rpm.espn.com: Jury out on Skinner's chances

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Monday, February 11
Jury out on Skinner's chances
ESPN.com

We asked our users whether Mike Skinner will be able to compete for a top-15 finish with a new team this season and possibly challenge for a win at Daytona. Here are some of the comments:

You have got to be kidding me. With only about 10 top-5s in his entire career, I never knew what all the hoopla was all about. He can't compete in Winston Cup, never could.

George Civitelli
Rome, N.Y.

Mike Skinner is a driving machine. He can do it, and has proven he is a front runner. His tough luck last year may have made things look bad, but you can't be a points leader, pole winner, front runner one year and forget to drive the next year. He needs a good break and I wish I could buy one for him.

GH Martino
Great Falls, S.C.

Skinner will never have the equipment he did with RCR. Especially with Morgan-McClure, one of the only single-car teams still afloat. My bet it that he will not even make all the races. He will run out of provisionals before the halfway point in the season. As far as Daytona, if you do not wreck, you have a chance.

Alex Moeller
Pittsburgh

I do not think Mike Skinner can finish in the top 15 this year. I think he is going from a situation where he was overshadowed at RCR but had great equipment, to a situation where he is the only driver, but won't have the quality rides he had at RCR. For years he has had serious problems putting together good finishes in some of the best equipment in Winston Cup, why would a step down in equipment improve his finishes?

Chris Cornett
Concord, Mass.

Mike Skinner was never given the chance to be a winner at RCR. That was never more evident than in 2001. I'm glad Mike is getting another chance with a committed team. He has always done well on the superspeedways and should do at Daytona. I look for a top-15 in points for Mike Skinner in 2002.

Mark Searcy
Arlington, Texas

Anyone that has seen Mike race at Talladaga knows he can move a restrictor plate car to the front and Morgan-McClure Motorsports has a history of winning restrictor plate races, so yes Skinner can be challenge for a win at Daytona. Skinner is a seasoned driver and will make the best of his new ride, now days that means good finishes. Count on Skinner to do just that race to race all season long to a top-15 points finish.

Steve Breland
Lacombe, La.

I think that if everything goes well (i.e. no serious wrecks, no drop in sponsors), Mike Skinner may indeed finish in the top 15. He's had some hard luck the past few years, especially being the underfunded, underrated member of RCR, but I think he has a chance of a commendable season with Morgan-McClure.

Brandon London
Cave City, Ky.

I had an opportunity to be associated with Mike Skinner while he drove the yellow freight Busch car in 2000. When I was younger I drove Sports and Formula racing cars and found Mike to be one "b*lls to the wall racer," who drove a Busch and Cup car the way Ronnie Peterson and Gilles Villeneuve drove F1 cars. Despite Mike's lack of victories or titles, I have no doubt of his abilities. He's often critiqued inside the garage for driving the wheels off the car, using up the tires and forgetting to finish first you must first finish. Mike's a racer and drives every lap as if its the last. On top of everything else, Mike's a great guy who hasn't forgotten his roots. I hope this change to the No. 4 car will enable him to regain his confidence to get to where he belongs, in the Winner's Circle. Go for it Mike, this old racer has no doubts you can do it.

Bill Windham
Adamstown, Pa.

Oh, the irony of it all. First the No. 4 team hires Robby Gordon, then fires him when he can't make their junk cars perform. Mike Skinner can't make the No. 31 run competitively, much less win, so he's out of the job. Robby Gordon wins in the No. 31 at New Hampshire (and should have won at Watkins Glen). Now Skinner is going back to the junk No. 4 team that fired Robby because he couldn't drive their awful cars. It amuses me how Larry McClure always blames the drivers and not the team. How many times have we heard him say "we've taken our cars to the wind tunnels and we're just as good as everyone else" and then the cars perform horribly. I feel bad for anyone that drives for this team, Skinner included.

Todd Michaels
Sanford, Fla.

Sure hope that Morgan-McClure has a good supply of cars!

Jim Thomas
Moncks Corner, S.C.

I've been watching Mike Skinner since the beginning of the Truck series. We all watched Skinner push Earnhardt to his Daytona victory. I can't wait to see what Mike does at Daytona in that No. 4 car. Morgan-McClure and Mike Skinner -- I say go get 'em!

John Moler
Greenwood, Ind.

I believe Mike has the stuff to be in the top 15, if his car can stay competitive. The only drawback I see is at times he is stubborn and a bit bullheaded, leave his temper at home and be cool.

Clint Snyder
Canisteo, N.Y.

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