In the closing stages of the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday night, Timothy Peters had high hopes of staying on the lead lap and posting another solid finish in his No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge. All those thoughts came to an abrupt end on lap 126 of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race when Todd Bodine made a desperate and ill advised four-wide move coming off of turn two and slammed into Peters’ Dodge Ram. Bodine’s contact cut down Peters’ left rear tire, and his outward momentum forced Peters into the outside retaining wall.  Seconds later Peters’ Dodge was reduced to a crumpled steaming heap of metal that was unable to continue competition. The result was a frustrating 33rd place finish.

“I don’t know how I could have given anybody any more room than I gave him,” a dejected Peters said in his hauler after the race. “I really don’t know what he was thinking. It’s one thing to go for the win but to do it at others’ expense is not quite right.”

Timothy Peters No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge John Deere 200 Race Report

• Peters was the highest qualifying Dodge starting in the 22nd place with a speed of 179.081 mph.

• During the race’s first long green flag run Peters maintained his track position. On lap 30 he radioed crew chief Kip McCord and informed him that his Dodge was “starting to get a four wheel slide.”

• On the first caution Peters pitted for four fresh Goodyear Wranglers and a full load of Sunoco Fuel. His crew went two rounds up on the track bar.

• Over the course of the second extended green flag run on lap 50 Peters notified McCord that his Dodge Ram was “unable to run down low at all.” Shortly after that, the caution flag was once again unfurled and on lap 62 Peters again brought his Dodge Motorsports entry to the attention of his crew on pit road. After putting on another set of tires and adding a load of fuel, Peters exited the pits in the 25th position.

• Before the action restarted McCord asked Peters “what is the deal with your front end?” Peters informed him that the No. 02 truck had not cleared him but slid in front of him anyway. Peters made a lengthy pit stop to attempt to repair the front end damage.

• On the next run McCord radioed his driver and told him “Keep digging, track position has got us down a little bit but you are catching these guys.”

• When another caution fell on lap 92 Peters once again came down pit road for tires and fuel and a chassis adjustment, one round out of each front tire.

• Still running on the lead lap at lap 124 and battling several trucks for position, the leaders approached Peters and the group of trucks he was racing. Leader Mark Martin used restraint, but Bodine did not and Peters’ night was over.

Todd Bodine won the John Deere 200, Mark Martin was second followed by Johnny Benson, Ted Musgrave and David Reutimann. A crowd of 45,000 was on hand to witness the event.