Mike Skinner uncertain of 2009 NASCAR plans after team's demise
By Jared Turner - SceneDaily Staff Writer
Friday, January 09, 2009
Mike Skinner was surprised to learn that his NASCAR Truck team would not run in 2009.
John Harrelson
Getty Images for NASCAR
In a little more than a week, Mike Skinner’s plans for the 2009 NASCAR season have gone from near certainty to complete limbo. As of now, that’s where they remain.
Skinner, who still had a year left on his contract at Bill Davis Racing when Triad Racing Technologies purchased a majority interest in the team on Dec. 22, says he was told by team management the next day that new owners Marty Gaunt and Mike Held would continue to field the team’s Camping World Truck Series program in 2009 with Skinner returning to the No. 5 Toyota.
Then on Jan. 2, Skinner says team management informed him that the entire truck program would be discontinued, leaving three likely drivers - Skinner, Tayler Malsam and Brian Scott – having to alter plans for the coming season.
Johnny Benson, who won the 2008 Truck title for BDR, had already announced plans to leave the team in 2009 for Red Horse Racing.
“Through the holidays there was not an issue. Everything was good,” Skinner said in a phone interview Friday. “They laid everybody off. [General manager] Mark Chambers had already called the team back. Everybody was coming back to work on [Jan. 5], and then he had to make that second call to all my guys and go, ‘Guys, you don’t have a job.’
“That was kind of a bomb dropped on you. It’s a little bit of a shell-shocker.”
Skinner doesn’t have a ride as of now but says he has been in discussions with two Truck teams and some Sprint Cup teams, none of which he named.
“I’m 85 percent sure we’ll land something,” the Susanville, Calif., native said. “If some sponsor comes along it will be 100 percent.”
Toyota Tundra, which served as the primary sponsor on Skinner’s truck throughout his time at BDR, had planned to continue the partnership if Skinner remained with the team next season, the driver said.
“We’re working feverishly trying to get some sponsor interest,” he said. “We’re willing to take deals that a year ago we wouldn’t have even talked to anybody about. … Next thing you know, when it would take $3 million to do something, now all of a sudden a half a million dollars looks pretty good.”
Skinner, a winner of 25 races in NASCAR’s Truck series, joined Bill Davis Racing late in 2004 and found quick success with the team. He suffered through a disappointing 2008 season in which he worked with multiple crew chiefs, won only once and finished sixth in the standings.
“I just think there was a lot of mismanagement in the way the whole thing came down,” he said.
As for why the new owners at Triad Racing Technologies decided not to continue fielding trucks, Skinner isn’t sure.
“I got some conversation from them [about running trucks], but I didn’t really understand it,” he said. “I think they were just talking. I don’t know if they were ever going to run. I really don’t know. I wish I knew.
“I think they want to be in the engine-building business. I really don’t know what the deal is there.”
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11 responses to "Mike Skinner uncertain of 2009 NASCAR plans after team's demise". Post a Comment.
Pat Draper said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 2:32 PMI think this is a good example of why Nascar needs to step in an get a handle on the truck series. Its just not right one day to have a ride and the team is ready and the next day its over, just like that. There should be a contract that owners have to sign when they become owners that if they want to close down a team they have to give said team 60 days notice. By doing that it will give the said team time to look around for other imployment. Nascar seems to look the other way on important things and always seems to fine the things that are totaly unimportant. I like Mike Skinner and always have he's a good man and a good driver. I hope he finds himself a good ride real soon.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBernadette Motherway said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 2:54 PMThis is sad, really sad, but I don't think NASCAR is responsible for babysitting an owner's mismanagement.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmyrna perkins said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 4:50 PMBill Davis et al must be a bunch of bad guys. They made a big deal out of Benson leaving and then this!!! What a low blow. I feel sure Mike Skinner will find a ride but it still smells.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBernadette Motherway said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 5:18 PMI really don't think we know what really went on with the Benson deal. Benson either got a whiff of that smell or Davis is an idiot.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportalan west said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 8:47 PMNo one really knows what happened with the Benson issue. It could have been as simple as a conflict of opinion or personality clash with someone. The whole issue could even stem from the economy including Davis' trucking company that surely has taken a hit with fuel prices and the economy in general. Anyway, I have been a fan of Mike Skinner for many years and hope that he lands a quality ride so he can continue to be competitive.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBernadette Motherway said:
Jan 9, 2009 at 10:14 PMMOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Red Horse Racing announced Monday that it will expand to two teams for the 2009 Camping World Truck Series season with the addition of defending series champion Johnny Benson to the team's roster.
Report as AbuseBenson, the 1995 Nationwide Series champion and '96 Cup Series rookie of the year, will join teammate David Starr at Red Horse Racing. Benson will drive the team's No. 1 Toyota with Starr behind the wheel of the No. 11.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner Boehmert said:
Jan 10, 2009 at 2:00 PMand still the silly season continues...seems it's getting hard to keep up with the changes..."UPDATE: Starr, who rejoined the NASCAR Truck Series team for 2008 after leaving the group at the end of 2006, confirmed Friday that he has parted ways with the team and hopes to have another ride in place as early as next week. Starr says he and Red Horse co-owner Tom DeLoach mutually agreed to part ways after a sponsor that came on board Starr's #11 Toyota for six races near the end of last season indicated it could provide primary backing on Starr's truck for fewer than 10 races in 2009. "Hopefully, we'll be racing full time with a good team, but right now I have options," Starr said in a phone interview on Friday afternoon. "I haven't chosen which way we're going to go yet." Starr said he has spoken with four Truck teams and hopes to remain in the Toyota camp, although he has talked to at least one team tied to another manufacturer.(Scene Daily.com)(1-9-2008)"
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSpeed Demon said:
Jan 11, 2009 at 6:31 PMActually JB, was going to retire, but upon hearing his crew chief Trip Bruce was going to Red Horse Racing, he changed his mine and followed him to the team.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportsteve kopecy said:
Jan 13, 2009 at 9:51 AMEVER WONDER WHY NO ONE STAYS WITH DAVIS? I THINK THAT THERE MUST BE A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE THERE. LOOK AT THE HISTORY AT DAVIS RACING GOING BACK TO JEFF GORDON. I THINK THAT WILL SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE WHOLE SITUATION OVER THERE! DAVIS IS OUT OF NASCAR NOW AND I HOPE THAT HE STAYS OUT. IT'S OWNERS LIKE HIM THAT HAVE MADE THE MESS OUT OF THINGS LIKE THEY ARE. BENSON LOOKS AWFUL SMART NOW DOESN'T HE?
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» Confirm Abuse ReportKevin Larkin said:
Jan 13, 2009 at 9:38 PMBill Davis sold out to triad. While Mike was with them Bill & Gale Davis treated him well.
Report as AbuseAs far as Triad.... Why would you buy a racing organization who's success in recent years has been in the truck series, & then promptly shut the truck teams down.
Sounds stupid, & I hope Triad gets their noses rubbed in it.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportDaytona Rain said:
Jan 28, 2009 at 10:05 PMTimes are tough and getting tougher each day. Nascar and it's owners were high enough up that layoffs took longer than at the blue collar level. Bill & Gale did what they had to and Triad Racing Technologies is doing what they believe is best for their business. I wouldn't have wanted to make those "sorry boys" phone call but Mark Chambers wasn't the first and certainly won't be the last.
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