CESSNA SKINNER ROUND-UP GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISES $125,000 FOR THE COUNCIL ON AGING OF VOLUSIA COUNTY

Seventh annual event raises money to support Volusia County’s seniors

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (October 30, 2015) – Volusia County residents, celebrities and sponsors raised an estimated $125,000 to support the Council on Aging of Volusia County at the 2015 Cessna Skinner Round-Up. The two-day event included the Hoedown Bash at Daytona International Speedway and a sold-out Cessna Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health at Spruce Creek Country Club.

With donations still coming in, the Cessna Skinner Round-Up plans to ink a check for at least $125,000 to the Council on Aging following expenses.

“It’s always such an honor to host the Cessna Skinner Round-Up here in Volusia County,” said Mike Skinner, 1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion and co-host of the Cessna Skinner Round-Up. “We have such great partners for this event, such as Cessna, Hard Rock Seminole, Halifax Health, Oral-B, SunTrust Bank, Toyota, National Wild Turkey Federation, Germain Motor Company, Froggy’s Saloon, Richard Childress Racing, Yuengling, American Auto, Maui Jim, Justin Boots, and so many others. It’s such an honor to have their support, and the support of all of our guests and attendees—including many people who don’t even have a direct connection to Volusia County. However, they’ve gotten behind Angie and me, and they’ve stepped up to support the Council on Aging, and that’s something that’s really special to be a part of.”

In it’s seventh year, the Skinner Round-Up has raised more than $900,000 for charity organizations within Volusia County, Fla. This year’s event solely benefitted the Council on Aging of Volusia County, an organization that promotes healthy, independent living through caring and compassionate services for the area’s seniors. The Council on Aging of Volusia County serves thousands of clients every year through meals programs, non-medical health services and senior activities.

“The Council on Aging has always been one of our charitable partners at the Cessna Skinner Round-Up,” said Angie Skinner, co-host of the Cessna Skinner Round-Up. “After moving back to Daytona Beach and taking a position on the Council on Aging of Volusia County’s staff, Mike and I knew we wanted to bring the Skinner Round-Up back in 2015. It’s no secret that this event takes a lot of work, but to be able to watch everything come together and see the difference that it makes in our community makes it very rewarding. Between our fantastic sponsors and the generous support of our attendees, we were able to host another successful event this year and look forward to seeing everyone back at the Cessna Skinner Round-Up in 2016.”

Nearly 20 celebrities were in attendance at the event, which included a miniature reunion of some NASCAR Camping World Truck Series greats. Joining the 1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Champion, Mike Skinner, were Todd Bodine, Rick Crawford, Ron Hornaday and Jack Sprague. Together, the rivals turned friends account for 10 NCWTS championships and over 130 series’ wins. Also attending were Steve Park and Greg Sacks, both NASCAR drivers with wins of their own at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. Former NFL standouts Ken Huff and Chris Mohr, who have four Super Bowl appearances between their careers, were in attendance. Jack Marin, a retired NBA player who also earned All-ACC honors for Duke University during his college career, rounded out the list of professional athletes in attendance at the Cessna Skinner Round-Up.

Nashville Blues’ Doctor Stacy Mitchhart performed the Hard Rock Seminole concert on the Management Resource Systems Stage at the Hoedown Bash. Additionally, Nashville recording artist Tim Dugger and talented singer-songwriter D. Vincent Williams, were on-hand throughout the event. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio personalities Mike Bagley, Pete Pistone and Pat Patterson all attended the two-day event, while Bagley and Pistone hosted a live broadcast of their daily radio show, The Morning Drive, from the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health. Television hosts Kelly Edge (HGTV),

Karen Lee (co-host of Turkey Call, a National Wild Turkey Federation television program), and local media personalities Leslye Gale (Central Florida News 13 and Magic 107.7 FM) and Frank Scott (The Rock of Daytona 104.7 FM) attended the two-day event in Daytona Beach, Fla.

“COA is reliant on donations to help fund our mission of serving the elderly and frail seniors in our community, and the funds raised through the Cessna Skinner Round-Up’s successful two-day event will help us continue this critical work.” said Sarah Gurtis, Chief Executive Office of Council on Aging of Volusia County. “We are so proud to have Angie Skinner on our team, and it’s been great to have Mike [Skinner, Angie’s husband] included in the deal as a bonus! We thank our local community for the great turn out and look forward to next year.”

Additional information about the Cessna Skinner Round-Up charity event can be found at MikeSkinner.com/RoundUp, or by following Skinner Round-Up on Facebook (facebook.com/skinnerroundup), Twitter (@SkinnerRoundUp), or Instagram (@SkinnerRoundUp).

About Cessna Skinner Round-Up:

The Cessna Skinner Round-Up is back in Daytona Beach! Returning to Volusia County after a three-year hiatus, Mike and Angie Skinner started the two-day charity event in 2005 as a way to give back to their local community. Benefitting the Council on Aging of Volusia County with two days of events, this year’s Cessna Skinner Round-Up will take place October 28-29, 2015. It will be a party in the infield on Wednesday, October 28 with the Hoedown Bash at Daytona International Speedway! The event will feature the Hard Rock Seminole Concert by Nashville Blues Doctor Stacy Mitchhart, games for all ages, the largest silent auction in Volusia County, and an all-you-can-eat Taste of Daytona event. Tickets for the Hoedown Bash are just $10 for adults, with children ages 12 and under admitted free. The party moves to Spruce Creek Country Club on Thursday, October 29 for the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health. Players will take on the 18-hole par 72 course, which was named one of the ‘Top 5 Best Golf Courses in the Daytona Beach area’ by Golf Digest.

