NASCAR WCUP: Mike Skinner Post Race Quotes, Virginia 500

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 9, 2001

Mike Skinner, No. 31 Lowe's Chevrolet Monte Carlo (finished 32nd): "The gas mileage was a lot better in the Lowe's Chevy than the water mileage today. The water temperature gauge started pegging not even one-third of the way through the race, so we kept coming down pit road to add water. We lost several laps because we had to pit under green. But if we hadn't, the engine would've blown up for sure. We think we had a cracked cylinder head that was pushing water out. It's pretty disappointing because our car was good. We made a few changes to the Lowe's Chevy at the beginning that really helped. We were going to have a good car today, but ended up trying not to blow up for hundreds of laps."

Pit Crew Injury Note: Kevin Gabard, front tire carrier on the No. 31 car was injured during a late race pit stop when a lose tire from the No. 9 car (Bill Elliott) rolled into the No. 31 pit. Gabard had just jumped off the wall and was running around the left side of the car when the tire clipped his left knee and sent him down to the ground. He has had ACL surgery on that knee more than once, and thinks he might have re-injured it. He was treated and released from the infield care center and will see his personal doctor first thing Monday morning.

Text provided by Nancy Wager

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