Mike Skinner
No. 5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra
Iowa Speedway – Lucas Oil 200
July 11, 2010
Mike Skinner and the No. 5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra team struggled with the handling of their truck throughout the weekend at Iowa Speedway, but hard work and dedication allowed the team to race their way to a seventh-place finish. The team who dominated the race last year, worked tirelessly during two practice sessions on Saturday afternoon trying a variety of set ups and determine what worked best on the No. 5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra.
After a brief rain shower passed through the area on Sunday morning, the track was dry and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was ready to go racing. Skinner rolled off in the 15th position and remained inside the top-15 during the early part of the 200-lap event.
The driver of the No. 5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra called into his crew during the first run to describe the handling of his truck—loose on entry into the corner and tight through the exit of the turns. The team made several adjustments during the opening pit stop and worked on Skinner’s Toyota Tundra until it was able to contend for the lead.
The caution flag was displayed to the field on lap 105 and the PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra team decided to utilize a different strategy than the rest of the field. Crew chief Stacy Johnson called Skinner down pit road for a fuel-only pit stop allowing him to beat the field off pit road and inherit the race lead. The call also allowed the team to save one set of sticker tires for the closing laps of the 200-lap event.
Skinner led the field until lap 120, and managed his tires until the lap 173 caution period when he drove the No. 5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota Tundra down pit road for fresh tires. With just over 15 scheduled laps remaining in the event, Skinner returned to the track hoping to pick up positions.
After 205-laps and a green-white-checkered ending, Skinner was scored in the seventh position. The finish allowed Skinner to maintain his sixth-place position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver’s standings, and moved him to within 42 points of third-place.
“Iowa wasn’t quite like it was last year,” commented Mike Skinner following the racing action in the Lucas Oil 200. “We brought the same truck back with the same set-up, but we could never get it dialed in quite like it was last year. Our Toyota Tundra didn’t qualify well, but we knew that we had a good truck in race trim. I thought that we would have a top-five truck, but as it worked out with everyone’s strategy we finished seventh. I just can’t thank PC*MILER Navigator, Steve and Jackie enough for all of their support; and our other sponsors for their support as well—Exide, International Trucks, Monaco RVs, Toyota, and everybody that helps us.
“We won last year at Gateway [International Raceway] so we’re looking forward to returning there next week. Stacy Johnson [crew chief] has done a fantastic job every week and I’m excited to have him making the calls for next weekend’s race.”
Mike Skinner and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra team move on to Gateway International Raceway for the next race on the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series calendar. The race can be seen live on Speed on Friday, July 16th. Check local listings for start time.
