.gif)
Mike Skinner (NASCAR)
Encyclopedia
Mike Skinner is an American
driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is the primary driver of the #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing
. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie and Dustin Skinner. He was born in Susanville, California
.
at various California dirt tracks, winning three championships. He soon moved to North Carolina
and worked as a crew member for Rusty Wallace
and at Petty Enterprises
. In 1986, he made his NASCAR debut in the Sprint Cup Series, driving the #19 Pontiac
for the Zanworth Racing Team, and had a best finish of 22nd in three starts. The following year, he made his Nationwide Series debut at Darlington Raceway
, finishing 27th in the #0 Hunt Tire Oldsmobile
. He did not compete in NASCAR again until 1990, when he drove the #13 Glidden Paints Buick
for Mansion Motorsports at North Carolina Speedway
, finishing 35th with rear end
failure. He ran four races for Dixon over the next two years, before running one race in 1993 for Jimmy Means
.
In 1994, Skinner began racing late models for Gene Petty, and won a local track championship. He and Petty also began racing in the Nationwide Series in the #88, winning one pole in the Kentucky Fried Chicken Chevrolet
, but failing to finish a race.
Skinner was selected by Richard Childress Racing
to drive the #3 GM Goodwrench
Chevrolet Silverado
in 1995, the inaugural season for the Camping World Truck Series. He won the first race in the series, and collected 7 more victories en route to winning the first championship in series history. He equaled his win total the following season, but fell to 3rd in the standings. That year, he ran 5 races for RCR in the Sprint Cup Series, qualifying in the top-ten 3 times and having a best finish of 12th in the #31 Realtree car. He also filled in for teammate Dale Earnhardt
when Earnhardt was recovering from injuries suffered in a wreck at Talladega, where he flipped after contact with Sterling Marlin.
In the 1997 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Skinner was promoted to full-time, driving the #31 with Lowe's
sponsorship. He won poles at both of the season's races at Daytona International Speedway
, and had 3 top-ten finishes. Despite failing to qualify for 1 race and a 30th place points finish, he won the Rookie of the Year award. He had 9 top-tens his sophomore season, but finished 21st in points after being forced sit out three races due to injury. He also won a pair of exhibition races in Japan
during those two seasons, when NASCAR raced in Asia
for the first time since its inception. He finished no worse than 6th in the first four races of the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and held the points lead briefly during the early portion of the season. He had a total of 14 top-tens and ended the year a career-high 10th in points. He also returned to the Nationwide Series, driving the #19 Yellow Freight Systems Chevy for Emerald Performance Group. He won his only career race at Atlanta after being disqualified for a rules infraction, before NASCAR overturned its decision.
Skinner had 11 top-tens in the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but fell to 12th in points and lost crew chief Larry McReynolds
. In the 2001 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, he had only 1 top-ten and suffered severe injuries in a wreck at Chicagoland Speedway
after cutting a right-front tire and crashing head-first in Turn 1, blacking out for 30+ seconds. He was forced to miss the next 5 races. Skinner had another wreck at Darlington Raceway
before that. He would return and soon after had to undergo season-ending knee surgery and Robby Gordon
took over, beginning at Kansas Speedway
and for the rest of the season. Gordon had taken over before during that period of time that Skinner missed because of the accident.
in the 2002 NASCAR season. He only had one top-ten finish and finished 31st in points at season's end. He continued to struggle when the team switched to Pontiac in the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and after failing to qualify for the Sirius 400, he was released. He spent the majority of the rest of season running part-time in the Truck Series for Billy Ballew Motorsports
before being selected to fill in for Jerry Nadeau
at MBV Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series. His final race of the season came at Homestead for Michael Waltrip Racing.
In 2004, Skinner returned to the Camping World Truck Series to drive the #42 Toyota Tundra for Bang! Racing
. He was running 9th in points when conflicts between Toyota and Bang's owners caused the team to split and run the #5 Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing. He won 2 poles and finished the year 11th in points with no victories. He collected 2 wins in 2005 and finished 5th in points in the Camping World Truck Series while running a part-time Sprint Cup schedule for Davis and R&J Racing
. He won only once in 2006 and fell to 10th in points, while filling in at other series at FitzBradshaw Racing
, Front Row Motorsports
, and CJM Racing
. In 2007, he won five Truck races and fell short of winning the championship by 54 points.
