Mike Skinner
No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RV Toyota Tundra
Dover International Speedway – Dover 200
May 14, 2010
The No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Toyota team finished in the top-10 for their second consecutive race on Friday at Dover International Speedway. The finish helps add momentum going into the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway where Skinner has started in the top four spots for each of his six starts at the1.5-mile track.
The race weekend at Dover International Speedway started with two solid practice sessions on Thursday morning. Skinner turned the second quickest lap of the day with a time of 23.283 seconds and had the truck handling well in race trim. The team made their qualifying run on Friday morning where a tight handling condition through the center of the corner resulted in a fifth place starting position for Skinner.
Shortly after the green flag fell on Friday afternoon, Skinner called into the International Truck/Monaco RVs crew to report that his truck was really tight from the center of the corner to the exit of the corner but also free on entry. The condition persisted for much of the race, and the International Truck/Monaco RVs crew utilized every opportunity they had to help improve the handling.
By lap 124, the No. 5 International Truck / Monaco RVs Toyota team started to get on a different pit sequence than some of their other competitors. The team had been racing in the top-15 for most of the day, but changing their pit cycle allowed them to move inside the top-10.
A late caution and a slow restart nearly cost Skinner a top-10 finish when the field stacked up on the race track. The incident left the field facing a green-white-checkered finish and gave the No. 5 International Truck/Monaco RVs Tundra one last chance at picking up positions. The field successfully completed two more circuits around the “Monster Mile” and Skinner picked up a two positions to finish in the race in the eighth position. The finish moved Skinner into the top 10 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers point standings.
Next weekend, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will enjoy a “home race” at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 will be broadcast on SPEED Channel, MRN Radio, and SIRIUS NASCAR Radio beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST. Qualifying for the 200-mile event will be shown on SPEED TV beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST.
