Timothy Peters and the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra team came to Talladega Superspeedway with one goal: Finish. The team started 15th and rode in the top-10 the majority of the day. A late caution resulted in a green/white/checkered finish, in which Peters restarted fifth. However, when the green flag flew, Peters experience a problem with the truck believing he was out of fuel. The driver of the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra slowed to the bottom of the track making his way to pit road. Fortunately, the fuel picked back up and allowed Peters to finish the event without having to make a trip into the pits, but not before he lost the draft resulting in a 23rd-place finish.
Peters started the Coca-Cola 250 from the 15th starting position. By lap five Peters had moved into the 13th position. Early in the event many trucks were moving around trying to find which line at the 2.66-mile superspeedway was making forward progress. The driver of the No. 17 made the decision to get to the bottom of the track and ride single file, logging laps as the race got going. The first caution of the day flew on lap 12 for an incident in the middle of the pack. The team called Peters to pit road for fuel only. The team had a quick pit stop and gained four positions on pit road returning Peters to the track in the seventh position for the restart on lap 17.
Peters found a comfortable place in the ninth position, once again riding on the bottom of the track, where his truck seemed to work the best. The second caution of the event flew on lap 36. Peters came down pit road for two right-side tires and fuel. Many of the other leaders chose to take on four tires, placing Peters fifth for the restart on lap 41. Another quick caution on lap 48 allowed the No. 17 team to come back down pit road for fuel and left-side tires. Once again, quick work by the pit crew placed Peters in the seventh position for the restart. Trouble on the track brought out the caution on lap 59. Fortunately for the No. 17 team, the caution period was extended for cleanup of oil from an expired engine. This allowed the team to get into their fuel window, coming to pit road on lap 62 for fuel only. Crew chief Butch Hylton told Peters that the No. 17 NTB/Service Central team was clear to make it to the end of the race, but would have to save fuel in case the race ended in a green/white/checkered situation. The race restarted on lap 64 with Peters scored seventh. As the laps wound down, Peters continued to ride in the bottom line, waiting until closer to the end of the event to make his move.
The caution flew for the fifth time on lap 84. Peters was once again encouraged by the team to save fuel. Under the caution period there was much discussion on who Peters would work with to try and make a run for the win near the end of the event. Throughout the race it became apparent that in order to win the race, two trucks would have to hook up in tandem and make a charge together. Peters restarted in the seventh position on lap 88 with a “dancing partner” in mind. However, the best laid plans changed as the caution flew again on lap 89 for debris.
The race leaders took the green flag on lap 92 for a green/white/checkered shootout. Peters restarted in the fifth position committed to working with one of his Toyota racing teammates. However, as the green flag fell, the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra dropped to the bottom of the track. Peters reported to the team he was out of fuel, but the No. 17 never made his way down pit road, as the fuel picked back up allowing the team to finish. However, by dropping to the bottom of the track Peters lost the draft and ended the race in the 23rd position.
Peters is now fifth in the championship battle 42 markers out of the top spot. The Truck Series returns to action next week on Saturday, October 29, 2011, at Martinsville Speedway for the Kroger 200 which can be viewed live on SPEED at 2:00 p.m., EDT.
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