NASCAR Cup Series

Truex taking over for Bayne at Kansas

Published Sep. 28, 2010 12:46 a.m. ET

foxsports

Ryan Truex will replace Trevor Bayne in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kansas Speedway this weekend.

His brother, Martin Truex Jr., is also in the field, setting up a Nationwide race between the pair for the first time.

After that, the Truex brothers will share driving duties in the No. 99 Diamond Waltrip Racing Nationwide Series entry for the remainder of the year. Ryan Truex will race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gateway International Raceway, Phoenix International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, while Martin Truex Jr. will race at Auto Club Speedway in California and Texas Motor Speedway.

FOXSports.com reported late last week that a deadline date on an option in Bayne’s contract had passed without action being taken by Diamond Waltrip, a partnership of Michael Waltrip Racing and Gary Bechtel.

Truex wrapped up his second consecutive NASCAR K&N Pro East Series title this past weekend. Ryan Truex, 18, has three Nationwide Series starts to his credit with a top finish of 12th at Michigan International Speedway.

Bayne, 19, is seventh in the series standings in his first full season of Nationwide competition. He has a top finish of third this season, which he earned at both Gateway International Raceway and Richmond International Raceway.

“I am very proud of the Diamond-Waltrip race team and the progress our team has made this year,” said majority owner Bechtel. “On the track, this has been a sensational season and I feel as if we can win a race before the end of the season. The root of the issue regarding Trevor and his future with DWR is simply economics. DWR held an option on Trevor’s contract, but without appropriate funding, we could not match the provisions of that contract extension by guaranteeing him a full-time ride in the No. 99 car next year. We could not commit to the demands of the agreement.

“We all wanted to work towards a positive solution, but time was not on our side. We had to make a business decision and Trevor had to make a business decision. We owe it to our race team, sponsors and everyone personally invested in this organization to move forward with those who will be with us in 2011 and beyond.”