Fain Skinner doesn’t take being from Suwannee County lightly. The third generation Suwannee County resident understands the privileges of living in a rural community and values the support of friends and family.

“It is great to have the kind of support a community such as Live Oak offers,” the easygoing Skinner said. “In a larger town, people don’t know who you are.”

Although he races in one of NASCAR’s premiere series, the Nationwide Series, Skinner would much rather be recognized as the father of two from Live Oak, who happens to race cars than the Nationwide race car driver who happens to be from Live Oak.

Locally, Skinner can be seen with his wife, Hannah, and their 16-month-old twin sons, Cale and Cole. Hannah is the daughter of Andy and Cheryl Jackson.

“When not at the track, I am either working or spending time with my family,” Skinner said.

The 26-year-old Skinner offers no embellishment when speaking of his racing accomplishments or his current status in the Nationwide Series. He remains true to himself and focused on the present, the future and his family. However, he values the experiences that have led him to this point in his life and takes nothing for granted.

“Still waters run deep,” Hannah said of Fain. “He doesn’t say a lot, but when he does it is calculated and meaningful.”

Hannah credits Fain’s determination to the influence of his parents. “They taught him that nothing worth having is ever going to be easy, which is why he’s not only driven and passionate about fulfilling his dream of having a career in NASCAR, but also working hard to continue the business his parents began over 25 years ago.” Hannah said.

After graduating from Lake City Community College, Skinner came home to the family business, Skinners Paint and Body Shop.

“Fain has an excellent work ethic,” Ronnie Skinner said of his son. “I was surprised at how fast he caught on to his responsibilities in the business.”

Skinner began his notable career as a racer when he was only nine. His parents, Ronnie and Sue Ellen Skinner, spent endless weekends carrying young Fain to tracks all across the United States racing go karts. They spent 43 weekends on the road in one year alone.

Through Skinner’s efforts, along with the support and commitment of his parents, he won over 100 feature races and two World Karting Association Grand-Nationals and was named the 1999 WKA National Champion. Skinner was also a four time Florida Karting Association Champion and was named the Florida-Georgia Karting Champion.

When Skinner turned 15, he began racing cars and a genuine fit was established.

“Fain had accomplished many things while racing karts and was comfortable, so the transition was natural for him,” Ronnie said.

Skinner’s accomplishments rapidly accumulated on the racetrack as a late model stock car driver. As his abilities in the race car developed, so did his work ethic, focus and commitment off the track.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more in him,” Ronnie said. “He’s everything I could imagine in a son and he has never caused any trouble.”

The story of Fain Skinner is much like a movie about a small town boy making it in the NASCAR world. He has grown and raced his way through the ranks, winning many feature races at local tracks over the past several years. In 2003, Skinner won the FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series Rookie of the Year. The following year, he was the winner of the FASCAR Sunbelt 125 in Ocala and in 2005, Skinner won the Sunbelt Series Fla. Championship Race 200 in Lakeland.

Finally, through the encouragement and support of friend and sponsor Kevin Keen of Carport Empire, Skinner seized the opportunity to run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this year. Although Skinner ran a part-time schedule during the 2011 season, it is a step in the right direction.

“My goal is to secure a full-time schedule in the Nationwide Series,” Skinner said.

With a thoughtful smile, Skinner acknowledges his desire to run full-time in the Nationwide Series, but he readily admits that his life off the track is fulfilling.

“As Fain’s wife, I’m lucky to see a lighter side of him that includes free-styling a nursery rhyme for Cale and Cole or wrestling around with them and our dogs after a long day at work,” Hannah said.

Off the track, Skinner is a polite, considerate young man who is conscious of his responsibilities as a father, husband and son. He goes to his day job, spends time with family and works on his late-model race cars with brother-in-law Jed Jackson. However, when he straps into a race car, he becomes focused on winning.

According to Skinner, competing in the Nationwide Series is more demanding on the body. The races are longer, the competition is more intense and the drivers sweat considerably while in the car. Perhaps one of Skinner’s greatest assets in preparing for races is that Hannah is a personal fitness trainer and encourages him to exercise.

“I like to run and have actually competed in a couple of 5K runs,” Skinner said.

In effort to stay physically fit, Skinner watches his diet and avoids fried foods. During the days leading up to a race, he consumes ample amounts of water.  

Skinner competed in his first Nationwide race on July 30, in the Kroger 200 at the Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Ind. In that debut race, Skinner started 34th and was able to score a 26th place finish.

The next Nationwide race Skinner entered was the Food City 250 on Aug. 26, in Tennessee, at the Bristol Motor Speedway. He started 41st in the race and at the end, he had worked up to 30th place. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Skinner’s run at Bristol was that he completed the event unscathed. That within itself was a victory at Bristol due to the track’s reputation for multiple wrecks and damaged race cars.

However, that weekend was bittersweet for Skinner. Although he was doing what he loves and doing it well, his family was back home mourning the loss of his grandmother, Loretta Jarvis.

Skinner climbed back into the number 39 Ford on Oct. 1, at Dover International Speedway, which is known as the Monster Mile, and began the race in 31st position. Skinner enjoyed his Nationwide career best finish of 23rd that day, and again, remained unscathed.

“I’ve been excited ever since we had that good run at Dover,” Skinner beamed with excitement. “It has been difficult to watch racing on television without wanting to be there.”

Skinner’s average starting position in his three Nationwide Series races has been 35th and his average finish is 26th. He has finished all three races and has been impressive in his abilities.

“It’s not just running around out there making laps,” Skinner said. “Everyone on the track is driving as hard as they can for position on every lap.”

According to Carport Empire President and Founder Kevin Keen, who is also a sponsor of the number 39 Go Green Racing Ford, Skinner is turning heads on the track and proving his ability.

“Fain is a young man with a serious passion for racing. He is quiet and considerate off the track. He’s a straight shooter who sets a good example and is a good father, but when he straps into a car, he has a glowing passion and is aggressive on the track,” Keen explained. “That is why I am on board with him.”

Keen emphasized that Skinner has learned a considerable amount this year and is earning respect in the Nationwide Series.

“He’s real good at that level and has a future there,” Keen said.

Skinner and Keen speak candidly of their respect for one another. In a time when racing sponsorship is difficult to secure, Skinner is grateful for Keen’s confidence in him.

“A racing sponsor usually needs to love and understand racing,” Skinner explained. “We have that in Kevin. He is a diamond in the rough.”

As Skinner and Keen prepared to leave for Homestead, Fla. on Wednesday, both men were ecstatic about the possibilities Saturday’s Ford 300 race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway offer.

“We’re going there with a new car and should be pretty competitive,” Keen said.

The Ford 300 will be the final race of the 2011 Nationwide season and is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. It can be viewed on ESPN2 and Skinner will be seen driving the black number 39 Carport Empire.com-Rimrock Design Ford.

According to Keen, the offseason will be busy, preparing for Daytona in February where Skinner will compete in both the ARCA and Nationwide races.

“We’re going to have some awesome equipment in Daytona,” Keen stated with enthusiasm. “Daytona has been our focus all along and we’ll be there to compete for the win.”

As Skinner closes out the 2011 Nationwide season in Homestead and opens the 2012 season in Daytona, many eyes will be upon him, observing his abilities and composure as he competes against some of the world’s best in auto racing.

While the results of those races will not be known until the checkered flags wave, there is one thing that is certain. When Fain Skinner’s name is called prior to the races, they will be calling the name of a humble young father from Suwannee County who happens to race cars and not just another race car driver who happens to live in Suwannee County.