Photo courtesy of Martinsville Speedway
For a month Timothy Peters has enjoyed the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points lead without turning a lap. Now, he says, it’s time to get back to work.
Peters finished second in the season-opening race in Daytona in February, just .016 seconds behind winner Kyle Busch. He brings a two-point lead over Johnny Sauter into the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 29. It will be the truck series’ first race since the season-opener.
“It’s been good coming out of Daytona the way we started the season off,” Peters said during a break in testing at Martinsville Thursday. “The bad part after Daytona is we’ve got lots of time before we come to Martinsville, but the good thing is we have lots of time before Martinsville. We’ve had lots of time to work on things and we think we’ve made (progress) by leaps and bounds. But we’re ready to get back at it next week.”
The Kroger 250 is a homecoming for Peters. He, his wife Sarah and their young son Brantley, live less than 20 miles from Martinsville Speedway. The difficult half-mile oval is his most successful track. He’s won here in the truck series, and also captured Martinsville’s big Late Model Stock race twice. In 16 truck series starts at Martinsville, Peters has finished in the top 10 12 times and the top five, five times.
Peters says even with the success and the fact there will be lots of family and friends in the grandstands for the Kroger 250, the pressure level won’t increase.
“Out of all the races we run, I’m more comfortable, more in my element here than anywhere else,” said Peters. “I know things can change quick. I’ve seen the best truck not win here; I’ve seen the best truck get wrecked here. As much as I love this place, I consider it in the same category as Talladega or Daytona. You can be involved in somebody else’s doing and it will take you out for the day, but that’s what makes Martinsville so exciting.”
Even though he probably has run more laps at Martinsville than any other driver scheduled to compete in the Kroger 250, Peters said it was vital to test here.
“With all the success and experience here, you can never have too much knowledge. That’s why we’re here today,” said Peters.
Peters was one of several truck series drivers testing Thursday, the final day of testing before the STP 500 weekend. Other drivers included his Red Horse teammates German Quiroga and Brian Ickler, Grey Gaulding, Chase Pistone and Bryan Silas.
Tickets to the STP 500 on March 30, the Kroger 250 on March 29 and Pole Day on March 28 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online atwww.martinsvillespeedway.com.