BOWMANVILLE, Ontario – Timothy Peters had an eventful road en route to his fourth-place finish during Sunday’s Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
He was the pinch-hitter called into action from home, tabbed to drive the No. 25 for GMS Racing after Spencer Gallagher – who was scheduled to race after Dalton Sargeant’s departure from the team – reinjured his shoulder during a workout session and was not cleared to drive.
Peters qualified fifth and finished fourth, but what that box score didn’t account for was the fact that he didn’t know he was going to have the ride until midday on Thursday – and he needed a new passport.
“I have to say thank you to my wife for helping me get here,” said Peters. “I got the call at 4:30 Thursday afternoon from Mike (Beam, team president) and I had to go get a passport. Thankfully that all worked out!
“A run like this gives me a lot of confidence, for sure,” Peters continued. “Thanks to Mike Beam, Maury and Spencer Gallagher for giving me a shot to come and drive this thing. Obviously hoping that he gets well soon. We had a good hot rod today. Jerry Baxter and all the guys worked hard to get me comfortable on Friday and I think all our effort paid off pretty well today.”
For Peters, the goal was to enjoy Sunday’s race, and the Truck Series veteran noted that he did just that.
“I had a lot of fun getting back out here with these guys. I made a mistake there at the end and cost us a better finish, but overall it was a good day,” noted Peters. “I’m thankful for how things turned out and hope to get another shot with these guys.”
– Sunday’s fender-banging, smoke-throwing finish between Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson marked the third-straight year that the Truck Series winner at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park was decided by contact on the final lap.
However, it was the first time in those three races that the aggressor did not end up taking the checkered flag first, as Gragson spun too after his contact with Gilliland, opening the door for Justin Haley to steal the win and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
– John Hunter Nemechek’s runner-up finish during the Chevrolet Silverado 250 marked his best Truck Series result since his victory at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway in the spring.
It was also his third-straight podium effort in Truck Series competition and kept the No. 8 team’s hopes for an owner’s championship in solid shape. Leaving Canada, NEMCO Motorsports sits fifth in the team standings and 21 points above the cut line.
– The average age of the six Truck Series winners since Canadian Tire Motorsport Park first came onto the NASCAR schedule in 2013 is an even 19 years of age.
That includes Chase Elliott (18), Ryan Blaney (20), Erik Jones (19), John Hunter Nemechek (19), Austin Cindric (19) and Haley (19).
– Despite a quiet sixth-place finish on Sunday, Johnny Sauter continues to lead the Truck Series points, now by just six over Brett Moffitt, who came home with a third-place finish in Canada.
