DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 2, 2017) – Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 Liberty National Ford Fusion, charged to the front of the pack and drove to the race lead during the second stage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) event at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. However, a multi-car incident on Lap 97 severely damaged his car, ultimately leading to a 23rd-place finish.
“We were extremely fast tonight with our Liberty National Ford,” said Bayne after the race. “It was great to get up front and lead some laps. Our car just drafted so well tonight and it really allowed me to make a lot of moves out there. I just hate that we got collected in that wreck on the backstretch and that we didn’t get the finish that we deserved. But this team never gives up and we will recover and get back after it next week in Kentucky.”
Bayne began the evening from the 14th position and wasted little time moving forward, racing up to sixth following a Lap 19 restart drafting with Roush Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Bayne maintained his track position until getting forced three-wide and shuffled back outside of the top 20. Undeterred, the driver of the Liberty National Ford drafted back into the top 20 and up to 12th by the completion of Stage 1 on Lap 40.
The Knoxville, Tenn. native took the green for the second stage from 13th but quickly maneuvered into the top 10 and up to the fifth position before the caution came out once again on Lap 58. Taking the ensuing restart fifth, Bayne pressed forward, drafting into the race lead on Lap 70 and remaining there until a caution late in Stage 2 brought the Roush Fenway driver to pit road for four fresh tires. As a result of the stop, Bayne returned to track to finish the second stage in the 15th position.
Crew chief Matt Puccia decided to keep the driver of the Liberty National Ford on the racetrack before the beginning of the final stage in an attempt to gain track position as several of the leaders came to pit road. The call paid off as Bayne took the Lap 85 restart from the fourth position and worked with teammate Stenhouse to put the two Roush Fenway Fords in the first and second positions just before another caution period on Lap 89.
Puccia called Bayne to pit road once again during this caution for two-tires and fuel, resulting in the Roush Fenway driver taking the Lap 94 restart from 13th. Bayne began to again work his way back to the front before contact with a spinning No. 24 heading down the backstraightaway severely damaged the nose of the Liberty National Ford. After pitting several times for repairs, Bayne returned to the track in the 32nd position.
In a race where survival was key, Bayne improved nine positions despite the damage and utilized a “never give up” attitude to take the checkered flag in the 23rd position.
Next up for the MENCS is Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, July 8.
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NEXT UP:
1.5-Mile Kentucky Speedway
Sparta, Kentucky
Saturday July 8, 2017
7:30pm EST on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
RACE SUMMARY
Trevor Bayne
Started: 14th
Finished: 23rd
Complete Race Results:
www.roushfenway.com
