07/06/2015
Bayne Strong In Ninth-Place Finish At Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 6, 2015) – Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion, ran inside the top three for much of the closing stages of the rain-delayed NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event at Daytona International Speedway, ultimately earning a hard-fought ninth-place finish.
“Our AdvoCare Ford was really fast tonight,” said Bayne after the race. “Despite getting into the wall avoiding that wreck off of Turn 4 our car ran really well, especially past halfway. We were able to get up front and run inside the top three with everyone and show that we belonged up there. We’re happy to come home ninth despite getting collected in that wreck at the line. I definitely needed thatAdvoCare spark tonight. I never got tired in the race and I am sure everybody else was dragging a little after a long day at the race track. I want to thank my whole team though for their work this weekend, especially since we had to go to a backup car after Friday. Now it’s on to Kentucky.”
Bayne, who began the weekend having to go to a backup car following a multi-car incident early in the first practice on Friday, started the 160-Lap event from the fifth position after qualifying was rained out on Saturday afternoon, causing the field to be set by the practice speeds from Friday. Once the race went green, Bayne decided to make his way toward the back of the pack in order to avoid trouble before the competition caution would come out on Lap 25.
Following the competition caution, Bayne took the green flag on Lap 30 from the 27th position but would quickly rejoin the top-20 by utilizing the inside line. Bayne would maintain his track position until the caution flag was displayed once again on Lap 52. While under caution, crew chief Bob Osborne called the driver of the AdvoCare Ford to pit road for four tires and fuel, sending him back out onto the track in 31st as several drivers stayed out during the caution.
The Knoxville, Tenn. native quickly began to move forward again, working his way up to as high as ninth before making contact with the outside retaining wall after narrowly avoiding a multi-car incident off of Turn 4 on Lap 105. After surveying the damage on pit road, Bayne would return the track in the 15th position.
Now back in the top 15, the Roush Fenway driver would charge forward, only needing five laps to work his way into the top five. Bayne’s march continued from there as he was able to move into the third position as the caution waved on Lap 127. Bayne maintained his track position inside the top three for much of the closing stages of the event, maneuvering his way up to second by Lap 143 before getting shuffled back to fifth as the caution waved on Lap 147.
In the end, Bayne would find himself on the outside of several rows of three-wide racing hard for position during the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. Bayne ultimately came across the finish line sideways unofficially in the ninth position after being involved in a multi-car incident coming to the checkered flag.
Next up for the NSCS is Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, July 11.