About Council on Aging of Volusia County:

For nearly 50 years, COA has been the premiere provider of services to seniors in Volusia County. Thousands of clients each year receive services such as personal care, meal preparation, housekeeping, companionship and Meals on Wheels. COA also manages Senior Centers, congregate dining sites and provides respite care programs and support groups throughout the county.

COA receives Federal and State grant dollars to provide essential services for our most at risk seniors, but also needs community support.  Please help by making a tax-deductible donation to COA, volunteering or hiring us. COA offers a full range of affordable in-home services to Volusia residents of any age. Call (386) 253-4700 or visit us online at coavolusia.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Ashleigh Aungst

A2B Strategies for Mike Skinner Enterprises

Mobile: 717.222.0664

Email: Ashleigh@A2BStrategiesLLC.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLAYERS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CESSNA SKINNER ROUND-UP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PLAYERS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CESSNA SKINNER ROUND-UP

Celebrity Golf Tournament Presented by Halifax Health Takes Place at Spruce Creek Country Club
on Thursday, October 29

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 24, 2015) – Players are still wanted for the Cessna Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health! Taking place at Spruce Creek Country Club on Thursday, October 29, individual player positions remain open for the celebrity-filled event. Registration for the event costs just $150 per player with all proceeds benefitting the Council on Aging of Volusia County. New in 2015, individuals and corporations have the option to participate in the golf tournament themselves, or to donate their entry to an injured service member through Hope For The Warriors.

“Mike and I are so excited to bring the Cessna Skinner Round-Up back to Daytona Beach this year,” Angie Skinner, co-host of the Cessna Skinner Round-Up, said. “We’re excited to re-connect with our neighbors across Volusia County, and to help our community by supporting the Council on Aging with this year’s event. We have some great corporate sponsors behind the event,
and hope that the community will turn out to show their support, too. The Hoedown Bash is open to the public on Wednesday night, and we’re still accepting individual players for the golf tournament on Thursday. It should be a really great event, and a great way to officially mark our homecoming back to Daytona Beach.”

Golfers in the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health will participate in an 18-hole scramble at the famed Spruce Creek Country Club. Registration for the event will open at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, October 29, followed by a shotgun start at 11 a.m. ET. After an afternoon of play on the Bill Amick-designed course, the evening will conclude with an awards ceremony. Lunch is also included in the player registration fee.

While the proceeds of the 2015 Cessna Skinner Round-Up will benefit the Council on Aging of Volusia County, the event is still finding other ways to support and give back to additional charity organizations. New in 2015, individuals and corporations have the option to purchase an individual player entry and donate it to a service member through a partnership with Hope For The Warriors. Driven by both a friendship and partnership between Hope For The Warriors and the Skinners, several corporate hole sponsors inquired about donating their sponsorship back to injured service men and women by allowing them to participate in the golf tournament in their place. Hope For The Warriors will pair the donations with injured service men and women to extend an invitation to participate in the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health.

“Angie and I became involved with Hope For The Warriors about two years ago, and it’s been such a blessing ever since,” Mike Skinner, co-host of the Cessna Skinner Round-Up, said. “Through the relationship, we’ve met so many fantastic men and women who are currently serving or have served our great country. It changes your perspective when you meet these people first hand. You realize that we couldn’t do what we do if they didn’t do what they do, and because of that, we’re always looking
for additional ways to support them. I’m so proud of our corporate partners for coming up with this great plan and look forward to having injured service men and women participating in the Cessna Skinner Round-Up this year.”

Golfers can register for the Cessna Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health by emailing Angie@MikeSkinner.com or by calling 386.763.9011. If you would like to donate your entry to an injured service member, please mention that when registering for the tournament.

In 2015, the Cessna Skinner Round-Up will benefit the Council on Aging of Volusia County. In partnership with the community, the Council on Aging promotes healthy, independent living through caring and compassionate services. The Council on Aging of Volusia County serves thousands of clients every year through meals programs, non-medical health services and senior activities. For additional information on the two-day Cessna Skinner Round-Up charity event, please visit
MikeSkinner.com/RoundUpForCharity.html.

About Cessna Skinner Round-Up:
The Cessna Skinner Round-Up is back in Daytona Beach! Returning to Volusia County after a three-year hiatus, Mike and Angie Skinner started the two-day charity event in 2005 as a way to give back to their local community. Benefitting the Council on Aging of Volusia County with two days of events, this year’s Cessna Skinner Round-Up will take place October 28-29, 2015.
It will be a party in the infield on Wednesday, October 28 with the Hoedown Bash at Daytona International Speedway! The event will feature the Hard Rock Seminole Concert by Nashville Blues Doctor Stacy Mitchhart, games for all ages, the largest silent auction in Volusia County, and an all-you-can-eat Taste of Daytona event. Tickets for the Hoedown Bash are just $10 for adults,
with children ages 12 and under admitted free. The party moves to Spruce Creek Country Club on Thursday, October 29 for the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health. Players will take on the 18-hole par 72 course, which was named one of the ‘Top 5 Best Golf Courses in the Daytona Beach area’ by Golf Digest. Individual players are still able to register
for the event, with the individual player fee costing just $150.
 
