Bayne moving to Sprint Cup with Roush Fenway in 2015
When Trevor Bayne shocked the NASCAR world by winning the 2011 Daytona 500 in a part-time ride with Wood Brothers Racing, many observers expected him to quickly make the full-time jump to NASCAR's top series.
It didn't happen.
But four years after becoming the sport's youngest Daytona 500 winner at 20 years and 1 day old, Bayne will begin full-time Sprint Cup Series duties as driver of a No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.
Bayne has competed for Roush Fenway in the Nationwide Series in a combination of part-time and full-time roles since late 2010 while continuing to race part time for the Wood Brothers in the Sprint Cup Series. Bayne's current Nationwide Series sponsor, AdvoCare, is moving with him to the Sprint Cup Series and will be aboard the No. 6 for the entire 2015 season.
The No. 6, campaigned by veteran Mark Martin at RFR from 1988-2006 and later raced by David Ragan, has not been used in the Sprint Cup Series the past few seasons.
"This is obviously the biggest news I've ever had in my life," Bayne said on Saturday morning in a press conference at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Although we've had some big news before, this takes the cake. I'm really excited to be sitting up here beside Jack Roush and Mike Vaught from AdvoCare. This is a huge opportunity for me to be able to drive the 6 car with a full time sponsor like AdvoCare, but I could have never done all of this without the people who have been behind me."
Roush Fenway Racing is pleased to be bringing Bayne and AdvoCare to the Sprint Cup Series together.
"If you look at the type of company AdvoCare is, it's a very relationship, family-based company," RFR president Steve Newmark said. "The relationships they built with Trevor, how he represents their brand and the potential he brings them -- those were the compelling factors for them to say, 'We've kind of grown in Nationwide, we understand how to use the NASCAR marketing platform effectively. We're ready to take the next step.'"
Bayne is also eager to take the next step, having waited longer than he ever expected for a full-time Sprint Cup Series opportunity following his historic Daytona 500 victory in just his second series start.
"We've been through a lot of ups-and-downs, but he and his organization from day one has said our goal was to get to Sprint Cup," Bayne said. "We always wondered when that day was gonna be. There were times when it felt like things were moving really fast and times where we had to really bite down and be patient, but one thing has stayed constant and that's Jack and Steve Newmark and everybody else -- Evan Lyall -- at Roush Fenway Racing that have been committed to me and my career. They've always developed young drivers and I'm glad to be one of those that have had the opportunity to drive Jack's Nationwide cars and now I'm finally gonna get to drive one of his Sprint Cup cars."
Since winning NASCAR's biggest race, Bayne has faced adversity both on and off the track. He has failed to record a top-five finish in 48 more Sprint Cup starts for the Wood Brothers but has a pair of Nationwide Series wins with Roush Fenway.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November but cleared by doctors to continue to compete in NASCAR. In 2011, Bayne was examined repeatedly for what the driver believed was Lyme disease, which sidelined him for two months.
"To have Trevor and AdvoCare back in the No. 6 car is just gonna be great," team co-owner Jack Roush said. "To watch Trevor develop and to understand the path they take with the family support down through the decades, he's really a success story for his family and a role model for a lot of youngsters who want to make the most of their lives. He's following the same path that Greg Biffle did and Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth did in finding their way into the sport through one of NASCAR's lower series, and then being able to move up to the Sprint Cup Series. I look forward to being able to enjoy success and be part of his career for many years to come."
Bayne's move to full-time Sprint Cup status with Roush Fenway is somewhat bittersweet, of course, as it will mean the end of his run with the Wood Brothers, for whom he will start 14th in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 and continue to compete on a part-time basis the rest of the season.
"Trevor Bayne will always be part of our family and we will always share that great Daytona 500 moment together," Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Eddie Wood said. "It's something that will always be so special for all of us. We will always be Trevor Bayne fans, so we are happy he is getting his shot to race for the Sprint Cup championship."
