NASCAR veteran slams current generation of Cup Series drivers

Former NASCAR driver Mike Skinner has criticized the current generation of Cup Series drivers, claiming that they aren't 'men' and that the sport needs more rivalries.

The 68-year-old raced in all three national NASCAR racing series during his career, which included competing in 286 Cup Series races.

Although winless in the Cup Series, Skinner did achieve six pole positions and 39 top 10 finishes in NASCAR's top division, and he did take victories in the Busch (now Xfinity) and Truck Series, the latter of which he also won a championship in.

Now, speaking on FOX Sports, Skinner has revealed that whilst he loves the racing in the modern-day NASCAR, he isn't a fan of the drivers and their rivalries with one another.

“I think the racing today is really good,” Skinner explained. “I love this car that they have in the Cup Series."

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Mike Skinner: Cup Series drivers aren't 'men' anymore

Skinner continued: “I love the way the trucks are, the trucks you can still work on,"

"You can still get a little bit of an aero advantage if you work really, really hard. I really, really love it."

“But," Skinner continued, in ‘95 and ‘96, we had men. They don't have men anymore.

"They have a lot of guys that are really high technical, their fitness program is impeccable now today, but they fall out of the seat way more than we probably did and it's insane that with all the tools they have in the toolbox, it's that hard.

"But they're little guys, they're smaller guys. And we're finding out all the time that the smaller frame and the less weight you have and the shorter you are, you're like a jockey. Kyle Larson should win every race, right?"

Skinner added: "It's really crazy, I absolutely have become a huge fan and I love our racing now,"

"But we need more of those rivalries."

Turning to Harvick himself, Skinner admitted that he enjoyed watching him go up against his rivals, even claiming that it gave Harvick an edge during his career.

"You had rivalries all the time, it was fun to watch, and you just had to know how to take you," Skinner continued.

"You would play games and you were really good at it and it gave you an advantage at times. We don't see enough of that, in my opinion, today.

"Although I got to be careful, I love our racing and I love our sport."

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