Mike Skinner set for return to Randy Moss Motorsports in 2010
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Mike Skinner says he plans to return to Randy Moss Motorsports in 2010. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Mike Skinner appears set for a return to Randy Moss Motorsports next season – with or without full sponsorship.
Several sponsors, including Exide Batteries and PC*Miler Navigator, have sponsored Skinner on a part-time basis this season, and the driver expects both to return in a similar capacity in 2010.
Skinner joined the organization co-owned by David Dollar and pro football player Randy Moss at the beginning of the year after a little more than four seasons with Bill Davis Racing.
“We’re pursuing a couple of sponsors right now, and if we were to get one of those sponsors, it would really, really help Randy Moss Motorsports,” Skinner, the 1995 series champion, said earlier this week. “In the meantime, David Dollar called me this week and said that he and Randy had talked and they would like to retain my services next year regardless of whether or not we get the additional sponsors.”
Skinner had previously indicated that his return to the two-truck organization could hinge on whether the group acquired additional sponsorship for his No. 5 Toyota.
That doesn’t appear to be the case now, however.
“We have a verbal agreement, and Exide Batteries, I think, will be back with us in some capacity next year and so will PC*Miler Navigator,” said Skinner, who has three victories this season. “So that’s the good news. The great news would be if we could announce another sponsor.
“But we are in the process of putting something together for me to stay there next year.”
Skinner, a 28-time winner in NASCAR’s No. 3 series, is scheduled to make his 200th career Truck start in Saturday’s Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway.
He enters the race – one of five left on the 2009 schedule – third in the standings but a distant 255 points behind leader Ron Hornaday of Kevin Harvick Inc.
Second-place Matt Crafton of ThorSport Racing is 58 points ahead of Skinner.
The championship, while not mathematically settled, is all but a forgone conclusion in Skinner’s mind.
“What championship race? Basically, this is the first time in the history of the Truck series that it’s been kind of a blow-away,” he said. “[KHI] just has the bar raised so high that it’s very, very hard to compete with them right now. ... We’re just working hard on our trucks.
“I guess if I’m Ron Hornaday, I’m loving it because their stuff is really, really good. If you’re the rest of the world and you’re used to the Truck series being such a tight points battle, then it’s probably the most boring year we’ve ever had.”
Skinner says he is more focused on protecting his points position – and trying to catch Crafton for second – than running down Hornaday.
“We’re fighting to stay in the top three in points,” Skinner said. “If Crafton has a hiccup or two, then we can feasibly get second, but we don’t want to end up fifth.”
