Mike Skinner – Toyota Tundra Racing - Post Race Report
Race: Kroger 200 (Race 21 of 25) - Track: Martinsville Speedway
Date: Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007 - Started: Fourth - Finished: First
Laps Completed: 200 - Total Laps: 200 - NCTS Points: First
Mike Skinner headed to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway this weekend looking to gain ground on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship leader, Ron Hornaday Jr. After capturing the pole and winning the race in a dominating fashion at Martinsville in the spring, Skinner hoped to duplicate his effort again.
Rain set in Friday morning and lasted throughout the afternoon, thus limiting the Craftsman Truck Series to one practice session. The No. 5 Tundra ran well in practice, and Skinner and his team finished the session with the ninth-fastest machine.
Skinner and his Tundra hit the track running for qualifying Saturday morning. A great lap of 19.953 seconds placed Skinner fourth on the starting grid for that afternoon’s 200-lap race.
Skinner maintained his position well from the start of the race. By lap 20, Skinner had reported to crew chief Jeff Hensley that the handling of his Tundra was getting tight. After the caution flag waved on lap 25, Skinner joined the rest of the field on pit road. The No. 5 team made a trackbar adjustment during the
otherwise fuel-only stop, and Skinner restarted fifth on lap 30.
The caution flags kept waving one after another, while Skinner attempted to move forward through a very difficult field. He was among the top three by lap 70 and tried to keep his momentum going all the way to the front.
At the half-way point of the race, Skinner told his crew that his Tundra was still a little tight, and he was doing all he could to get around the two trucks in front of him.
On lap 134, Skinner successfully made his move for the lead. Driving hard and blocking as many trucks as he could, Skinner held onto the lead throughout the numerous cautions to capture his fifth victory of the year.
Not only did Skinner regain the Championship points lead by 11 points, but he also clinched Toyota’s second consecutive Manufacturer’s Championship.
Skinner try to extend his points lead this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he won earlier in the year. The race will be televised live on SPEED, Saturday, Oct. 27.
|