About Spruce Creek Country Club:
Spruce Creek Country Club and Golf Course, famed for its location within the Spruce Creek Fly-In Community (Fly in and Play 18), is the largest and most lush fly-in community in the country. Spruce Creek Golf Course is open for public play and on a daily basis. Enjoy all the amenities of country club life while you play the course recommend by Golf Digest as one of the “Top 5 Golf
Courses in the Daytona Beach area.” Located a short driving distance from the Beaches of Daytona, Ormond, Ponce Inlet, and New Smyrna, Spruce Creek can accommodate players of all levels.

About Council on Aging of Volusia County:
For nearly 50 years, COA has been the premiere provider of services to seniors in Volusia County. Thousands of clients eachyear receive services such as personal care, meal preparation, housekeeping, companionship and Meals on Wheels. COA also manages Senior Centers, congregate dining sites and provides respite care programs and support groups throughout the county.

COA receives Federal and State grant dollars to provide essential services for our most at risk seniors, but also needs community support. Please help by making a tax-deductible donation to COA, volunteering or hiring us. COA offers a full range of affordable in-home services to Volusia residents of any age. Call (386) 253-4700 or visit us online at coavolusia.org.

###

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashleigh Aungst
A2B Strategies for Mike Skinner Enterprises
Mobile: 717.222.0664
Email: Ashleigh@A2BStrategiesLLC.com

CESSNA SKINNER ROUND-UP RETURNS TO DAYTONA BEACH

CESSNA SKINNER ROUND-UP RETURNS TO DAYTONA BEACH 

Mike and Angie Skinner to Host Two-Day Cessna Skinner Round-Up Benefitting the Council on Aging of Volusia County on October 28-29, 2015

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (September 22, 2015) – The Cessna Skinner Round-Up is back in Daytona Beach, Florida! After taking a brief hiatus the two-day charity event returns to Volusia County on October 28-29, 2015 to benefit the Council on Aging of Volusia County. This year’s event will kick off with a party in the infield at Daytona International Speedway with the Hoedown Bash on Wednesday, October 28 at 7 p.m. ET. Registration for the Cessna Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health at Spruce Creek Country Club will open on Thursday, October 29 at 10 a.m. ET.

“After moving to North Carolina for a few years, Angie and I really missed our neighbors in Volusia County and the Daytona Beach community,” Mike Skinner said. “We knew it was time for us to come back home, and we were excited to reintegrate ourselves in the community once we arrived through events like the Skinner Round-Up. We’re so excited to bring this event back to Daytona Beach. We have some great partners involved in this year’s event—Cessna, Hard Rock Seminole, Halifax Health, Suntrust Bank, Oral-B, Toyota, and so many others. I can’t wait to see the impact we’re able to make within Volusia County.”

Countless sponsors have joined the effort to make the Cessna Skinner Round-Up possible in 2015. Debuting a new relationship for the Skinner Round-Up, the two-day event will be presented by Cessna. One of the headline events at Wednesday’s Hoedown Bash will be the Hard Rock Seminole concert by Stacy Mitchhart on the Management Resource Systems Stage. Meanwhile, Thursday’s golf tournament at Spruce Creek Country Club will be presented by Halifax Health. Additional partners supporting the Skinner Round-Up include American Auto, Bad Boy Buggies, Devine Family Foundation, E-Z-GO, Fanatics, Froggy’s Saloon, Germain Racing, Molto Bella Boutique, National Wild Turkey Federation, Oral-B, Richard Childress Racing, Skip’s Boots, Suntrust Bank, Toyota, Volusia Top Gun and Yuengling.

Since the inception of the Cessna Skinner Round-Up, the event has always benefitted non-profit organizations in Volusia County, keeping all funds raised within Daytona Beach and surrounding communities. In 2015, the Cessna Skinner Round-Up will benefit the Council on Aging of Volusia County. In partnership with the community, the Council on Aging promotes healthy, independent living through caring and compassionate services. The Council on Aging of Volusia County serves thousands of clients every year through meals programs, non-medical health services and senior activities.

“After participating in countless charity golf events, Mike and I started the Skinner Round-Up nearly 10 years ago as a way to benefit our local community,” Angie Skinner said. “A friend of ours works with the Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare here in Daytona Beach, and needed help to feed the animals. We realized that if we started a charity event to focus on organizations based in and around Daytona

- more -

Beach, that we would actually be able to make an impact on our local community. All of the money that we’ve ever raised has stayed within Volusia County, which is really important to us. This year, our event will benefit the Council on Aging of Volusia County, an organization that I became involved with after we moved back to Florida. Taking care of the elderly isn’t glamorous, it’s a job that’s often overlooked, which is just one of the reasons why we wanted to partner with them for the 2015 Cessna Skinner Round-Up.”

The Cessna Skinner Round-Up will take place rain or shine. Tickets for the Skinner Round-Up Hoedown Bash will be sold at the gate beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 28. Attendees should enter through the Williamson Boulevard entrance of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets for adults are just $10, while children ages 12 and under will be admitted free of charge. Golfers are still able to register for the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health. The tournament costs $150 per player, and will take place at the Spruce Creek Country Club in Port Orange, Fla. on Thursday, October 29.

