A Moment Like This.
Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the very first American Idol released that smashing hit in 2002. On Sunday afternoon at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Trevor Bayne enjoyed his “Moment Like This,” in just his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start. Beating the odds, Bayne held off several NASCAR veterans to record his first career victory in the prestigious Daytona 500.
Bayne, who three years ago was just an up and comer in the USARacing Pro Cup Series undoubtedly received the best birthday present of all with a shell-shocking win in the “Great American Race.”
To some though, Bayne’s win in the historic No. 21 for the legendary Wood Bros. Racing was not a surprise. The Knoxville, Tennessee native has instantly become a fan-favorite and a person in the garage, who you can walk up and talk about anything including asking for a prayer.
Bayne, the development driver for Roush Fenway Racing has left an impact on his fans, friends and colleagues that will affect us all emotionally and spiritually for years to come.
One of the first people the former NASCAR K&N Pro Series thanked in victory lane was God. The 20-year old’s soft and thankful demeanor in victory lane was enough to leave you speechless.
Bayne’s performance in the Daytona 500 capped off a strong week for the rookie. In qualifying on February 13th posted the third fastest qualifying effort in the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion which instantly drew attention. During his Gatorade Duel race on Thursday, February 17, Bayne once again flexed his muscle despite being caught in a last-lap incident with Jeff Gordon whom he locked together with vying for a victory. Instead his finish would set him deep in the starting line-up, but most importantly into the Daytona 500.
During the 200-lap event, Bayne was a favorite in the field. Quickly muscling his way to the front, Bayne was able to keep his head in the game and avoid two incidents in front of him including a massive 17-car pile-up on lap 29.
Bayne continued to show patience and maturity during the event and when it was time to rocket, Bayne latched onto the rear of David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion and the two headed to the front. The race’s intensity in the stands and in the air picked up immensely in the final 10 circuits.
A caution three laps from the conclusion of the 500-mile event set up the first of NASCAR’s allowed three green-white-checkers. On the restart, David Ragan, the leader at the caution pulled an oops by darting his machine into the left lane before he crossed the start finish line. Ragan would be penalized with a black flag. In the midst of the media receiving NASCAR’s message from the tower, a multi-car incident broke out that involved Dale Earnhardt Jr’s and ultimately erased him from competition.
On the restart, several cars attempted to pass Bayne’s No. 21 Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford Fusion but the two-car cabooses would be no match for the red and white automobile despite a late race charge from fellow Ford teammates Carl Edwards and David Gilliland who chased the legendary number to the checkered flag.
It was the first victory for Wood Bros. Racing for since Elliott Sadler recorded his first career victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in 2001.
Ford Motor Company scored their 600th career win in NASCAR in the 53rd annual Daytona 500. It was also the first time that the Virginia-based Wood Bros. Racing returned to victory lane at DIS since 1976 with the legendary David Pearson. Overall, it was Wood Bros. Racing fifth Daytona 500 triumph and their 98th victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 16 different drivers behind the wheel.
“Our first 500, are you kidding me,” said Bayne, who became the tenth Ford driver to win the Daytona 500. “To win our first one? Our second ever Cup race? I can’t thank the guys that worked with me enough. There were 10-15 different drivers that helped us get across that line. Wow. This is unbelievable. Ford, Motorcraft, Quick Lane, the Wood Brothers, there are a lot of people to thank. It is just amazing. How cool is it to see the Wood Brothers back in victory lane. We have Leonard [Wood] here and he is the man. Thanks to the fans. I have never been to a race track with so many people. To win on this platform is incredible.”
Wood Bros. Racing initially planned to run the first five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events with Bayne at the helm. However, following the win, the team has tentatively planned to attend the sixth race of the season at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, despite Bayne’s ineligibility to contend for a championship, since NASCAR’s new rules have this phenom focused on his Nationwide program.
Cheers to you Trevor Bayne. God rewarded you on Sunday for all the blessings you have given to others.
Other Daytona Ramblings:
• David Gilliland finished third in the Daytona 500 Sunday. The finish was a career best for Bob Jenkins’ Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion. It was the Riverside, California native’s third career top-five finish in Sprint Cup competition and best effort since his runner-up position at Infineon Raceway in 2008.
• Regan Smith, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala continued his strong Speedweeks 2011 with a seventh place run in the biggest race of the year. It was a career-best finish for Smith whose team is based in Colorado. The comeback was impressive for Smith concerning he was involved in a late race skirmish.
• David Ragan who was denied his first Daytona 500 victory due to a late-race infraction was able to bounce back to finish 14th in his No. 6 UPS “We Love Logistics” Ford Fusion.
