Timothy Peters proudly debuted the new black, yellow and red colors of the NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. However, the racing gremlins haunted Peters and the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra team throughout the weekend in the Windy City. Peters fought an ill-handling race truck throughout the two morning practice sessions. However, the team felt they had hit on something just as final practice ended. During the normal checklist process, the team discovered a problem with the engine and opted to change the motor. The team was allowed to start in the position in which they qualified due to the fact that the motor the No. 17 team practiced with was a sealed motor. After qualifying in the 24th position, Peters battled an ill-handling truck throughout the evening, salvaging a 17th-place finish.
“It just wasn’t our night tonight,” said Peters following the event. “We struggled throughout practice to get the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra in working condition. The truck just seemed to have a mind of its own today. Nothing we threw at it really stuck. We hit on something at the end of the final practice session that we thought might give us a chance, but the track changed quite a bit from afternoon to night. We just couldn’t get a good handle on it. We will definitely go back to the shop and take a look at what we had and work with our teammate Miguel Paludo who had a very solid run tonight. Our No. 17 NTB/Service central team worked really hard. I have to thank NTB and Service Central for their support and we look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”
Peters started the Fast Five 225 deep in the field from the 24th position. The first caution of the evening flew on lap eight. Peters immediately reported to the crew that the truck was ill-handling and needed drastic changes. The team called Peters to pit road to make a front shock adjustment and add fuel. Peters restarted from the 23rd position on lap 15. By lap 23, Peters reported the truck was not much better and he was struggling to maneuver the No. 17 NTB/Service Central Toyota Tundra through traffic. The team asked Peters to hold on until the first scheduled pit stop of the evening came on lap 43. Crew chief Butch Hylton called Peters to pit road for four tires, fuel and another chassis adjustment during a round of green-flag pit stops.
The second caution of the evening waved on lap 57. The untimely caution pinned Peters one lap down to the leaders – running in the 22nd position. To avoid losing another lap the team called Peters to pit road to go back on one of the chassis changes and then come back again time to change four tires and add fuel. Peters restarted from the 19th position, on lap 65. The race went on a long green flag run with Peters stuck in the 19th position one lap down to the leaders. The caution waved again on lap 82. The team discussed coming to pit road but with all of the leaders choosing to come down, the team decided to opt for the wave around allowing Peters to rejoin the lead lap trucks. Peters restarted the race on lap 87 from the 17th position.
By lap 108, Peters had moved to the 15th position and felt like the truck had improved slightly. The No. 17 NTB/Service Central team called Peters to pit road on lap 111 for the final pit stop of the evening. The team came to pit road under green for four tires, fuel and one final chassis adjustment. The stop placed Peters one lap down to the leaders once again. Shortly after the pit stop Peters reported having a vibration with the truck. The team opted to stay out the remaining 25 laps to the finish taking the checkered flag in the 17th position.
Peters falls one position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point’s standings, 20 markers behind the leader. The Truck Series returns to action next week on Saturday, September 23, 2011, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the F.W. Webb 175.
Red Horse Racing PR
