If it could go wrong, it did go wrong for Timothy Peters and the No. 17 Toyota Tundra team at Lucas Oil Raceway. Starting from the 16th position Peters methodically worked his way into the top-10. After choosing not to change tires under the second pit stop of the night, Peters had a tire go down and spun the No. 17 truck around on lap 90. A long green-flag run allowed Peters to work his way back into the top-10. Consistently turning faster lap times than any truck on the track Peters saved his equipment and took over the lead with six laps remaining in the 200-lap contest taking the checkered flag for the first time in 2011.
“I can’t say enough about this No. 17 Toyota Tundra and this Red Horse Racing team,” said Peters in victory lane. “I’m so excited right now. In the middle of the race we spun out, I didn’t know it at the time, but we had a tire coming apart. After that we just buckled down and picked off the trucks one by one. I have to thank my owner Tom DeLoach, he believes in me and this team and he makes this whole thing happen week in and week out. I want to thank Apex Tool Group for all of their support. They have a large group of customers and supporters here tonight that cheered us to the win. We’ve had some tough times the last few weeks, but everyone told me to keep my head up and smile. All the hard work has paid off and here we are. I have to thank the good Lord for watching out for us tonight. What an awesome feeling, winning at Lucas Oil Raceway this is awesome. ”
No winner at Lucas Oil Raceway had ever started any deeper in the field than eighth. Peters and the No. 17 team planned to move up through the field one truck at a time. The first caution of the evening waved on lap one, Peters narrowly missed the incident involving two trucks in turn one.
Peters rode in the 14th position fighting a tight-handling truck until the second caution of the evening waved on lap 40. The team changed four tires, added fuel and made several chassis adjustments to help Peters with the handling of the No. 17 machine.
Peters restarted from the 16th position. In an effort to gain positions trucks began slicing and dicing with two and three-wide racing all around the 0.686-mile speedway. Peters had moved into the top-10 when the third caution of the evening waved on lap 79.
The team debated on whether or not to bring the No. 17 truck down pit road. At the last second crew chief Butch Hylton brought Peters down pit road for fuel only and another chassis adjustment. Peters gained valuable track position restarting from the seventh position on lap 88. On the restart Peters began to slide back through the field. On lap 90, Peters spun in turns one and two. With no major damage sustained Peters brought the truck to pit road for four tires, fuel and to go back on the previous stops changes. Peters restarted from the 22nd position. As the laps ticked by Peters began to work his way back up through the field.
By lap 150, Peters had worked his way back into the top-10. Peters consistently ran the fastest laps of any truck on the track. With six laps remaining the No. 17 truck took over the lead. Peters captured his first checkered flag of 2011. The No. 17 truck took the win in the 17th race ran at Lucas Oil Raceway. The win marked the first of the season for Peters and Red Horse Racing. With the victory Peters moved up to fourth in the point standings only 22 markers from the lead position.
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