The No. 5 Toyota Tundra team headed to “The Magic Mile” under new leadership: veteran crew chief Doug Richert has joined the No. 5 team. With a new leader sitting atop the pit box, driver Mike Skinner and the No. 5 team were excited about returning to the one-mile [Loudon] New Hampshire Motor Speedway and were hoping to continue their top-10 tear. The team leads all other NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams in top-10 finishes this season, and it hoped to earn its 15th top-10 finish Saturday afternoon.
The team unloaded the flamed No. 5 Toyota Tundra Friday morning for the practice sessions, and Skinner was soon pleased with the way his truck was handling. He told Richert that the truck handled a little loose in the gas, but his entry to the corners was really stable. The team made shock and spring changes in an attempt to tighten the handling. With each trip onto the track, Skinner reported that the crew was gaining on a good setup, and the truck was reacting well to the changes being made. By the end of the second and final practice session, Skinner said the truck was good, and he was looking forward to the race Saturday afternoon.
The field was lined up by Craftsman Truck Series Owners’ points after rain washed out the qualifying session, and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra took the green flag in the sixth spot. Skinner immediately told his crew the truck was tight in the center of both corners. Richert explained to his driver that the handling would loosen as the tires gained heat. Skinner broke into the top five by lap 20 and was running lap times and good as those of the leader.
Skinner was battling for the fourth spot on lap 48 when he was tagged from behind by the No. 9 machine. The contact sent both trucks into the outside wall, causing significant damage to the No. 5 Toyota Tundra. Skinner rolled down the pit lane under caution so the crew could assess the damage. The crew quickly repaired the damage to the rear of the truck and returned its driver to the track on the lead lap.
Skinner restarted the race in the 25th spot and knew he had his work cut out to get his Tundra to the front of the field. The 1995 Craftsman Truck Series Champion spent the remainder of the 200-lap race battling to pick up as many positions as he could. He brought his tattered truck home in the 15th spot.
The No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The race can be seen live on Speed Channel at 9:30 EST, Saturday, Sept. 20.
