The 1995 Truck Series Champion Remains in the Second Position in Point Standings
DOVER, Del. (June 1, 2009) – Dover International Speedway is one of the most demanding tracks on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. The track, known as The Monster Mile, will spit out rookies and even wily veterans. This year’s AAA Insurance 200 was no different. In a race where tire management and pit strategy were the keys to success, Mike Skinner and his No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports team knew what it would take to be up front – be patient, but aggressive and take care of their equipment. Two laps into the 200-mile race, Skinner felt he had a tire slowly going down, but after numerous people looked closely at the tire, crew chief Eric Phillips told the 1995 Truck Series Champion to stay out on the track.
Skinner, reporting to his team that the Tundra felt “terrible and loose,” came to pit road for the first time of the race on lap 9, for right side tires and a track bar adjustment. Restarting the race on lap 12 from the 29th position, Skinner quickly moved his way through the field. When NASCAR called a competition caution on lap 47, the veteran was running in ninth-place. Phillips once again called Skinner to pit road on lap 48 for four fresh tires and an air pressure adjustment, followed by a fuel stop the next lap. As the 36-truck field was on different strategies, Skinner was forced to restart from the 16th-position, but once again the Daytona Beach, Florida resident moved back toward the front.
The caution flew again on lap 78, as Skinner was running in the 11th position. Playing the strategy game, Phillips called Skinner to the attention of his pit crew for just two tires. This move resulted in a five-point bonus for leading a lap and gave the lead to the No. 5 Toyota Tundra. Two laps after the restart on lap 85, Skinner was passed for the lead and remained in second-place until lap 103 (under caution) when the Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota came down pit road for four fresh tires, followed by a fuel stop. Because of the different strategies on pit road, once again Skinner was forced to restart from the 16th position. By lap 134, the No. 5 team was running in eighth-place. As tires remained an issue, Phillips called Skinner back down pit road on lap 135 for tires and an air pressure adjustment, and the following lap for fuel.
As the race restarted on lap 140, Skinner was running in the sixth position. Staying in the top-10 for the remainder of the race, Skinner consistently took care of his equipment and survived the Monster Mile with an eighth-place finish.
Recording his fifth top-10 finish of 2009, Skinner remains in the second position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings. He currently sits 27 points behind leader Ron Hornaday Jr.
Mike Skinner and his No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota Tundra team will two-step into Texas Motor Speedway this Friday, June 5th for a Lone Star State Showdown. The WinStar World Casino 400 will begin at 9 P.M. Eastern, with SPEED carrying live television coverage. Select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128 will have live radio coverage of the 167-lap event, starting at 9 P.M. Eastern.
Mike Skinner Quotes:
How was your race?
“Overall, it was good. Eric Phillips and all of my guys on this No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports team never gave up and kept working at it all day. The tires that we were given forced the field to play different strategy, but most importantly you just had to take care of your stuff all day and try to avoid all of the wrecks. We will take another top-10 finish here and head to Texas next week to see if we can’t get another victory.”
-RMM-