Mike Skinner has quietly cracked the top 10 in points.

Skinner on hot streak entering Memphis

Mike Skinner has not been able to win this year, and that is probably why most people haven't noticed the streak he's carrying into this weekend's event at Memphis.

The Craftsman Truck Series readies for its third short track event of the season on Saturday night, but Skinner's Toyota hasn't excelled on the bullrings in 2005.

2005 CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES •   Results •   Standings •   Schedule •   Best 25 Over Last Six Races •   Best Starts •   Best Finishes

"My guys have been working overtime trying to get our short track program where it needs to be," Skinner said. "I think we have really learned some things in the past five or six weeks with our bodies, which are going to help us at places like Memphis."

Skinner failed to finish two of the first three races this year, and those DNFs will probably come back to haunt him.

In the 10 races since those DNFs, Skinner has reeled off five top-five finishes, sending him from 28th to eighth in the points.

Walking in Memphis Track .75 mile Corner banking 11 degrees Staightaway banking 4 degrees Race length 200 laps, 150 miles

"My guys have really been on their game, and things are really starting to go our way. "We need to play off this momentum and keep trying to get as many points as we can each week."

Skinner has led 30 percent of the total laps completed by the Craftsman Truck Series since the event at Texas.

"My guys give me great pit stops every week, which makes my job a lot easier," Skinner said. "When they put you out front, you can't complain."

Qualifying is vital at Memphis. In the seven races held there since the Craftsman Truck Series started racing there in 1998, all of them have been won from a top-five starting spot.

Strangely, five of the seven winners at Memphis were current or former champions in the series, and no driver has more than one win there.