The Official Website of Mike Skinner - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Driver

Many say Mike Skinner was a twenty-year overnight success. With so many drivers now in Winston Cup just near the legal drinking age, it seems amazing that Mike did not get his true

Winston Cup opportunity until the age of 39. There wasn’t a family mentor to follow, no rich dad or uncle to pay for a go-kart- just a hard working , dedicated man with a passion to one day race in the Daytona 500. Picture Right: 65' Chevelle - ran as a dirt car in Susanville in 1978

In 1975 Mike Skinner was a well driller in Susanville, California. Back then, Mike was better known as a local pool hustler and renegade, so driving fast around town probably was a part of his weekends!

One evening Mike was run off a side road , resulting in wrecking his 1971 Road Runner. A friend convinced him to buy the damaged car back from the insurance company and turn it into a race car. The thought of racing would have never come about if that evening never occurred! Picture Left: Mike & his son Jamie - Open Comp Camaro ran in the early 80's in California

The local dirt racing fans at the Lassen County Fairgrounds in Susanville were the first to see a young Mike Skinner take on a challenge he would turn into a successful career! That night Mike led most of the race. With a half lap lead on the white flag lap, the right front ball joint broke coming off of turn two, flipping the car end to end three times and rolling it twice to then land on it’s roof! Instead of sulking, Skinner jumped out the race car and kicked it, leaving a broken big toe. Did I mention he raced that night in a pair of cowboy

boots? Needless to say, Mike was a natural racer and went on to drilling wells by day and fixing and racing cars by night. He won three dirt track championships in the late 70’s. He also ran various open comp events throughout California up to 1983 when his then wife, Beth said, "Either be a professional race car driver or well driller"! Mike and his family packed up and moved to North Carolina to pursue a dream. Picture Right: 1983 - Working as a tire changer on Rusty Wallace's Winston Cup car his rookie year.

Skinner didn’t get that racing ride once he hit North Carolina soil….instead he worked his way through the ranks by starting in the engine re-build shop as a shop hand for the Petty’s. He also changed tires for Rusty Wallace during Rusty’s rookie year.

Picture Left: 1995 Super Truck Champion - Dedicated to becoming a race car driver and not mechanic, Mike started to venture out on his own. He actually made a couple Winston Cup and Busch races as a car owner for himself and for other owners. He started a body shop to make ends meet and then started racing late models at Carraway in Asheboro, North Carolina. After a track

championship in 1994 with Gene Petty and many victories in late model stock cars, Mike started to be recognized as a rough, tough, no fear driver who needed a real chance in NASCAR. Richard Childress approached Mike in ‘94 to race a NASCAR truck. At first, Skinner had no interest in driving a truck, he wanted to race cars! Then he realized who just gave him the opportunity of a lifetime….Richard Childress Racing!

In 1995 Mike Skinner won the first NASCAR Super Truck Series race in Phoenix, Arizonia! From there, he carried the Goodwrench 3 Truck to sixteen victories, many poll positions and an Inagural Championship. Richard and Mike planned to race the 3 Truck for three years, but an opportunity to drive the #31 for Lowes Home Improvement came a year early. In 1997 Mike ran his first full season as a Winston Cup driver. The rookie season was a learning experience, especially after dominating in the truck series, but Skinner pulled off Rookie of the Year honors and a Winston Cup win in Suzuka, Japan.

I’ve never believed in superstitions, but troubles and no Winston Cup Points Victories followed Mike in the #31. Skinner started to be known as the Best Winston Cup Driver Who Had Not Won A Race Yet! It seemed Mike Skinner could win every non-points race possible, even come close to many Winston Cup points victories until one freak incident after another occurred to strip Mike from victory circle. We pretty much claimed we had the worst luck in racing until Chicago 2001. After surviving such a horrific wreck when a right front tire blew- Mike started saying I’m pretty lucky. " I survived! "

Late model which Mike owned in the early 90's.	Busch car ran for Gene Petty. Sat on the Pole in Charlotte of 1994!
1999 With son Jamie after a win at Carraway!	The Winston Cup Car Mike drove for RCR in Japan exhibition in 1996!
1st race in Gene Pettys car and a win came with it in 1991at Carraway. This was a late Model Beratta!	After a late model race win at Carraway. Mike owned & built the car.