CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Products Toyota driver Trevor Bayne, the youngest fulltime NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, reached a small milestone of 30 starts last weekend at Road America. The 19-year-old Diamond-Waltrip Racing driver continues to gain experience while impressing many along the way. In those 30 starts, Bayne has grabbed a pole (Indianapolis), four top-10s including his 10th-place finish at Road America, 13 top-15s and has led 34 laps. The Knoxville, Tenn., native has really shined in qualifying. He has six top-five and 16 top-10 starting positions. He boasts a 12.3 starting average and has only started nine races outside the top 15.
QUOTES
TREVOR BAYNE ON NEW HAMPSHIRE: “I really like New Hampshire. I have had some success there (a top-five and top-10 finish in the K&N Pro Series East competition) and have led some laps. You really have to get all your braking done there before you hit the corners. New Hampshire isn’t considered a short track but it really drives like one. Forward bite is something that we really have to work on this weekend. You have to be able to carry a lot of speed off the corners. I really like the tracks that require a lot of throttle control. On the mile-and-a-half tracks, sometimes you can just stand on the gas and not worry about spinning the tires. I really think we have a chance to have a solid run this weekend.”
ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN YOUR FIRST 30 STARTS: “I have learned a lot over these first 30 races. However, I still have a lot to learn. I think the biggest thing I have learned so far is patience. These Nationwide races are so much longer than the East races. I have had to learn when to race hard and when to save my equipment.”
ON THE CHANGE IN MINDSET OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF RACES: “The past couple of weeks we have just concentrated on keeping the car in one piece and that has led to some really good finishes. I have been working a lot on just giving 80 percent for most of the race and not trying to win the race on the first lap. The last couple of months were really tough on me and the guys. We tore up a lot of good equipment and didn't really have anything to show for it. Jerry Baxter (crew chief) and I have worked really hard on just finishing every lap of each race. I think this new mentality has helped my confidence over the past couple of weeks.”
ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST
• Bayne will hold a media availability session in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway media center on Friday at 9 a.m.
• Bayne will sign autographs at the OUT! Pet Care display in the Fan Zone on Saturday at noon.
• Diamond-Waltrip Racing is owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing. It fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.
• Bayne is 11th in points, but fifth among the non-Sprint Cup drivers in the Nationwide Series.
• Bayne has two K&N Pro Series East starts at the New England oval. The 19-year-old driver has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He also led laps during both of his starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
• Get your dog’s picture on Bayne’s No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota by going to www.outpetcare.com and register for the “Top Dog of the Week.”
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