CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 9, 2016) – Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Fusion, overcame damage sustained in a multi-car incident on Lap 258 to record an 18th-place finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
“To come home 18th with how banged up our car was isn’t too bad,” said Bayne after the race. “We were really tight throughout the race but that damage to the nose after that wreck on the restart really affected the handling of our AdvoCare Ford. Thankfully we were able to get some solid fuel mileage on that last run and bring home a decent finish. Now we’ll head back to Kansas and see what we’ll have for them there.”
Bayne took the green flag for the 334-Lap event on Sunday afternoon from the 27th position after heavy rain from Hurricane Matthew forced NASCAR to move the race from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. In the early stages Bayne reported to crew chief Matt Puccia that the AdvoCare Ford was really tight in the center of the corner, affecting his ability to make up ground on the exit.
Puccia then utilized a Lap 25 competition caution to bring Bayne to pit road for four tires and a chassis adjustment. The Knoxville, Tenn. native returned to the track in 24th and maintained his position inside the top 25 throughout the green flag run that followed. Bayne continued to fight for position until contact with Roush Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. damaged the left-rear fender of the AdvoCare Ford, drastically altering the handling.
Bayne then took advantage of a caution on Lap 252 to pit for repairs but contact with another car on the ensuing restart while avoiding a multi-car incident damaged the nose of the AdvoCare Ford and forced Bayne to hit pit road again for more repairs. The Roush Fenway Racing driver returned to the track in 22nd following the repairs and fought a loose-handling condition for much of the final quarter of the race.
In the closing stages, Puccia told Bayne to get into “extreme fuel conservation mode” in the hopes of gaining track position in the final laps.
The strategy paid off as Bayne saved enough fuel to take the checkered flag in the 18th position.
Next up for the NSCS in Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 16.
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NEXT UP:
1.5-Mile Kansas Speedway
Kansas City, Kansas
Sunday, October 16, 2016
2:15 p.m. ET on NBC and MRN
RACE SUMMARY
Trevor Bayne
Started: 27th
Finished: 18th
Complete Race Results:
www.roushfenway.com
