Race:
San Bernardino 200 (Race 2
of 25)
Track:
California Speedway
Date:
Saturday,
Feb. 23, 2008
Started:
Second
Finish:
Eighth
Laps
Completed:
100
Total
Laps:
100
NCTS
Points:
16th
Mike Skinner headed
back home to his
stomping grounds at
California Speedway
this weekend. He
was the defending
race winner, and he
hoped to match last
year’s effort.
Skinner and his No.
5 Tundra team had a
great start in
practice Thursday.
The team topped the
speed chart in both
practice sessions,
and the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck
Series’ top pole
winner of 2007 hoped
to win his first
pole of the 2008
season. However,
rain showers forced
the cancellation of
the Craftsman Truck
Series qualifying
session, and Skinner
would start
Saturday’s 100-lap
race in the second
position. The
starting grid was
set based on last
year’s points
standings.
As the green flag
waved Saturday
afternoon, Skinner
immediately reported
to his crew that
something was wrong
with the motor.
Thinking he was
either down a
cylinder or missing
a plug wire, Skinner
came to pit road
after the first
caution flag waved
on lap five.
Several TRD crew
members came over
the wall to the
attention of the No.
5 truck. The crew
found that a plug
wire was off and
fixed the problem.
Though he returned
to the track as soon
as possible, Skinner
was forced to fight
his way through the
field. He restarted
33rd on lap nine.
The next caution
flag waved on lap
14, and Skinner
pitted again, this
time for four tires
and fuel. His truck
was finally starting
to pick up the pace,
and Skinner found
himself back in the
top-10 by lap 28.
While he fought for
his position on the
track, Skinner
reported to crew
chief Jeff Hensley
that the handling of
his Tundra was a bit
loose, but good in
turns three and
four.
The caution flag
waved again on lap
44, and Skinner dove
down pit road for
four tires, fuel and
an air pressure
adjustment. After a
great pit stop from
the No. 5 Toyota
Tundra pit crew,
Skinner restarted
fifth on lap 48.
Skinner tried to
make his way to the
front of the pack,
but the handling of
his Tundra
tightened. The
handling woes cost
him a few spots on
the two-mile track.
Skinner’s final pit
stop of the night
came under green
flag conditions with
15 laps to go. He
pitted for four
tires and fuel, then
completed the final
handful of laps.
Skinner finished
eighth.
Skinner and the rest
of the Craftsman
Truck Series will
race again in two
weeks at Atlanta
Motor Speedway,
where Skinner is
once again the
defending race
winner. The race
will be televised
live Friday, March 7
on SPEED Channel.
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