Skinner to drive US Army Pontiac from Indy.

Mike Skinner has been named to drive the #01 US Army Pontiac for MB2 Motorsports for the next four races, beginning with this weekend's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.

Skinner will take over driving duties from Mike Wallace, who has substituted for the injured Jerry Nadeau since the Winston Open at Lowe's Motor Speedway in mid-May. Road racing specialist Boris Said, who drove the US Army car to a sixth place finish at Sears Point, will take over again at Watkins Glen for the 10 August event, but otherwise Skinner appears to have a chance to establish himself in the seat.

"Mike has agreed to drive for us at least through Darlington," Jay Frye, the team's CEO and general manager, "The team seems to have lost a little momentum since Sonoma, but hopefully Mike will help get us back on the right track. His record of success speaks for itself."

Skinner was the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion in 1995, and the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rookie of the year. He finished tenth in the 1999 Winston Cup standings and was twelfth overall in 2000. He also won one of the Gatorade 125 qualifying events for the 2001 Daytona 500, but was released from his ride with the famous #4 Morgan McClure Motorsports Kodak entry after using up the team's quota of provisional starts by the mid point of the 2003 season.

"I'm very excited that the team chose me to help them out," said Skinner of his US Army opportunity, "My goal, first and foremost, is to help Jerry's recovery. We want him back in the US Army Pontiac but, speaking from experience, getting back in the car before you are 100 per cent isn't the best thing to do for anyone.

"Hopefully, therefore, I can help take a little pressure off of Jerry, so he can recover at his own pace. I want to get his team back on its feet, and maybe even give them a win - that would be an added bonus for all of us."