Mike Skinner (racing driver)
Michael Curtis Skinner (born June 28, 1957) is an American former stock car racing driver. He has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and he was the first ever champion of the latter in 1995. He has most recently driven the No. 98 Ford Fusion for Phil Parsons Racing in the Cup Series. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie Skinner and Dustin Skinner. He was born in Susanville, California.
Mike Skinner
Skinner appeared as the test driver for the first series of The Grand Tour. He was known as "The American," in humorous contrast to the main presenters, who are British.[1]
Racing career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Skinner began his racing career at Susanville Speedway in the 1970s in a Plymouth Road Runner and at various California dirt tracks, winning three championships. He soon moved to North Carolina and worked as a crew member for Rusty Wallace and at Petty Enterprises. In 1986, he made his NASCAR debut in the Winston Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Pontiac for the Zanworth Racing Team, and had a best finish of 22nd in three starts. The following year, he made his Busch Series debut at Darlington Raceway, finishing 27th in the No. 0 Hunt Tire-sponsored Oldsmobile. He did not compete in NASCAR again until 1990, when he drove the No. 13 Glidden Paints-sponsored Buick for Mansion Motorsports at North Carolina Speedway, finishing 35th with rear end failure. He ran four races for Dixon over the next two years, before running one race in 1993 for Jimmy Means.
In 1994, Skinner began racing late models for Gene Petty, and won a local track championship. He and Petty also began racing in the Busch Series in the No. 88, winning one pole in the Kentucky Fried Chicken-sponsored Chevrolet, but failing to finish a race.