MIKE SKINNER CHATS UP SCOTT SPEED AFTER HIS MARTINSVILLE DEBUT

Q. Skinner: How did you feel about the "give and take" driving style racing with your competitors at Martinsville Speedway? A. Speed: I got abused out there for sure! I think I was giving a lot more than I was taking, just trying to figure out what I was doing. I'm used to driving Formula cars, where if you touch another car, something's going to break. It took me awhile to be okay with the fact that other trucks can run into me and I can run into them - and nothing breaks - you're still out there racing! This is a completely new world for me.

Q. Skinner: You've now raced the Truck on a short track where paybacks are a regular occurrence, and also a high speed track (Atlanta), where paybacks aren't appropriate. How does your racing style differ when you can't hand out paybacks? A. Speed: I still haven't run into anyone on purpose. I'm not really a payback type of racer. I don't carry grudges and I'm not emotional out on the track - I'm more methodical. I'm also here to learn and that means running as many laps as possible during a race. Why damage my car on purpose? I don't see myself pushing someone completely out of the way unless they do something to completely jack me over. No one is on my hit list that bad yet!

Q. Skinner: How hard was it to be patient during this race and wait for the competitor in front of you to make a mistake, so that you could get by him? A. Speed: I'm a pretty patient racer, so it wasn't hard for me at all. The thinking and planning part of racing comes pretty easy for me. What was interesting though, was when you (Skinner) came through the field and I moved over to give you room to pass. You stuck two fingers out the window net to say "thanks buddy." That's when I realized my grip on the steering wheel was way too tight! I loosened up right after that!

Q. Skinner: How do you feel racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is going to prepare you to eventually go Sprint Cup racing? A. Speed: I feel like I can't get a more direct comparison than racing in the Truck Series for two reasons. One, the Truck handles so much like the Cup car, that you can't get a better "test run" of a Cup car than that. Two, there are some great Cup drivers racing in the Truck Series, so I get to learn what its like to race against them, as well as some of the Truck Series veterans that are the best in their business.