About Cessna Skinner Round-Up:

The Cessna Skinner Round-Up is back in Daytona Beach! Returning to Volusia County after a three-year hiatus, Mike and Angie Skinner started the two-day charity event in 2005 as a way to give back to their local community. Benefitting the Council on Aging of Volusia County with two days of events, this year’s Cessna Skinner Round-Up will take place October 28-29, 2015. It will be a party in the infield on Wednesday, October 28 with the Hoedown Bash at Daytona International Speedway! The event will feature the Hard Rock Seminole Concert by Nashville Blues Doctor Stacy Mitchhart, games for all ages, the largest silent auction in Volusia County, and an all-you-can-eat Taste of Daytona event. Tickets for the Hoedown Bash are just $10 for adults, with children ages 12 and under admitted free. The party moves to Spruce Creek Country Club on Thursday, October 29 for the Skinner Round-Up Golf Tournament presented by Halifax Health. Players will take on the 18-hole par 72 course, which was named one of the ‘Top 5 Best Golf Courses in the Daytona Beach area’ by Golf Digest. Players are still able to register for the event, with an individual player fee costing just $150.

About Council on Aging of Volusia County:

Councils on Aging were established under the Older Americans Act by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services in 1965. For almost 50 years, COA has been the authority on Aging Services in Volusia County, and is one of the largest service agencies in northeast Florida. We serve thousands of clients every year, through our meals programs, non-medical health services and senior activities. COA is a licensed 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. In addition to some Federal and State Funding, COA offers Fee for Service options and raises funds through events and donations to better help serve clients who do not have the means to pay for care.

###

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ashleigh Aungst

A2B Strategies for Mike Skinner Enterprises

Mobile: 717.222.0664

Email: Ashleigh@A2BStrategiesLLC.com

Beyond the Cockpit: Where is Former Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner?

Posted by: Joseph Wolkin August 5, 2015 in Beyond the Cockpit, Featured Content, Joseph Wolkin, Truck Series Comments Off on Beyond the Cockpit: Where is Former Truck Series Champion Mike Skinner?

It’s been a few years since inaugural Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner has been in a NASCAR race. Fortunately, when it was time to hang up his helmet, the 28-time winner in NASCAR’s third-tier division sailed off into the sunset with quite the resume.

Skinner’s last race was in 2012, and at the time, he didn’t believe that was going to be the case. Early on in his career, he was Dale Earnhardt’s teammate and scored a pair of victories in some Cup Series exhibitions in Japan during the late 1990s. As he aged, Skinner found himself back at home in the Truck Series, competing for a title with Bill Davis Racing in 2007.

Former Truck Series champion Mike Skinner is loving life in retirement.
(Photo: A2B Strategies/Mike Skinner Enterprises).

However, a career full of injuries led Skinner to put a halt on his time in a racecar, especially when he began receiving offers to race at the rear of the field for mediocre teams. Now, the former champion is enjoying retirement, setting track records at Goodwood and keeps busy owning a business with his sons. In this exclusive interview with Frontstretch, Skinner discusses the decision to hang up his helmet, what he’s up to now, his former career, how beat up he was inside of the racecar and more.

Joseph Wolkin, Frontstretch.com: What has life been like for you since you stopped racing?

Mike Skinner:  The decision to stop racing professionally was because I just had a number of concussions. A couple of years ago, when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. took himself out of the car, I went “what in the world am I doing” because the cars that I was driving at the time were not competitive cars. I was watching some other drivers ride around in the back and I knew that it’s just not me. It’s not who I am and it’s not what I like doing.

That was my decision to hang it up. When that day happened, I felt lost and I felt pretty much insignificant. I felt like I was the quarterback for 30 years and then all of a sudden, you are the water boy. It’s very challenging on you mentally. I felt like I didn’t matter anymore to our sport, and that’s one thing you struggle with in our sport of auto racing unlike stick-and-ball sports where you have something to give back to the sport after you’re done with your career. I’m in a good place in my life now, though and I got through it.

Wolkin: Where did you get those concussions? I know you had a really hard hit at Chicagoland.

Skinner: I had a few really bad ones at Texas, Chicagoland, got knocked out in a test at Kentucky and had a horrible one at Atlanta. I had a really bad one at Michigan where a shock came off and punctured the tire. I had six or seven not minor concussions, but pretty major concussions. I had a vertebrate sore in my neck a couple of times, broke my scapula a few times, had a punctured lung, elbow, arm, knees, ankles and if you name it, I’ve had it broken or torn.

I broke both my shoulders, both biceps. I just got beat up so bad before we started to use the HANS device [head and neck restraint] and having the walls a little softer. I was just very lucky. I was lucky that I got to keep going as long as I did. It was definitely one of those things where it was time for me to hang it up because, like the doctors said, they didn’t know if you can take two more or one more hit for you to might not ever be normal again.

Wolkin: Do you feel that this is something drivers forget about nowadays – the injury risk that can occur, such as the whole Kyle Busch incident?

Skinner: In disguise, this could have been the best thing that has ever happened to Kyle Busch. I think Kyle Busch has done a lot of growing up with this injury. You see him racing differently. I have always said that if Kyle Busch starts racing smart, he is going to be the guy to beat every week. I really think he has matured with all of this stuff that he has gone through with physical therapy and everything.

