Timothy Peters at the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway (VPS Motorimages Photo)

In his first return to the rough-and-tough NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) since Bristol in 2006, Timothy Peters was ready to rumble at the 0.526-mile oval Martinsville Speedway.

After qualifying for the 250-lap event in the eighth position, Peters was confident his No. 46 Bailey's Silverado would stay up front and be a contender for the win. With Eric Phillips on top of the pit box calling the shots during the race, and the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (MDM) crew poised to make adjustments, it was only a matter of time before the caution flag flew.

On lap 32, Peters brought his truck to pit road for adjustments to help get the nose of the truck pointed in the corner. Following the pit stop, Peters restarted the race in the ninth position.

The caution flag flew again on lap 75, and Peters once again brought his Silverado down pit road for service. With a fast pit stop, the crew was able to put him back on the track in the 12th position. Peters was able to stay in the top-10 for the remainder of the race, despite racing three-wide at the tight cornered paperclip-shaped oval. Peters credited his pit crew and his hardworking crew for his impressive ninth place finish.

"We had a solid run," Peters stated. "Our Bailey's Morgan-Dollar Chevrolet ran good all day. Just a little tight up off the corners. Eric (Phillips, crew chief) and the guys worked hard all race long and did a good job. They got me in and off pit road really good. I look forward to Bristol in the fall and coming back here in the fall for the second race.

"Last year I was in a truck every week and we started off not doing so well, then we hit on something and running well and it built my confidence up. It is kind of hard to run one week and off three weeks. The good thing is we ran the Busch race at Bristol, and then here in the Silverado, then the next three Busch races, it just gives me more seat time. Thanks so much to David Dollar, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, Bailey's, RCR engines and Richard Childress for giving me this opportunity."

The next event on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule is on April 28, 2007 at the Kansas Speedway.