Timothy Peters finishing strong in Camping World Truck Series

Who’s hot

Timothy Peters: He’s not going to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but the Red Horse Racing driver is closing the season on a strong note. Peters notched his first career victory Saturday at Martinsville Speedway. It was his second consecutive top five and moved him up to seventh in points. It’s the highest Peters has been in the standings since the second race of the season.

Who’s not

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Let’s go ahead and give Jr. this spot until he races well enough to give it up. That didn’t happen last weekend at Martinsville. He finished 29th and dropped to 24th in the standings. It was his seventh consecutive race to finish 20th or worse. The good news for Earnhardt is that no driver gets a bigger boost from fans than he’ll get at Talladega this weekend.

Notes

Sneak peak for Sadler: Elliott Sadler will get a jump on the rest of the Richard Petty Motorsports drivers Sunday when he drives the No. 19 Stanley Ford at Talladega. Like the rest of the RPM drivers, Sadler has been driving a Dodge all season. But the team is switching to Fords for 2010, and Sadler will be the first of the RPM drivers in a Ford. He’ll return to a Dodge for the remainder of the season after Talladega.

New crew chief for Busch: When Kyle Busch gets behind the wheel for next weekend’s Dickies 500, he’ll have a new crew chief. Dave Rogers will make his debut on top of the box for the race, replacing Steve Addington. Addington will be reassigned to another position within Joe Gibbs Racing after Sunday’s race. Rogers has been the crew chief for the No. 20 JGR entry in the Nationwide Series.

Pivotal stop for NHRA: The winner of Sunday’s Funny Car final at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals should end up winning the title. Since the Countdown to One began two years ago, the Funny Car champion in Las Vegas has gone on to win the title. Robert Hight is the points leader, with Ashley Force Hood and Tony Pedregon also in contention for the title.

Countdown to Dickies 500

9 days ZZ Top will headline the American Racing Custom Wheels Pre-Race Show Nov. 8 and front-row seats for the concert are still available. For $79, fans get a spot in front of the frontstretch stage and will be able to watch driver introductions from the same vantage point. The "Mosh Pit" ticket must be accompanied by an admission ticket for the race. For tickets, call 817-215-8500 or go to www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

By the number

1969The last year Richard Petty raced in a Ford. Richard Petty Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler will drive one Sunday at Talladega.

Quotable

"I’m still her father and I don’t want to see anything happen to her — I don’t want to see her get hurt. I watched her run the ARCA race last year — Kenny (Wallace, Chrissy’s uncle) and I spotted for her — and to be totally honest, I got very nervous. I have confidence in her ability but you’re just not sure what the competitors around her are going to do."

— Mike Wallace, who will race against his daughter Chrissy in Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega.

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