Chase pretenders and championship contenders (cont'd)

3. Timothy Peters or Ron Hornaday: Which Truck Series driver is the bigger championship threat?

Duane Cross: I'm reminded of when the Reds and Yankees played in the 1976 World Series. Sparky Anderson chided the media for trying to make comparisons between Johnny Bench and Thurman Munson. To paraphrase, don't compare anyone to Ron Hornaday; it's just not fair.

Joe Menzer: It's awful hard to bet against Ron Hornaday in the Trucks. But I will say this: after getting to talk with Timothy Peters at length for a 1-on-1 following his big win in the season-opening race at Daytona, I'm very impressed with that guy. He's humble yet confident -- and obviously very talented. He has what it takes to become a future champion.

David Caraviello: OK, it's got to be Hornaday. Peters is a really promising driver who won the opener at Daytona and has a bright future ahead of him, but Hornaday is a multiple-time championship winner who is really good at Atlanta, where the series competes this weekend. I wouldn't be surprised to see those guys flipped in the standings before long. And Duane, nobody's comparing Peters to Hornaday. But the Trucks have a shorter schedule, and it's tougher to make up ground, and Ron had a tough start at Daytona. We're wondering who will finish the season ahead of the other -- not whether Peters will become the next Hornaday.

Joe Menzer: Dude, it's a shorter season. But it's not eight races, or 10. It's 25. Hornaday has plenty of time to make up what was lost at Daytona. Plus you have to remember that it's really no different in the Truck Series than in Sprint Cup -- when it comes to Daytona, it's its own animal. Oftentimes what happens there in the season opener has no real bearing on what happens the rest of the season.

Duane Cross: I wasn't comparing them. I am saying that Peters' chances of unseating Hornaday are about the same as what Munson's were of coming out on top of a head-to-head with Bench [who, by the way, was the Series MVP that year]. Hornaday will dictate this championship battle -- no one else. Peters' day may come -- but until Hornaday and Kevin Harvick Inc. decided it's time to step aside, Ron is the one to beat. Period.

David Caraviello: Still, let's give Timothy Peters some credit here. It's not like the guy came out of nowhere -- he's made a handful of Nationwide starts, and won a Truck race as recently as last season. He followed Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip growing up. He keeps it up, he could become the first Southerner to win the Trucks championship since Bobby Hamilton. And yes, I have been reading my weekly NASCAR series notes.

Duane Cross: I'll just say this: I'd like to be a fly on the wall at Homestead when the West Coast Posse throws its celebration party in November.

Joe Menzer: I love the Johnny B reference. But at this point in his career, I'm not even sure yet if Timothy Peters is the equal of Thurman Munson. Peters is still a promising work in progress. Hornaday is the only four-time champion in series history. There is a big gap there.

David Caraviello: I will say this, I like the direction the Truck Series is heading right now. There are a lot of promising young drivers in it, reminding me of the circuit that Kurt Busch, Harvick, and Greg Biffle all came up in. It's become a little less of a senior tour, as some have called it, and more of a developmental circuit again.

Duane Cross: I agree, David; it's not the senior tour. There's going to be some great racing in the Truck Series this year. But KHI is the cream of the crop. Hornaday and KHI are built for hoisting trophies. Peters is a good story -- and it's never a bad thing to get on the bandwagon early -- but David, his day in the sun is still well on the horizon.

Joe Menzer: It's sort of like when we occasionally play pickup basketball on the road. I'm like Hornaday -- old but deadly efficient with the 3-point shot. Dr. Caraviello is a promising work in progress. Maybe he'll get there someday. Of course, I played in a charity event over the weekend and was 0 for about 8 from 3-point land!

David Caraviello: Joe, you probably shouldn't use "old" and "deadly" in the same sentence.

Duane Cross: You realize the No. 17 team will print this and hang it on the shop wall ... and, of course, hammer us over the head with it if Peters wins the title.

David Caraviello: Hey, I'm trying to give the kid some credit. It's you and Burrito Man who keep bashing him!

Joe Menzer: I will be the first to congratulate them if that happens. As I said earlier, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. And now, I think I will go practice my 3-point touch.

David Caraviello: Joe, just raise the basket to 10 feet first.

Duane Cross: Yeah -- Nerf hoops doesn't count!