despite rumors floating around, NASCAR.com reports that after #4-Mike Skinner’s 11th place run at Darling, team owner Larry McClure was able to put to rest rumors that circulated in the Darlington garage that Skinner was on his way out as driver of the #4 Kodak Pontiac. “We’re not looking at anybody else,” McClure said. “I’ve heard everybody questioning this, that and everything else. Look, every week that goes by I question what I do and what everybody else here has done. If you don’t win, you’d better do that.” Skinner ended 2002, his first season with MMM, 31st in points with a single top-10 finish. But McClure shuffled the deck by bringing in veteran mechanic Tony Furr as competition director and switching manufacturers, to Pontiac. “We’ve been behind and trying to catch up,” McClure said. “Mike’s a good race car driver and he can help us get there. Everybody’s just got to be focused. I’m not out here looking for another race car driver. Tony Furr came over here and we only had about three or four cars started and he’s made an impact. We’re going to keep going. I think everything’s going good. As far as saying that Mike’s not going to be here — I’m not going to say that. All I’m saying is we’ve got to perform. Let me tell you how this deal works,” McClure said. “Everybody that works on that race car is in jeopardy because we’ve got to perform. Whatever opportunity is in front of us, we’ve got to perform. Well, we got an 11th place finish, but we all knew we were capable of better.( NASCAR.com )(3-17-2003)
