Mikey's actually won two Daytona 500s (2001 & 2003). Those DEI cars were dominant on the restrictor plate tracks around that time. Right place at the right time on two occasions.
Mikey needs to prove nothing to anyone....he's had a great career in racing. He's a very talented driver/team owner/business man. How many times has his "finishing better than his usual 35th" been the result of being in the wrong place at the right time, or car issues? I am a long time fan of Mikey...and still think he's the best!
Have you earned almost $44 million in the last 25 years doing what you love?
I've never understood all the Mikey bashing. A lot of those that knock him don't realize that he was a champion before he got to Cup. Or that he has several wins in BGN. And he only has 2 wins in Cup? Take a look at the list of drivers that only had 1 win in Cup and you'll see some pretty good drivers listed. I don't know if you can find a list of those that have 0 wins, but I suspect there's a lot of great drivers on that list as well.
Mike Skinner never won a Cup race but I think he's a way better racer. Unfortunately it seems like the Truck series is for former Cup drivers that never won. Hornaday, Musgrave, Todd Bodine.