Skinner's lone 2008 win came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
, and he finished sixth in Truck points. He also ran a part-time schedule in Sprint Cup, filling in for A. J. Allmendinger
at Team Red Bull early in the 2008 Sprint Cup season. Skinner made 2 additional starts in the #84 Red Bull Car during the Chase for the Sprint Cup, as Allmendinger would not be back in the car in 2009. Skinner was also hired by Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the #00 Champion Mortgage car in the Sprint Cup Series for 3 races: Michigan, Bristol, and Auto Club Speedway.
Skinner was under contract to drive for Davis through 2009, but the team was sold and ceased operations. On January 29, 2009, it was announced that Skinner would drive one of two trucks that Randy Moss Motorsports fields, the #5 Exide Tundra. Skinner attempted to qualify for the 2009 Daytona 500
in the R3 Motorsports
#23 Mahindra Tractors
Chevrolet Impala
SS, but failed to qualify due to engine trouble at the Gatorade Duels at Daytona. Skinner drove in a few Sprint Cup races in Tommy Baldwin Racing
's #36 Car in 2009. He also ran the #70 Chevrolet Impala SS for TRG Motorsports in NASCAR's top series late in the 2009 season. In the Truck Series, Skinner won three races with Eric Phillips and finished third in points to Ron Hornaday. The next season, however, would be quite different. Phillips left RMM after 2009 to be the crew chief for Kyle Busch Motorsports
. Veteran Gene Nead initially replaced Phillips, but Nead left the team after Charlotte, being replaced by team engineer Stacy Johnson. Their season would only go downhill from there, with Skinner grabbing only two top 5's and a 8th place finish in points. Skinner parted ways with RMM on January 19, 2011.
In 2011, Skinner attempted to qualify the #45 Toyota Tundra for Eddie Sharp Racing at Daytona, but failed to make the race on speed. Surprisingly, Skinner was ineligible to use his past champion's provisional due to ESR entering the #45 after the entry deadline. He drove #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series and also spent a few races driving the #32 Ford Fusion for FAS Lane Racing
. He also drove for Tommy Baldwin Racing in Alanta after medical issues forced Dave Blaney
from the car.
Skinner has earned over $22 million in his NASCAR career.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is the primary driver of the #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing
Germain Racing
Germain Racing is an American NASCAR team. It is owned by the Germain brothers, Bob, Stephen, and Richard. The Germain family owns many car dealerships across the United States...
. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie and Dustin Skinner. He was born in Susanville, California
Susanville, California
Susanville is the county seat of Lassen County, California, United States. Susanville is located on the Susan River in the south-central part of the county, at an elevation of 4186 feet . The population was 17,974 at the 2010 census, up from 13,541 at the 2000 census...
.
Early career
Skinner began racing at Susanville Speedway in the 1970s in a Plymouth Road RunnerPlymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner was a muscle car built by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation in the United States between 1968 and 1980. In 1968, the first muscle cars were, in the opinion of many, moving away from their roots as relatively cheap, fast cars as they gained options...
at various California dirt tracks, winning three championships. He soon moved to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and worked as a crew member for Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
and at Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...
. In 1986, he made his NASCAR debut in the Sprint Cup Series, driving the #19 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
for the Zanworth Racing Team, and had a best finish of 22nd in three starts. The following year, he made his Nationwide Series debut at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, finishing 27th in the #0 Hunt Tire Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
. He did not compete in NASCAR again until 1990, when he drove the #13 Glidden Paints Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
for Mansion Motorsports at North Carolina Speedway
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
, finishing 35th with rear end
Rear End
Rear End was the only album released by Mercedes. It was released on June 29, 1999 through No Limit Records and was produced by Beats By the Pound...
failure. He ran four races for Dixon over the next two years, before running one race in 1993 for Jimmy Means
Jimmy Means
James "Jimmy" Means is a former Winston Cup/Nextel Cup owner/driver. Currently, he is an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and owns his own team, Means Racing. He competed in NASCAR for eighteen years in mostly his own equipment, posting seventeen career top-tens...
