Mike Skinner – Toyota Tundra Racing - Post Race Report
Race: Mountain Dew 250 (Race 20 of 25)
Track: Talladega Superspeedway - Date: Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007
Started: Eighth - Finished: 13th - Laps Completed: 94 - 
Total Laps: 94 - NCTS Points: Second

Mike Skinner headed to Talladega as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points leader by just a mere three points, the closest margin in the series history with just six races to go. Finishing in the second position last year at the Talladega Superspeedway, Skinner was hoping to make it just one spot better this year.

Running the same truck Skinner finished fourth with at Daytona earlier in the year, Skinner dominated the first practice session on Thursday in Talladega. Running quicker than all but one truck during the first session, Skinner and his No. 5 Tundra were looking good going into Happy Hour. However after getting into the garage, Skinner’s No. 5 crew would realize that their radiator had significant damage. Spending a good amount of time changing radiators, Skinner and crew finally had their Tundra up and running once again for the final practice session of the day.

With a qualifying draw about midway through the field, Skinner knew by the time it came for him to make his qualifying run that the 2.66 mile track would be hot and greasy. Running a time of 53.310 seconds, Skinner would qualify in the eighth position for the start of Saturday’s afternoon race.

As the green flag waved over the 36-truck field, Skinner would try every possible move to try to get to the front of the pack. Needing to lead a lap in order to get those crucial five points, Skinner would fight for his position on the track. With the first caution flag waving on lap eight, Skinner and crew decided to come down pit road for four tires and fuel, so that they could pull tape because the TRD engine was getting hot.

With Skinner being one of the only drivers to come down pit road, Skinner would be forced to start from the 29th position on the lap 12 restart. Picking off positions one by one, Skinner would move his way through the field. However as another caution flag would wave on lap 17, Skinner would follow the rest of the field down pit road, taking fuel only.

Restarting in the fourth position on the lap 20 restart, Skinner once again tried to make his move to the front. After taking the outside line though, Skinner would get hung out and forced to the back again. With his truck running hot behind other trucks, Skinner would have to drive smart throughout the next few laps.

With the third caution of the night coming out on lap 55, Skinner would dive down pit road yet again, this time for four tires and fuel only. With a great pitstop, Skinner’s No. 5 Tundra would restart the race in the fifth position.

Determined to once again to take the lead, Skinner finally got his chance and did so on lap 74 as the “Big One” would happen. Running up front throughout the next eight laps, Skinner would run into a problem as the right front hood pin on his Tundra would go missing, forcing his hood to fly open from the right side. Skinner would be forced to come to pit road under the next caution therefore losing valuable track position.

Finishing the race in the 13th position, Skinner would lose the points lead by only by a mere 14 points.

Skinner will try and take back the point’s lead in two weeks at Martinsville Speedway, where he won earlier in the year already. The race will be televised live on SPEED, Saturday, Oct. 20.