Getting back to my situation, I took about a year and the next thing I knew, I was doing things for this non-profit organization called Hope for the Warriors, consulting some other drivers, doing some training and road course instruction for other drivers. The last few years, I was at Goodwood, and we broke the all-time track record that Rusty Wallace had held for six years. We put a lot of effort into that and we beat RCR, Michael Waltrip and about four or five of the larger teams. This year, we went back there and broke my own record.

It’s fun to know that I haven’t lost the ability to drive a racecar. I own a small business with both of my sons. We have a racing business that we do instruction at for the Late Model Stock level and with vintage cars. We’re just having a blast.

Wolkin: What was it like to get back in a truck at Goodwood and find so much speed?Skinner: It was pretty darn awesome. I was never the type of driver that has to retrain himself to be a winner. I had to knock the cobwebs off. It was awesome over there with my family and my good friend Andrew Franzone, who basically funds the thing and is my partner in it.

Wolkin: You host a radio show with your wife on Sirius XM Radio. What do you attempt to convey to fans in the show?

Skinner: Basically, my position in the Skinner Round-Up is, I’m the guy that is still current enough in the sport to know what is going on. We call crew chiefs, they talk to me, and we speak in nearly the same language to understand the engineering side of it. When NASCAR comes up with a new rules package or a different downforce package – I’ve been in the wind tunnel numerous times – so I can relate that to our race fans in a manner that a normal gear head or race fan can understand it.

Angie is a professional and a really good radio host. She basically steers the ship, and when we get questions that need a little bit more of a technical answer, I’m the guy that can do that. We stay current and keep up with what is going on with the drivers, crews and crew chiefs just enough that we feel like it is pretty good radio.

Wolkin: How often do you get to the racetrack?

Skinner: I probably go to six-to-eight races a year.

Wolkin: What tracks do you prefer to go to?

Skinner: Normally, we go to Indianapolis. We didn’t go to it this year. We go to New Hampshire, Bristol, Daytona, Texas a lot, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Homestead. Every once in a while, we’ll go to a Pocono or somewhere else like that. I hate that Nashville shut down because I loved going down there. I have friends in the music business down there. We go when we have a reason to go. Angie basically manages Ryan Newman, so when she has meetings with potential sponsors or clients that they already have in place on the Ryan Newman side of it, she’ll go and sometimes I’ll go with her.

Wolkin: What is the one thing you miss the most about racing in NASCAR?

Skinner: I think one of the main things I miss is I was a guy that didn’t mind traveling. I loved going to the racetrack and I loved doing my job. I loved meeting fans and seeing small kids having their eyes light up to get your autograph and sit in your racecar. That part of it I miss. Probably the biggest thing I miss about it is being competitive. That’s why Goodwood is so special to me when we get to do that. I run a Late Model race every now and then.

I’m going to do some vintage races next year. We might even get some vintage races in by the end of this year. The competitor still comes out of me. I love to play golf and I’m very competitive at it, but I’m not nearly as good of a golfer as I was a racecar driver. One of the hardest things about it is I’m probably a better racecar driver today than I ever have been. The problem is, I’m too old to do anything about it. It takes the physical and mental side to be successful in it.

Wolkin: Your last race was Michigan in 2012 in a start-and-park ride for Phil Parsons Racing. At the time, did you believe that was going to be the final time you strapped behind the wheel for a race?

Skinner: I really didn’t because I had made the Brickyard for a team that had no chance in hell of making the Brickyard. I committed suicide in that car and put up a lap good enough to get them in the show. That gentleman promised me that we were going to do some other races, and then he just basically crapped on me. Whenever there were about 44 cars at the track, he would stick somebody else in there that was a lot cheaper than me. It just put such a sour taste in my mouth that it was like man, this is just not me. I want to be known for being Dale Earnhardt, Sr.’s teammate, being Rookie of the Year, all of the Japan wins, the non-points wins, the Truck Series championship, and beating and banging with Ron Hornaday. That’s what I want to be remembered for. I don’t want to be remembered as the guy that start-and-parked cars because I was a good qualifier.

Wolkin: Did you have offers to race after that event?

Skinner: I have actually had several. It didn’t happen this year, but normally every year, I get a phone call before Eldora because I won three dirt track championships before I came back east and started racing on asphalt. Everybody always wants me because I am a past champion to race at Eldora just in case they need that champion’s provisional. I turned it down every time. The last guy I said, “Listen buddy, if you want me to drive your stuff and put me in good enough stuff that I can go win the race, I’ll be there with bells on. If you’re worried about not making the show, you don’t need me. I’m not your guy.”

Wolkin: What was the most difficult part about not being able to find sponsorship in the latter stages of your career?

Skinner: We were actually able to find sponsorship, and our last ownership deal with the whole David Dollar and Randy Moss thing was just a horrible experience. Those guys ran off one of the best sponsors and longest running sponsors that anybody has ever had in the Camping World Truck Series. They basically botched it up. We had a horrible team that couldn’t make races. I won three races for them and finished third in points. I kind of got the team back on the map because that was a great team at one time. In between seasons, when Eric Phillips walked out the door and went to work with Kyle Busch Motorsports, I knew it was going to be the end of that team. I hung it out for a little while and it was just a disaster. Start-and-parking in the Cup Series and making 10 grand for going to work for a couple of days was OK because it was good money. But to go and race 25th in the Truck Series – no interest. If I’m not going to be running in the top 5 in the Truck Series, I don’t need to be out there.