.
In 1994, Skinner began racing late models for Gene Petty, and won a local track championship. He and Petty also began racing in the Nationwide Series in the #88, winning one pole in the Kentucky Fried Chicken Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, but failing to finish a race.
RCR
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
to drive the #3 GM Goodwrench
GM Goodwrench
GM Goodwrench is an auto repair service for General Motors in Canada, and previously, the United States. In 2011, GM replaced Goodwrench in the US with separate Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC Certified Service brands.-Background:...
Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
in 1995, the inaugural season for the Camping World Truck Series. He won the first race in the series, and collected 7 more victories en route to winning the first championship in series history. He equaled his win total the following season, but fell to 3rd in the standings. That year, he ran 5 races for RCR in the Sprint Cup Series, qualifying in the top-ten 3 times and having a best finish of 12th in the #31 Realtree car. He also filled in for teammate Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
when Earnhardt was recovering from injuries suffered in a wreck at Talladega, where he flipped after contact with Sterling Marlin.
In the 1997 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Skinner was promoted to full-time, driving the #31 with Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
sponsorship. He won poles at both of the season's races at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, and had 3 top-ten finishes. Despite failing to qualify for 1 race and a 30th place points finish, he won the Rookie of the Year award. He had 9 top-tens his sophomore season, but finished 21st in points after being forced sit out three races due to injury. He also won a pair of exhibition races in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during those two seasons, when NASCAR raced in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
for the first time since its inception. He finished no worse than 6th in the first four races of the 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and held the points lead briefly during the early portion of the season. He had a total of 14 top-tens and ended the year a career-high 10th in points. He also returned to the Nationwide Series, driving the #19 Yellow Freight Systems Chevy for Emerald Performance Group. He won his only career race at Atlanta after being disqualified for a rules infraction, before NASCAR overturned its decision.
Skinner had 11 top-tens in the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but fell to 12th in points and lost crew chief Larry McReynolds
Larry McReynolds
Lawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
. In the 2001 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, he had only 1 top-ten and suffered severe injuries in a wreck at Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...
after cutting a right-front tire and crashing head-first in Turn 1, blacking out for 30+ seconds. He was forced to miss the next 5 races. Skinner had another wreck at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
before that. He would return and soon after had to undergo season-ending knee surgery and Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
took over, beginning at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
and for the rest of the season. Gordon had taken over before during that period of time that Skinner missed because of the accident.
2002–Present
Skinner signed on to drive the #4 Kodak Chevy for Morgan-McClure MotorsportsMorgan-McClure Motorsports
Morgan-McClure Motorsports is an American auto racing team that competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full time until 2007 and now occasionally attempts races. It has been in operation for 27 years, starting in 1982. The team is most notable for running the #4 from 1983 to 2009.-Starting...
in the 2002 NASCAR season. He only had one top-ten finish and finished 31st in points at season's end. He continued to struggle when the team switched to Pontiac in the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, and after failing to qualify for the Sirius 400, he was released. He spent the majority of the rest of season running part-time in the Truck Series for Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew. They currently field the #51 Bullet Liner F-150 for Colin Braun.- Fasscore Motorsports :...
before being selected to fill in for Jerry Nadeau
Jerry Nadeau
Jerry Nadeau is a retired race car driver from Danbury, Connecticut. Nadeau competed in the 1994 Barber Dodge Pro Series and the 1996 Formula Opel Euroseries.-NASCAR career:Nadeau's NASCAR career began in 1995 in the Busch Series...
at MBV Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series. His final race of the season came at Homestead for Michael Waltrip Racing.
In 2004, Skinner returned to the Camping World Truck Series to drive the #42 Toyota Tundra for Bang! Racing
Bang! Racing
Bang! Racing is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by entrepreneur Alex Meshkin, as well as Larry McReynolds and fielded entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. It only ran one season, in 2004....
