Mike Skinner is getting hot, and it may be the perfect time for doing so.
Skinner has won the last two races—at Iowa Speedway and Gateway International
Raceway—and stands third in the championship points standings, only 16 points
behind second-place runner Matt Crafton.
The Heluva Good! 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a good place for Skinner
to continue his winning streak and that of Toyota, which has now captured four
straight wins behind Skinner and Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resort & Casino
Toyota). None of Skinner's 29 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories
have come at the 1.058-mile track, but all three of his wins this season have
come on tracks at which he has never before triumphed. If he visits Victory Lane
Saturday, it will make the third time he has won three consecutive races.
The race is also, in a sense, a home race for Skinner's team, Randy Moss
Motorsports. Owner Randy Moss begins his 12th NFL season Monday night against
the Buffalo Bills as the head wide receiver of the New England Patriots, which
is based in Foxboro, Mass., only a two-hour drive from Loudon, N.H.
Skinner, however, isn't the only driver going for his third straight victory
this weekend. Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Copart Chevrolet) is shooting for his
third consecutive victory at New Hampshire, after winning in 2007 and 2008. Both
of those victories have come from the front row. Hornaday also won from the
eighth position in 1996, the inaugural season in which the series visited New
Hampshire Motor Speedway. In addition, two of his NHMS victories have come
during championship seasons. Overall, he has 45 wins.
Busch returns to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for the first time since
winning at Chicagoland Speedway at the end of August. He also won at Bristol
Motor Speedway the week before Chicagoland. Therefore, his start at New
Hampshire this weekend gives him a chance to win his third series race in as
many starts. Busch is second in the 2009 season victory total with four.
