Trevor Bayne Wins 2011 Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - Trevor Bayne finally made a mistake. Fortunately for him, this did not happen until he lost the turn to go to Victory Lane at the Daytona 500.
The youngest driver to win the Great American Race gave the historic wooden Brothers team its fifth win in Daytona 500 - the first since 1976 with David Pearson - and Bayne did a No. 21 Ford that was adapted to resemble the Pearson's famous promenade.
In just his second start of the Sprint Cup, 20 years old, Bayne surprised the biggest names in NASCAR with a thrilling overtime victory on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, Carl Edwards celebrating after fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashed on the first attempt at NASCAR in a green-white-checkered flag finish.
"Our first 500, you kidding me? "Said Bayne, who needed instructions for Victory." Wow. This is unbelievable. "
Amazing, really.
Just one day after celebrating his 20th birthday, leaving behind his teenage years, the most important sporting career was captured by a Tennessee aw-shells to shave once a week and considered "Rugrats", his TV show favorite.
The rookie had been great throughout Speedweeks, even to prove themselves, pushing the four-time champion Jeff Gordon for most of a qualifying race.
With the victory Bayne Gordon breaks mark as the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history. Gordon was 26 when he won the 500 in 1997.
"I think it's cool. Trevor is a good guy, and I love the Wood Brothers," said Gordon. "I'm very happy for him and I think it's great for the sport to a young talent like that -..? What has that spark, you know"
The victory of NASCAR pioneer Glen Wood Leonard and ended a streak of 10 consecutive years of losing, and arrived the week of 10 anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's fatal accident on the last lap of the Daytona 500 2001.
This was only the fourth victory in the last 20 years Wood Brothers, which has not run out of Sprint Cup season since 2006.
And there were no plans to do with Bayne, who drove in the Daytona 500 in a Roush Fenway Racing loan. Bayne NASCAR stepped in late 2009 with Michael Waltrip Racing, but with bolt late last year when the team can not promise a sponsor for this season.
He hooked up with Roush and planned to run the Nationwide Series title this season, much was conveyed in the seat time Cup Series with the Wood Brothers' 17 races. It would be for the points, and was not eligible to run for rookie of the year.
But the impressive Daytona 500 win could change everyone's plans.
Bayne could retract his decision to run for the national title and the Daytona 500 fat payday could provide funding of the Forest need to become competitive.
Sunday's race saw a record 74 lead changes among 22 drivers, and a record 16 cautions that ended with many leaders, including Earnhardt Jr. in his first attempt at NASCAR's version of overtime. Bayne put forward a series of unusual suspects.
David Ragan, winless in 147 career starts, was actually the main field in the first attempt at NASCAR in a final green-white-checkered. But he was marked for changing lanes before the start line after accident collection Earnhardt in the middle of the pack got the caution, and Bayne inherited the leadership.
But there were two-time champion Tony Stewart, now winless in 13 career Daytona 500, lurking behind the veteran Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin and Kurt Busch, who had earlier picked up two victories on Speedweeks. All the nail biting his first title of the Daytona 500, but Bayne never blinked, holding down the throttle wide as he avoided every challenge in the course of two laps.
"It was very easy," said Bayne.
He said he was sure was going to stop, let Stewart before him, and pushing someone to victory.
Then no one came.
Edwards finished second in a Ford and was followed by David Gilliland, Labonte and Busch.
Juan Pablo Montoya was sixth, seventh and Kyle Busch Regan Smith, Paul Menard and Martin completed the top 10.
Earnhardt Jr. finished 24. It was a bad start to the season for Hendrick Motorsports in three of the four coaches of the team, including five-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson were involved in a car accident in early 14.
Gordon, who started in the front row, was damaged in the melee and questioned the aggressiveness of their fellow drivers in racing two-car tandem risky, especially so early in the race.
"What I do not quite understand is why you are doing three wide, three deep for 28" he said