. He was running 9th in points when conflicts between Toyota and Bang's owners caused the team to split and run the #5 Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing. He won 2 poles and finished the year 11th in points with no victories. He collected 2 wins in 2005 and finished 5th in points in the Camping World Truck Series while running a part-time Sprint Cup schedule for Davis and R&J Racing
R&J Racing
John Carter Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. The team currently fields the 08 U.S. Chrome/SoBe Ford Fusion/Toyota Camry for Terry Labonte. It is owned by John Carter...
. He won only once in 2006 and fell to 10th in points, while filling in at other series at FitzBradshaw Racing
FitzBradshaw Racing
Trail Motorsports was a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte. The team is owned by Armando Fitz and Art Shelton, and was previously co-owned by Fitz's former wife Mimi...
, Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005...
, and CJM Racing
CJM Racing
CJM Racing was a NASCAR Nationwide Series team. They fielded the #11 car for a variety of drivers.-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:Victory Motorsports was formed in 2006 when two businessmen, Bryan and Tony Mullet, purchased the Sprint Cup equipment of Faith Motorsports from Morgan Shepherd...
. In 2007, he won five Truck races and fell short of winning the championship by 54 points.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
, and he finished sixth in Truck points. He also ran a part-time schedule in Sprint Cup, filling in for A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
at Team Red Bull early in the 2008 Sprint Cup season. Skinner made 2 additional starts in the #84 Red Bull Car during the Chase for the Sprint Cup, as Allmendinger would not be back in the car in 2009. Skinner was also hired by Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the #00 Champion Mortgage car in the Sprint Cup Series for 3 races: Michigan, Bristol, and Auto Club Speedway.
Skinner was under contract to drive for Davis through 2009, but the team was sold and ceased operations. On January 29, 2009, it was announced that Skinner would drive one of two trucks that Randy Moss Motorsports fields, the #5 Exide Tundra. Skinner attempted to qualify for the 2009 Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
in the R3 Motorsports
R3 Motorsports
R3 Motorsports is a NASCAR race team which began racing in 2004. It currently fields the #23 Wildlife Conservation Society Chevrolet Impala driven by Robert Richardson II R3 Motorsports is a NASCAR race team which began racing in 2004. It currently fields the #23 Wildlife Conservation Society...
#23 Mahindra Tractors
Mahindra Tractors
Mahindra Tractors, the farm equipment division of Mahindra & Mahindra, builds and sources tractors that are sold worldwide across six continents. Mahindra is also among the top three tractor manufacturers in the world. Mahindra has a huge consumer base in India, China and America and a growing base...
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
SS, but failed to qualify due to engine trouble at the Gatorade Duels at Daytona. Skinner drove in a few Sprint Cup races in Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
's #36 Car in 2009. He also ran the #70 Chevrolet Impala SS for TRG Motorsports in NASCAR's top series late in the 2009 season. In the Truck Series, Skinner won three races with Eric Phillips and finished third in points to Ron Hornaday. The next season, however, would be quite different. Phillips left RMM after 2009 to be the crew chief for Kyle Busch Motorsports
Kyle Busch Motorsports
Kyle Busch Motorsports is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and late model team that is owned and operated by Kyle Busch, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Truck Series driver...
. Veteran Gene Nead initially replaced Phillips, but Nead left the team after Charlotte, being replaced by team engineer Stacy Johnson. Their season would only go downhill from there, with Skinner grabbing only two top 5's and a 8th place finish in points. Skinner parted ways with RMM on January 19, 2011.
In 2011, Skinner attempted to qualify the #45 Toyota Tundra for Eddie Sharp Racing at Daytona, but failed to make the race on speed. Surprisingly, Skinner was ineligible to use his past champion's provisional due to ESR entering the #45 after the entry deadline. He drove #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series and also spent a few races driving the #32 Ford Fusion for FAS Lane Racing
FAS Lane Racing
FAS Lane Racing is a NASCAR team owned by long-time crew chief Frank Stoddard. It currently fields the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford Fusion for Terry Labonte, Mike Skinner, Ken Schrader, Mike Bliss, and Patrick Carpentier in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-History:...
. He also drove for Tommy Baldwin Racing in Alanta after medical issues forced Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...
from the car.
Skinner has earned over $22 million in his NASCAR career.