A day before the NASCAR Xfinity Series makes its return to action at Darlington Raceway, David Starr is out of a ride. On Monday, he announced he will no longer race for JD Motorsports as his team’s sponsorship has hit roadblocks due to COVID-19.
“During these unfortunate circumstances and with a heavy but grateful heart, I will no longer drive the #6 Chevy Camaro,” Starr posted on his social media, including Facebook and Twitter. “As y’all know we have some of the most amazing sponsors! But like many others during this worldwide pandemic some of our small business partners are struggling financially. They are working tirelessly to keep their people employed and their businesses afloat.
“The affects of COVID-19 are wide reaching and because of that, understandably, most of our current partners’ advertising dollars are limited. The at-the-track live NASCAR experience of the partnership that most of our sponsors look forward to are not available and that has caused many to want to delay until sponsors and fans are allowed back at the track.”
Starr joined JD Motorsports’ #6 for the 2020 season after spending the last two seasons with Jimmy Means Racing. After the first four races of 2020 prior to the season being halted by the pandemic, he was twentieth in points with a best finish of eighteenth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Having raced in the series since 2010, the four-time Truck Series race winner’s best Xfinity points finish is sixteenth in 2015.
B.J. McLeod is currently scheduled to take over the #6 for the Darlington race. Speaking to Dustin Albino of Frontstretch.com, JD Motorsports owner Johnny Davis explained the team was “already on the bare minimum commitment to try and make [racing with Starr] work and struggling to do so.” Davis also noted Jeffrey Earnhardt, who joined the team on a part-time scale in the #0 and #15 for 2020, will take over the #6 onward.
According to the Darlington entry list, Earnhardt will pilot the #0 in Tuesday evening’s Toyota 200, while Colby Howard is in the #15.
