NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Skinner was running fifth with less than 10 laps remaining, when third-place Matt Crafton spun second-place Todd Bodine in turn one to bring out a caution. On the ensuing restart, Crafton bumped race leader Ron Hornaday, causing another caution as Skinner slipped by Johnny Sauter for second.

NASCAR black-flagged Crafton for aggressive driving and Skinner -- who inherited the lead -- held off Sauter during the ‘green-white-checkered’ finish for the win. Skinner led once for the final six (of 162) laps in the Randy Moss Motorsports No. 5 PC Miler Navigator Tundra en route to victory lane.

“We’re just trying to win races,” said Skinner, following the race. “I’ll tell you, I can’t thank Toyota enough and the Tundra brand for letting me drive this truck. I’ve lost a bunch of these things with a truck that should’ve won. Today, I won one with a truck that should’ve lost. I just applaud NASCAR for putting a stop to wrecking the leader to win races. They have to stop it sooner or later. I could’ve done that twice this year and I decided not to. Today it paid dividends for me.”

It was the second-straight win for Skinner, who also was victorious last weekend at Iowa Speedway. The Susanville, Calif.-native won earlier in 2009 at Kansas (April 27). It is also the fourth-consecutive NCWTS win for Toyota, the 10th of the season and 61st since the manufacturer joined series competition in 2004.

Brian Scott (third), Aric Almirola (fourth) and Tayler Malsam (fifth) also posted top-five finishes for Toyota on Saturday. For Scott, it marks his seventh top-five finish of the season.

Tundra drivers Timothy Peters (seventh), Stacy Compton (eighth), Brian Ickler (15th), David Starr (16th), Todd Bodine (18th), Terry Cook (21st) and T.J. Bell (24th) were also in the field.

With the victory, Skinner cut into Hornaday’s NCWTS points lead, trailing by 213 points in third place in the unofficial standings. Tundra drivers Scott (fourth), Bodine (fifth), Starr (seventh) and Peters (eighth) are also in the top-10 in points after 18 of 25 races.

The NCWTS returns to action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sept. 19.

Toyota NCWTS Driver Finishing Positions at Gateway
1st, MIKE SKINNER
3rd, BRIAN SCOTT
4th, ARIC ALMIROLA
5th, TAYLER MALSAM
7th, TIMOTHY PETERS
8th, STACY COMPTON
15th, BRIAN ICKLER
16th, DAVID STARR
18th, TODD BODINE
21st, TERRY COOK
24th, T.J. BELL

Toyota Drivers in NCWTS Point Standings -- following Gateway**
3rd, MIKE SKINNER 2,662 points
4th, BRIAN SCOTT 2,457 points
5th, TODD BODINE 2,389 points
7th, DAVID STARR 2,310 points
8th, TIMOTHY PETERS 2,307 points
11th, TAYLER MALSAM 2,289 points
12th, STACY COMPTON 2,273 points
13th, TERRY COOK 2,245 points
16th, T.J. BELL 2,012 points
** unofficial point standings