck Series runs with teams such as Spears Motorsports and Red Horse Racing honed his short-run pace and his feel for worn-out tracks like Martinsville. His partnerships with crew chiefs across smaller teams have produced steady results and occasional upset runs.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Starr’s signature moments are his first Truck Series win at Las Vegas in 2002, his Martinsville victory later in his career, and a surprise top-five Xfinity finish at Daytona in 2017 after a late substitute opportunity. He has also made multiple Cup Series appearances, including efforts at Martinsville, Charlotte, and Texas.
David Starr Career Wins
David Starr is a four-time winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, with his victories spanning his years with Spears Motorsports and Red Horse Racing. Beyond his Truck Series success, he has recorded one Xfinity Series top-five finish and numerous top-ten results across NASCAR’s three national touring series.
Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Starr’s four Truck Series wins include his breakthrough at Las Vegas in 2002 and his most recent victory at Martinsville Speedway. He earned the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Most Popular Driver Award and finished as high as fourth in the series standings.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the Truck Series, Starr captured the Big H Motor Speedway street stock championship in his first year of racing and recorded twenty late model wins over seven seasons. He was also the first rookie to win a race in the Texas International Driving Association in 1996.
David Starr Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Starr is married to his wife, Kim, and the couple has two sons, David Jr. (DJ) and Vance. His early exposure to motorsports came through a neighbor whose pit crew he joined as a teenager, an experience that shaped his lifelong career in racing.
Personal Life
Starr is a practicing Catholic and a Houston native who continues to make Texas his home base. In December 2020, he launched the podcast Let’s Go Racing with David Starr, co-hosted with news anchor Tyler Jones and Dominic Aragon of TheRacingExperts.com.
2025 Season Performance
David Starr continues to compete part-time in 2025, primarily in the NASCAR Cup Series driving the No. 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Garage 66. He also remains available for selected NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, drawing on his experience with teams such as Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen. His limited schedule reflects the realities of running a smaller operation while still pursuing opportunities at NASCAR’s top level.
With more than two decades of experience across NASCAR’s three national series, Starr brings veteran perspective and dependable feedback to his part-time efforts. Recent Cup Series runs at tracks like Martinsville and Charlotte have allowed him to log laps in the Next Gen era of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse.