Skinner was hurt in wrecks at Atlanta and Texas, but once he got well and McReynolds came over in Childress crew chief switch this team turned it around. Skinner had eight top-10s in the final half of the season, then won in Japan for the second-straight year. Ranks as the most likely candidate to get his first official victory this year.
Career
In 1997, he was rookie of the year despite failing to finish seven races. Won
poles at both Daytona races and had three top-10 finishes, but really saved
the best for very last by going to Japan after the end of official Winston
Cup season and winning the special event on Suzuka road course.
In 1996, drove in only five Winston Cup races a few races, with no top 10 finishes or poles. Finshed third in Craftman Truck standings in 1996. Now drives Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse Chevrolet for Richard Childress.
A native Californian, Mike Skinner was born in Ontario and grew up in the
small, northern Sierra Nevada community of Susanville. Skinner competed at
tracks in Carson City, Nev. and Anderson, Ca. then experienced success on
the open competition late model circuit before moving in the 1980s, to
North. Carlolina.
His success in NASCAR Late Model Stock Cars, after a few starts on
Automobile Racing Club of America and NASCAR Busch Series tours led to a
contract with Richard Childress Racing for the 1995 NASCAR Truck Series
campaign and the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup season.
Skinner won his first NASCAR Truck race with the GM Goodwrench Service
Chevrotel team, his first step toward the championship.
He won 10 poles, all three superspeedway events on which the tour appeared
in 1995 and the NASCAR Truck's inaugural championship.
In 1996 he came close to duplicating his first season accomplishments. He
again won eight times, among them his first road race at Heartland Park
Topeka (KS). The team's five pole awards also was the best in the series.
Sources: NASCAR Press Guides, Star and News staff reports.
