PETERSON ADJUSTING TO NEW TRACKS: BUSY WEEKEND AHEAD

Just weeks after getting the call to drive the Tom & Fran Chiappelli no. 98 around Central PA, Ricky Peterson got another opportunity to drive the iconic Beaver Racing Team no. 12X. After his Williams Grove debut was rained out, Peterson turned his attention to the Beaver team and headed to Knoxville Raceway for what would be his first career appearance at the Sprint Car Capital of the World.

For Peterson, to say the opportunity was a blessing would be an understatement. He and the Beaver Racing crew got better each time they hit the track. Ultimately, they ended up passing a few cars and finishing in 20th in the A-Main. It was a rewarding experience and one that earned him additional opportunities with the team.

“The chance to run at Knoxville was awesome with the Beaver Team! said Peterson. We got better each time we went out and the chemistry with the crew has been great”

A week later, Peterson and the Beaver Racing team headed to Lakeside Speedway for the POWRi 410 show. It was another new track for Peterson and another chance to get comfortable in the car. In just their second race together, Peterson timed 9th overall and settled in for an 8th place finish in the A-Main.

The following night at I-70 was rained out, and Peterson and team headed back to Ohio. Since earning more opportunities outside of his home state of Ohio, the weather has not been kind to Peterson. He and car chief, Luke Wolford, have spent countless hours on the road over the last month only to suffer from multiple rainouts at the last minute. However, Peterson knows it is all part of chasing him dreams.

“The rainouts have been frustrating spending extra time away from my family, but that’s part of it. I’m lucky to have a supportive wife who is my biggest fan.”

With the 12X team taking a few weeks off, Peterson shifted his focus back to the Chiappelli 98 and Williams Grove Speedway. Again, it was a new track and a new car for Peterson and he was just hoping to run all of the laps and learn every time he hit the track. Despite having no prior experience at Williams Grove, Peterson made gains and found himself battling for a top 10 during the feature before suffering a power steering issue.

The mechanical failure ended his night early but it was a successful first time out. The new pairing had solid speed and gained some notes to bring with them for the rest of the season. Their plans to run Lincoln Speedway the following night were derailed by rain and it was back to Ohio to regroup.

With a lot of tracks taking off for the Knoxville Nationals, Peterson took a week away from the shop and the track for a much needed vacation. It was short-lived, as he geared up to travel back to Missouri for what was supposed to be a 3-race weekend with the POWRi series and the Beaver Racing Team. Night one was derailed by rain, but the team was ready to head to Lucas Oil Speedway on Saturday.

It was yet another new track for Peterson, but that didn’t hinder his performance at all and he was able to time 7th quick. It set him up for a great starting position in the heat, but some stumbling issues caused him to drop back a few positions. The team was able to work on the car and finish the night with a 9th place finish.

The following day at the Missouri State Fair, Peterson and the 12X team struggled off and on throughout the night. Still, they were able to salvage a 13th place finish to cap off the weekend.

Getting the opportunity to drive for two iconic 410 sprint car teams has been a dream come true for Peterson. In a short time, he’s raced at multiple new tracks and gained valuable experience for the future. He could not be more thankful for everything that has transpired.

“Having the chance to focus a lot more on being a driver and not driver/owner/crew guy has been a big relief. I still help out with maintenance, but it’s been a lot less stressful not having to wear all of the hats. It feels like this is supposed to be happening and that I am taking big steps in my career.”

On tap for Peterson is a busy weekend filled with three races on the schedule. On Friday, Peterson will return to the Chiappelli 98 and race at Williams Grove. The following night the plan is to head to Lincoln Speedway for the Kramer Klash. On Sunday, Peterson will return to the family owned no. 2 for some 360 action at Millstream Speedway.

You can catch Peterson racing at Williams Grove on Friday on DIRTVision and on Saturday at Lincoln on FloRacing.

2024 RESULTS

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