Wolkin: What exactly happened with the whole Randy Moss thing? How did the team collapse when Eric Phillips left for Kyle Busch’s team?

Skinner: Basically, David Dollar went back to running the team and it was a disaster. Eric Phillips ran the team and did a really good job. Eric Phillips is a quiet guy that is very intelligent. We were building great racecars and Randy was a sports figure that just wanted to own a race team. I don’t think he ever understood it. I think he thought the Brinks truck was going to come to the door and start dumping money at the door because of Randy’s name. I don’t blame Randy Moss for any of the demise of the team. It was just really bad management.

(Photo: A2B Strategies)

When Eric Phillips walked out the door, that was pretty much it. They ran Todd Bodine and Travis Kvapil again. Travis ran that thing – and I love Travis to death and he’s a good driver, a champion – but when he got back in that truck, it started running where it should have been running. I was running in the top 5 and top 10 with it and he was running 25th. As great of a driver as he is, he should’ve been running in the top 10 with that ride. I guess the point is that it just continued to go downhill after I left. That was an easy decision for me to walk away from that deal.

Wolkin: Was there something in the sport that changed that you feel did not work in your favor?

Skinner: Not really. I think the biggest mistakes that I made – in matter of fact, the way they are now better suit me than they did when it was the COT car – in ’99 and 2000, we were sitting on poles and leading the most laps and having batteries fall out, have an alternator quit and we had some races dominated. We had a sway bar arm fall off while leading the race at Martinsville. We had so many stupid mechanical things go wrong. We had their asses severely whipped at Atlanta and had a stupid rod bolt break. They don’t break rod bolts in these engines anymore. We had really weird menagerie of stuff that happened to us that kept us from Victory Lane. But there wasn’t really anything in the sport I don’t think that tarnished my career.

The biggest thing that tarnished my career was me. When I got hurt, I tried to drive that racecar at a Sprint Cup level while I was hurt. I wasn’t only physically hurt, I was mentally hurt. That’s impossible. Nobody has ever been able to do it. I was probably the 80th guy to try to do it and probably the 80th guy that failed at it.

You can’t do it at the top level. You can’t ask a quarterback to go out there and throw the football with a broken arm. When you are physically beat up, you have no chance to be competitive. I tried to do that, and if I had to do it all over again, I would’ve stepped out of the car like Kyle Busch instead of coming back earlier. He made sure he was 100 percent before he came back in there. He made a statement by saying that his first race back – other than a heat race – was going to be a 600-mile race. That is something that I have to admire him for. He was smart enough to stay out of the car long enough to heal, so when he came back, he had a chance to win. That’s what I did wrong.

Skinner breaks own record at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Shown is the truck Mike Skinner raced in the Goodwood
Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England.
Photo courtesy of Mike Skinner

Wire Reports 
Published: Monday, June 29, 2015 at 9:12 p.m. 
Last Modified: Monday, June 29, 2015 at 9:35 p.m.

Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner broke his own record time for the NASCAR class of competition Sunday at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England.

After damaging his primary truck Saturday afternoon, Skinner entered the final round of competition driving the 10th Toyota Tundra racecar ever built. He paced the race against the clock for the NASCAR division to beat the record time he set in 2014 by more than half-a-second and was identified as the "Driver Of The Day,'' making for a storybook ending for the American NASCAR driver on his birthday.

"I love participating in the Goodwood Festival of Speed," Skinner said. "To set the record-time for the second year in a row is very special for us. We knew we had a bulls-eye on our back this year, so to be able to come back and still come out on top means a lot to our group. We couldn't do this without the support of great partners like Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft, Remington and Toyota, and I'm happy that we were able to represent them in Victory Lane."

Participating in his fifth Goodwood Festival of Speed event, Skinner had to overcome adversity throughout the weekend en route to his record setting run. He originally was slated to compete in the No. 5 Cessna / Remington Toyota Tundra, but that truck sustained competition-ending damage when it made contact with the chicane during his Saturday morning practice run. Skinner's teammate and business partner, Andrew Franzone, handed over the wheel of his historic Toyota Tundra entry to enable Skinner to make a timed-run in the final round of competition Sunday afternoon. 

Climbing back in the truck he nicknamed "Old Faithful," Skinner recorded a 50.22-second lap to improve his 2014 record time by more than half-a-second. In a tight competition, Skinner's small team, composed of Chris Paulsen of C&R Racing, and Jamie and Dustin Skinner of Racecar Solutions, brought home a 0.05-second win against some of the most successful teams in NASCAR. The effort earned Skinner the "Driver Of The Day" title for the first time in his Goodwood career.

The victory was made possible through joint partnerships with Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft, Remington, Venus Manhattan / Los Angeles Galleries, Sentinel Real Estate Corporation, Forbes Private Capital Group, Maui Jim, Justin Boots, Charlie 1 Horse Hat Company, WIX Filters, C&R Racing and Racecar Solutions.

"I can't thank Andrew Franzone enough for backing our effort as our team owner," Skinner said. "He was doing a great job driving our historic Toyota Tundra in the hill climb. However, when things went awry with our primary truck, he graciously stepped aside to let me behind the wheel. The weekend didn't exactly go as planned, but it certainly made for a great story, and made our second win at Goodwood that much more special."

