Mike Skinner Shares Hope from Victory Lane at New Smyrna Speedway

Mike Skinner kicked off Hope For The Warriors® 2016 Drive For Hope program with a win on Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Driving the No. 5 American Auto / Hope For The Warriors / Management Resource Systems pro late model, Skinner drove a dominating race leading all but three laps en route to the checkered flag.

 

Now retired from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), Skinner returned to late model competition for the first time in approximately a decade to finish second in practice before recording the fastest qualifying lap of the evening. Skinner rolled off in the fourth position for the Zack Donatti Memorial 100 after a field inversion set the final starting order. The 1995 NCWTS Champion quickly claimed the lead, taking over the top spot by just the fourth lap. A series of mid-to-late restarts led to several challenges for the front spot; however, Skinner ultimately held the lead on each restart to finish the evening in Victory Lane.

 

With the generosity of Skinner’s team owner, Andrew Franzone, and sponsors Mike Swaim of Management Resource Systems and EJ Wilcoxon of American Auto, Skinner’s race at New Smyrna Speedway served as the kick-off event for the Hope For The Warriors’ 2016 Drive for Hope program. Hope For The Warriors is a national military nonprofit focused on restoring self, family and hope for post-9/11 service members, veterans, and military families. Advancing Hope For The Warriors’ mission, the Drive For Hope program specifically targets service members in transition, and introduces them to prospective career opportunities as they work to navigate the transition to civilian life. In 2015, the Drive For Hope program incorporated more than 25 NASCAR, ARCA and late model racing events.

 

“Saturday night’s race was such a fun and special night for me,” said Skinner. “I had a lot of family members and friends come together to make the night possible, but they didn’t just get behind me, they actually got behind Hope For The Warriors. It was really important to everyone in the group to include this race as a part of the Drive For Hope program, so our team owner Andrew Franzone, EJ Wilcoxon at American Auto and Mike Swaim at Management Resource Systems asked what we would need to make this race possible for Hope For The Warriors, and then joined forces to make it happen. I’m honored to have been able to participate in the Drive For Hope program, to help bring it back to its roots and to kick off the 2016 season.  Our service members are the real American heroes, so it means a lot to me to be able to help support them while doing something that I love.”

 

To learn more about Hope For The Warriors, or to make a contribution to support the Drive For Hope and several other great programs offered by the organization, visit HopeForTheWarriors.org. Gifts may be made online, by phone at 877-246-7349, or by mail to 5101C Backlick Road, Annandale, VA 22003. Text the word WARRIORS to 20222 to donate.