Charlotte: Mike Skinner preview

SKINNER AT LOWE'S: Skinner has competed in five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In those five NCWTS races, Skinner has recorded two top-10 finishes, both of which have come in the last two seasons (2007: eighth; 2008: 10th), and has claimed three pole positions (2005-2007). The 1995 Truck Series Champion has completed 638 of 678 laps competed (94.1%) and led a total of 101 laps at the North Carolina track. In addition, Skinner has raced in eight Nationwide Series events at Lowe's, where he has captured one top-five finish, three top-10 finishes, and one pole, along with 16 Sprint Cup Series races, where he has one top-five finish and three top-10 finishes.

CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Eric Phillips and the No. 5 team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis MDM-102. This Toyota Tundra has been raced three times already this season, including the race at Kansas Speedway where the team crossed the finish line first. Skinner also drove this chassis at Auto Club Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he finished 11th and fourth respectively.

NUMBER ONE: Skinner and his No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports team are currently number one, as they are leading the NCWTS championship point standings. The team claimed their first victory together in the last Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway, which was rain-delayed then rain-shortened.

THE WINDY CITY: On Tuesday, Skinner headed to Chicago to promote the Truck Series, Randy Moss Motorsports, Exide and Toyota as the NCWTS will head to Chicagoland Speedway for the first time this year. The night race in the Windy City will take place on Saturday, August 28th.

AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Skinner and his teammate Tayler Malsam will both participate in a Toyota Autograph Session on Friday afternoon from 1:30-2:00 P.M. Eastern at the Toyota PitPass Display. Come out and meet both drivers and get an autograph!

CALLING ALL JUDGES: Not only will Randy Moss Motorsports co-owner Randy Moss be in town for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, May 15th, the NFL All-Pro wide receiver will lend his judging expertise as a celebrity judge for Saturday's Pennzoil Victory Challenge. Moss will join 16-time World Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, SPEED's Jimmy Spencer, plus Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry of the award-winning country music group - Montgomery Gentry, as a judge. The event will take place on the front stretch of Lowe's Motor Speedway immediately preceding the Sprint Showdown. SPEED Channel will carry the event live beginning at 6:00 p.m.

SKINNER (On racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway): "Lowe's actually isn't one of my favorite tracks. I've raced there a lot in the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race and then the Truck Series races and have had some success there, sat on the pole a few times and I seem to run well there. But this team is coming into Lowe's with momentum -- we had a strong run in Martinsville and won at Kansas, so we go to Charlotte with momentum on our side. My biggest emotion is not to get too jacked up on all of that and go get a top-five and top-10 and then we will hopefully win another race when our truck is as good as it was in Kansas."

SKINNER (On having momentum on his side even with the off-weeks): "Oh yeah, these guys have been working. I think for Randy Moss Motorsports, for Eric (Phillips, crew chief) and for this team, we are a little short financially so the guys have to work that much harder to make up for the guys that we don't have. These guys have needed this time probably more than several of the other teams. Most of the other teams did most of their work back in the winter and this is like a breather for them. Our guys needed a breather, but I'm telling you that the more time you give these guys, the more competitive that we get. This is really good stuff for our team, to get some time off and have these races spread out a little bit before we start getting into that long stretch. During the long stretch is when you need those three or four trucks ready to go, so I think the momentum we have is a positive thing."

SKINNER (On spending Tuesday in Chicago previewing the first Truck Series race at Chicagoland Speedway): "We have tested at Chicago a few times in the truck and the last time we were there, we ran terrible. I'm looking forward to heading there with Eric (Phillips) to figure things out. But unfortunately, we don't get to be on the racetrack. We did get to go up there and promote Exide, Randy Moss Motorsports, and Toyota. We had a good time and I'm excited to get to Lowe's."

ABOUT RANDY MOSS MOTORSPORTS: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long-time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. For more information about Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.randymossmotorsports.com.

-credit: rmm