• Robby Gordon in his first race piloting a Dodge Charger showed extreme strength despite his 16th place finish. Gordon was the second highest finishing Dodge in the field behind Kurt Busch in the No. 22 Shell / Pennzoil Dodge Charger.
• 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray was unable to overcome late-race engine woes and had to settle for a frustrating 18th place finish.
• Steven Wallace, son of the notorious Rusty Wallace finished 20th and on the lead lap in his first Daytona 500 behind the wheel of the No. 77 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry.
Nationwide Series Ramblings:
• Tony Stewart made a daring pass in the final seconds of Saturday’s DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway to score his fourth consecutive NNS win at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Stewart was piloting an entry fielded by Kevin Harvick Inc.
• Landon Cassill, the outside pole sitter for Saturday’s season-opener unofficially takes the point’s lead heading to Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway next weekend as first and second place finishers Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer opted to use NASCAR’s new one-series points rules in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Cassill though is not scheduled to drive for Phoenix Racing at the one-mile oval, which ultimately could hand the lead to Turner Motorsports’ Reed Sorenson.
• IZOD IndyCar Series driver Danica Patrick shined at Daytona. She qualified her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet Impala fourth, became the first female driver to lead laps in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the “World Center of Racing” before settling for a 14th place run, also a career best.
• Bobby Santos III in a car fielded by JR Motorsports after a practice incident demolished the primary car for Santos III and his team Jimmy Means Racing. Thanks to JRM, the team picked up sponsorship for the event from TaxSlayer.com and guided the Chevrolet bow-tie to a 17th place finish.
• Brian Scott in his No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota Camry had an eventful first outing in his Joe Gibbs Racing entry. After qualifying a stout 11th, it appeared that Scott had one of the cars to beat but a tap from behind in the draft shot Scott’s Japanese nameplate into the wall and out of contention. After the damage was repaired, Scott returned to the track and recorded a 34th place run.
Camping World Truck Series Ramblings:
• After winning the USARacing Pro Cup Series championship in 2010, Clay Rogers was tapped by Ricky Benton Racing to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-opener in the No. 92 Action Gator Tire Chevrolet Silverado. The team was able to avoid the carnage and finish third in the Nextra Energy Resources 250 and lead the track with the points lead thanks to NASCAR’s new point system. The RBR team has yet to announce if they will compete at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway next week.
• A week before Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opener Miguel Paludo participated in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season-opener for Venturini Motorsports. The solid finish allowed the Red Horse Racing rookie to be a contender in the 100-lap contest and boast an impressive fourth place finish in the No. 7 Stenco / Duroline Toyota Tundra. Unofficially, Paludo enters Phoenix second in the championship standings, just one point behind Rogers.
• In her third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series superspeedway event, Jennifer Jo Cobb maneuvered a brilliant sixth place finish on Friday evening becoming the highest finishing female driver in the series since Tammy Jo Kirk finished 11th in the late 1990s driving for Geoffrey Bodine Racing. Cobb drives for JJCR (Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing), her own-race team. Cobb’s concentration though is focused on the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 2nd Chance Motorsports in the No. 79 Ford Mustang.
• Rick Ware Racing’s Jeffery Earnhardt was able to overcome an early race mishap where he missed his pit road stall to finish seventh in the first of 25 races this season. Earnhardt, driving the No. 1 Fuel Doctor Chevrolet Silverado is planning to run for the championship in the NCWTS.
• After missing the field in his Turn One Racing entry on Thursday night in qualifying, a deal was reached between Turn One Racing and Sieg Motorsports to replace Shane Sieg with Whitt, the Rookie of the Year contender. After starting shot gun on the field, the Red Bull Racing developmental driver shoved his way to a 14th place run.
• 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards runner-up championship contender Craig Goess Jr. finished 16th in his No. 46 Greenville Toyota of North Carolina Toyota Tundra in his first Daytona run for Eddie Sharp Racing.
• Chris Fontaine continues to make a name for himself in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Despite being crippled in the “Big One” at the end of the event, Fontaine proved that he has the talent and capability of running with the regulars despite his in-experience, finishing 19th. Fontaine is planning on running a limited schedule in 2011.
My final two-cents. I was and still am not impressed or satisfied with the two-car tango in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. I hope NASCAR will make a change and bring life back to these restrictor plate races.
I’ll admit the conclusion of the Daytona 500 had your heart pumping and your jaw dropping but the racing stood for everything I didn’t want this week. Thankfully, despite the periods of boredom, in the end, a well-deserving young man proved that dreams really can come true.