Hosted by Lord March at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England, the 22nd annual event featured every kind of car imaginable from the 1800s through today and attracted some of the most accomplished drivers in motorsports.

"Lord March throws the best party I've ever been to in my life," Skinner said. "He's a class act. He opens his home to all of us for this great event, to compete and have a good time, and look at so much beautiful mechanical art. I'm already looking forward to the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed."

Mike Skinner Breaks His Own Record at Goodwood Festival of Speed

 

1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Named “Driver of the Day” for the

2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed

WEST SUSSEX, England (June 29, 2015) – Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Mike Skinner was back to his winning ways on Sunday as he broke his own record time for the NASCAR class of competition at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed. After damaging his primary truck on Saturday afternoon, Skinner entered the final round of competition driving the 10th Toyota Tundra racecar ever built. He paced the race against the clock for the NASCAR division to beat the record time he set in 2014 by more than half-a-second and was identified as the “Driver Of The Day” at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed, making for a storybook ending for the American NASCAR driver on his birthday.

“I love participating in the Goodwood Festival of Speed,” Skinner said. “To set the record-time for the second year in a row is very special for us. We knew we had a bulls-eye on our back this year, so to be able to come back and still come out on top means a lot to our group. We couldn’t do this without the support of great partners like Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft, Remington and Toyota, and I’m happy that we were able to represent them in victory lane.”

Participating in his fifth Goodwood Festival of Speed event, Skinner had to overcome adversity throughout the weekend en route to his record setting run. Skinner was originally slated to compete in the No. 5 Cessna / Remington Toyota Tundra, but that truck sustained competition-ending damage when it made contact with the chicane during Skinner’s Saturday morning practice run. As a result, Skinner’s teammate and business partner, Andrew Franzone handed over the wheel of his historic Toyota Tundra entry to enable Skinner to make a timed-run in the final round of competition on Sunday afternoon.

Climbing back in the truck he nicknamed “Old Faithful,” Skinner recorded a 50.22-second lap to improve his 2014 record time by more than half-a-second. In a tight competition, Skinner’s small team, composed of Chris Paulsen of C&R Racing, and Jamie and Dustin Skinner of Racecar Solutions, brought home a 0.05-second win against some of the most successful teams in NASCAR. The effort earned Skinner the “Driver Of The Day” title for the first time in his Goodwood career.

The victory was made possible through joint partnerships with Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft, Remington, Venus Manhattan / Los Angeles Galleries, Sentinel Real Estate Corporation, Forbes Private Capital Group, Maui Jim, Justin Boots, Charlie 1 Horse Hat Company, WIX Filters, C&R Racing and Racecar Solutions.

“I can’t thank Andrew Franzone enough for backing our effort as our team owner,” Skinner said. “He was doing a great job driving our historic Toyota Tundra in the hill climb. However, when things went awry with our primary truck, he graciously stepped aside to let me behind the wheel. The weekend didn’t exactly go as planned, but it certainly made for a great story, and made our second win at Goodwood that much more special.”

Hosted by Lord March at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England, the 22nd annual event featured every kind of car imaginable from the 1800s through today and attracted some of the most accomplished drivers in motorsports.

“Lord March throws the best party I’ve ever been to in my life,” Skinner said. “He’s a class act. He opens his home to all of us for this great event, to compete and have a good time, and look at so much beautiful mechanical art. I’m already looking forward to the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed.”

###

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ashleigh Aungst

A2B Strategies for Mike Skinner Enterprises

Mobile: 717.222.0664

Email: Ashleigh@A2BStrategiesLLC.com

Skinner looks for more success at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Shown is the truck Mike Skinner will race in the Goodwood
Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, the next four days.
Photo courtesy of Mike Skinner

By Jeff Wilen
jeff.wilen@news-jrnl.com

Published: Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 6:19 p.m. 

Last Modified: Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 6:51 p.m.

Semi-retired and back in Daytona Beach full-time, Mike Skinner is staying busy.

Through Sunday, Skinner is taking part in the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England.

Skinner is the only driver representing the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He will have two trucks.

“We love to come here and represent NASCAR and the Camping World Truck Series,” Skinner said by email Thursday. “However, the reason that we chose to bring a truck again was purely because of the history of Bill Davis Racing and Toyota and what we were able to do in that time period.

“The trucks have a lot of downforce, so they're a lot of fun to drive, and they're a lot of fun to drive up the hill.”

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual event on the grounds of Goodwood House. It features a variety of former racing vehicles, including Formula One cars and NASCAR stock cars.

This is Skinner's fifth time at the event. Last year, he shattered the long-standing record time set by Rusty Wallace, completing the 1.16-mile hill-climb course in just 50.75 seconds.

“We outran the Sprint Cup cars, and we realized that we now have a large bull's-eye on our back now,” said Skinner, who between 1986-2012 ran in all three of NASCAR's main circuits. “They put a lot of effort into their programs this year.

“It was an honor to break Wallace's record that had stood for the last six years, and I'm sure that our record will be broken, too — if not this year, then sometime. It was pretty cool to be that little mark in history here.”

In an exhibition run, Skinner's friend and business partner, Andrew Franzone, will drive the No. 5 Toyota Tundra paint scheme Skinner drove from 2004-08. Franzone owns the trucks, and will be driving the truck that set the record time last year.

