Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour: John Peters
Oxford Plains Speedway Race Report
SCARBOROUGH, Maine – John Peters of Westbrook, Maine, finished sixth in the Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour 25-lap event at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Saturday, June 1. Peters started 11th in the field and worked his way up to the Top-5 in quick fashion on a track notoriously tough to pass. Peters had raced all the way to the third position in the closing laps when the two leaders tangled in front of him, momentarily giving him the lead. He was shuffled back on the final restart and settled for the Top-10 finish – his fourth in as many starts to begin his rookie season on the Tour. Peters and the rest of the Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour heads to Star Speedway for the first time in 2013 on Saturday, June 8.
WHO: John Peters, Westbrook, Maine
CREW CHIEF: Greg Peters, Westbrook, Maine
TEAM: No. 51 Cash For Clunkers/Derek Kneeland Racing Coupe
SPONSORS: Cash For Clunkers, Derek Kneeland Racing, Digby’s Variety, Top Gun Construction, Traxside Racing Supplies, Beaulieu Construction
WHAT: Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour 25
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile oval)
STARTED: 11th
FINISHED: 6th
Amsoil NELCAR Legends Tour
NEXT RACE: June 8, Star Speedway, Epping, N.H. (.25-mile oval)
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JOHN, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE RACE?
I’m not really sure. I was right behind the leaders, when the two of them got together. (The No. 399) wanted the lead back when we were riding around under caution, but they told him that he was one of the incident cars and had to go to the back. He went out to the pits, and then after a few laps of caution he came back out and they gave him back the lead.
I was thinking to myself the whole time, ‘Wow. I can win this race.’ We were really close. On the restart, I just got shuffled out wide where there wasn’t much grip at all. I was sideways all the way down the backstretch at one point, but was able to hold on for sixth.
DID YOU THINK YOU HAD A CAR GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN EARLIER IN THE NIGHT?
We were awful in practice. We were just way too loose. We changed a bunch of stuff and I went out for the race, and almost immediately, I thought, ‘This car is really good.’ I felt like nobody else was passing out there, but I was able to drive up under guys the whole time.
Obviously 25 laps is not a lot of time, so I was pretty happy to have a Top-5 when I got there. As soon as we got to the Top-5, I would have been really happy to have that.
ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS CHANGING?
I think they are. I feel like we’re competitive everywhere we go. When the year started, we just wanted to run in the Top-10, but after the first couple of races I think we’d already exceeded my expectations. Finishing fifth at Beech Ridge was really a turning point.
I think we’re getting close to winning. I really do. I’m looking forward to these next few races coming up.