“We've done a lot of work with Andrew on road-course instruction through Race Car Solutions,” Skinner said. “It's a great hobby for him, so it'll be really cool for me to see the truck go back up the hill and know that the guy driving it has been a tremendous support for our effort.”

Franzone's truck delivered the first NASCAR win for Toyota, with Travis Kvapil behind the wheel at Michigan International Speedway in 2004.

“It's very historic, so we didn't want to change anything on it,” Skinner said. “It's basically just like it raced.

In his timed run, Skinner will drive a similarly painted truck driven to the 2008 championship by Johnny Benson.

“I have no sentimental value to that truck, so we really worked hard on that truck and modified it a lot,” Skinner said. “It could never be an original anymore. We tried to lighten it up and tried to make it faster. Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft and Remington came on board to help us try to defend our record with that truck.”

Skinner also will bring back the Skinner Round-Up charity event to Volusia County in October. The event will raise money for the Council on Aging.

“It's great to be back in Daytona,” Skinner said. “My kids and grandkids are all in Daytona. My wife, Angie, and I spent a lot of time in Volusia County. When we moved to Statesville (North Carolina), it was just for a very short period of time. But we missed Florida, so we came back.

“Council on Aging is a very important charity for us that is dear to our hearts, as well as Halifax Health. Local charities for us are a way to give back to our community and to also be connected to the county and state that we love.” 

But for now, Skinner's focus is in England.

“It's a dream come true for me to be semi-retired, get to work with my two sons and have a partner like Andrew who has made it possible for all this to come together.

“Andrew loves mechanical art, and we love to build mechanical art. So it's a win-win for both of us.”

Mike Skinner to Compete at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

 

1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Looks to Improve his 2014 Record Time in the NASCAR Division with NASCAR Camping World Truck Entry
 

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (June 9, 2015) – Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) champion Mike Skinner will return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the fifth time in his career. Looking to improve the record time he set on the course in 2014, Skinner will return to this year’s Festival with a Toyota Tundra truck in the NASCAR class.

“The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of my favorite events,” Skinner said. “It’s so iconic, and it brings together the best drivers and cars from all forms of motorsports. By itself, it’s a very special event to be a part of, but the way that we do it makes it even more special to me. My sons come along and work as mechanics on our trucks, and we have a group of partners that have become close friends to my wife Angie and me—it’s like a big family. To be able to represent not only those companies, but also NASCAR as a whole, makes me very proud. We’ve spent a lot of time over the last 12 months building a bad ass truck, and we hope to go out there and improve on the record we set last year.”

Skinner, along with good friend and business partner Andrew Franzone will return to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with two trucks, both carrying the No. 5 that represented so much success throughout Skinner’s NCWTS career. The team’s first truck will run the historic No. 5 Toyota Tundra paint scheme that Skinner raced in the NCWTS from 2004-2008. After Skinner used the truck in 2014 to break the record time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the team will return with the same truck this year. This time, Franzone will be behind the wheel as the historic No. 5 makes its run. 

“I’ve worked with Andrew quite a bit on his road course and oval track training,” Skinner continued. “He’s come a long way in the two years that we’ve worked together, and I’m excited to watch him run at this year’s Festival.”

The team’s second truck running the No. 5 paint scheme will showcase partnerships with Textron Aviation, Cessna, Beechcraft, Remington, Venus Manhattan / Los Angeles Galleries, Sentinel Real Estate Corporation, Forbes Private Capital Group, Maui Jim, Justin Boots, Charlie 1 Horse Hat Company, C&R Racing and Racecar Solutions. Additionally, a special decal for Hope For The Warriors will showcase the charitable organization that both Skinner and Franzone support. Prepared by Skinner and his two sons, Jamie and Dustin, Skinner will be piloting this second No. 5 machine and gunning for another record-setting time in the NASCAR class on the hill climb course. Both Toyota No. 5 trucks were purchased from Skinner’s former NCWTS team owner Bill Davis.

“Andrew Franzone has been so great backing this effort as our team owner,” Skinner said. “To have his support on this deal for the second year in a row has been a lot of fun. Likewise, I’ve worked with so many great companies over the years, and I’m thrilled to have several of them join us in our efforts like Maui Jim, Justin Boots and Charlie 1 Horse, and C&R Racing. Meanwhile, it will be our first year working with Cessna, Beechcraft and Remington at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but I think they’re in for a big treat and we’re looking forward to hosting them.”

In 2014, Skinner broke the record time for a NASCAR stock car to win the NASCAR division at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed also driving for team owner Andrew Franzone. Racing the 10th Toyota Tundra stock car ever built, Skinner paced the eight-car race against the clock to shatter the record formerly held by Rusty Wallace, and he completed the 1.16-mile hill climb in just 50.75 seconds. 

Hosted by Lord March at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England, the 22nd annual event will feature every kind of car imaginable from the 1800s through today and will attract some of the most accomplished drivers in motorsports. From the NASCAR garage, this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will also feature NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars from Richard Childress Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing. Additionally, Richard Petty, “The King”, will showcase his famous Plymouth Superbird. This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place June 25-28, 2015. Follow @MStheGunslinger on Twitter, or @SkinnerRoundUp on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram for news and updates throughout the event.
###

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ashleigh Aungst
A2B Strategies for Mike Skinner Enterprises
Mobile: 717.222.0664
Email: Ashleigh@A2BStrategiesLLC.com