pandr
02-26-2011, 11:53 AM
Wreck only a distraction in Bayne's dream week
By Ron Green Jr. charlotteobserver
Friday, Feb. 25, 2011
AVONDALE, Az. – The Daytona 500 ended six days ago but Trevor Bayne’s 20-year old motor is still running flat-out.
The swirl created by Bayne’s surprising victory at Daytona has taken him across the country, put him on television, earned him chats with both the president and vice president, had him starry-eyed in the face of celebrities he’s met and finally landed him at Phoenix International Raceway where he can get back to the business of racing this weekend.
Bayne will drive a doubleheader at this one-mile track, starting with Saturday’s Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 Nationwide race followed by the Subway Fresh Fit 500 Sprint Cup race on Sunday.
A week ago, Bayne was a contender in the Nationwide Series and a youngster driving a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Wood Brothers Racing, which lacked sufficient funding for a full season.
Now, he’s a star, both on the track and off it.
When Bayne visited San Francisco this week, he received his first police escort and was greeted at an appearance by a crowd that included girls holding signs asking Bayne to marry them. That’s different for a guy who didn’t have a Valentine's Day date.
“I don’t think it will be that way next year,” Bayne said, flashing the smile that has seemingly stayed on his face since he pulled off his surprising victory in just his second Cup start.
If he needed a jolt of reality, it came during his first practice session Friday. On his first practice lap when his brakes failed and he slammed into the wall, damaging the right-front of his primary car and forcing him into a backup.
The good news is that qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 is Saturday, not Friday.
That’s about the only negative in what has been a dream week. Bayne has told his story repeatedly. In a sport looking for fresh appeal, Bayne provided it.
“One of NASCAR’s biggest initiatives in 2011 was to go after kids. ...Perfect,” Mark Martin said. “We’re talking about the Daytona 500 champion. What’s not big news about that?”
Sitting less than 100 yards from the start-finish line Friday morning, Bayne practically bounced as he recounted all that has happened since his Daytona victory. It was impossible to miss the oversized ring on the middle finger of his right hand, one of the prizes that came with his victory.
Bayne said he’s slept with the ring on just to remind himself that he really did win the Daytona 500. In a few weeks, Bayne said, he might quit wearing the ring everyplace he goes but he’s happy to have it on now.
This is a guy who sent a call from the White House to voice-mail. He didn’t know it was the president calling but when his phone showed a call coming from a private number, Bayne chose to ignore it.
When a second call came in, he decided to answer. When he was told President Obama wanted to talk with him, Bayne thought, “Well, this is kinda cool.”
Two days ago before appearing on Ellen Degeneres’ television show, Bayne got a call from Vice President Joe Biden. Biden related his own story about drag racing, Bayne said, and understood what the victory meant to the Wood Brothers.
"Joe Biden, I guess he’s a big car guy,” Bayne said. “He said, ‘Hey, you want to come check out the White House. Bring whoever you want.’
"He said he would give us a tour and President Obama would be happy to meet us, so I thought that was pretty cool.”
Bayne thought it was pretty cool to meet comedian George Lopez and former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson, even if he was surprised when she told Bayne he reminded her of her son.
“She’s getting a little older now,” said Bayne, who hadn't been born when "Baywatch" was popular.
Thursday night, Bayne found himself talking with Danica Patrick, who lives in the Phoenix area and knows a little about dealing with sudden celebrity. Patrick said she thought it was “cute” that Bayne didn’t know how to get to Victory Lane after the race.
Patrick and Bayne were at a fund-raising event when she suggested he spend some of first big paycheck.
“I tried to get him to buy something expensive,” Patrick said. “He said he doesn’t want anything. Apparently, I have a lot to learn from a 20-year old.”
Read more: hxxp://www.thatsracin.com/2011/02/25/57407/wreck-only-a-distraction-in-baynes.html#ixzz1F453GP5v
By Ron Green Jr. charlotteobserver
Friday, Feb. 25, 2011
AVONDALE, Az. – The Daytona 500 ended six days ago but Trevor Bayne’s 20-year old motor is still running flat-out.
The swirl created by Bayne’s surprising victory at Daytona has taken him across the country, put him on television, earned him chats with both the president and vice president, had him starry-eyed in the face of celebrities he’s met and finally landed him at Phoenix International Raceway where he can get back to the business of racing this weekend.
Bayne will drive a doubleheader at this one-mile track, starting with Saturday’s Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 Nationwide race followed by the Subway Fresh Fit 500 Sprint Cup race on Sunday.
A week ago, Bayne was a contender in the Nationwide Series and a youngster driving a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Wood Brothers Racing, which lacked sufficient funding for a full season.
Now, he’s a star, both on the track and off it.
When Bayne visited San Francisco this week, he received his first police escort and was greeted at an appearance by a crowd that included girls holding signs asking Bayne to marry them. That’s different for a guy who didn’t have a Valentine's Day date.
“I don’t think it will be that way next year,” Bayne said, flashing the smile that has seemingly stayed on his face since he pulled off his surprising victory in just his second Cup start.
If he needed a jolt of reality, it came during his first practice session Friday. On his first practice lap when his brakes failed and he slammed into the wall, damaging the right-front of his primary car and forcing him into a backup.
The good news is that qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 is Saturday, not Friday.
That’s about the only negative in what has been a dream week. Bayne has told his story repeatedly. In a sport looking for fresh appeal, Bayne provided it.
“One of NASCAR’s biggest initiatives in 2011 was to go after kids. ...Perfect,” Mark Martin said. “We’re talking about the Daytona 500 champion. What’s not big news about that?”
Sitting less than 100 yards from the start-finish line Friday morning, Bayne practically bounced as he recounted all that has happened since his Daytona victory. It was impossible to miss the oversized ring on the middle finger of his right hand, one of the prizes that came with his victory.
Bayne said he’s slept with the ring on just to remind himself that he really did win the Daytona 500. In a few weeks, Bayne said, he might quit wearing the ring everyplace he goes but he’s happy to have it on now.
This is a guy who sent a call from the White House to voice-mail. He didn’t know it was the president calling but when his phone showed a call coming from a private number, Bayne chose to ignore it.
When a second call came in, he decided to answer. When he was told President Obama wanted to talk with him, Bayne thought, “Well, this is kinda cool.”
Two days ago before appearing on Ellen Degeneres’ television show, Bayne got a call from Vice President Joe Biden. Biden related his own story about drag racing, Bayne said, and understood what the victory meant to the Wood Brothers.
"Joe Biden, I guess he’s a big car guy,” Bayne said. “He said, ‘Hey, you want to come check out the White House. Bring whoever you want.’
"He said he would give us a tour and President Obama would be happy to meet us, so I thought that was pretty cool.”
Bayne thought it was pretty cool to meet comedian George Lopez and former "Baywatch" star Pamela Anderson, even if he was surprised when she told Bayne he reminded her of her son.
“She’s getting a little older now,” said Bayne, who hadn't been born when "Baywatch" was popular.
Thursday night, Bayne found himself talking with Danica Patrick, who lives in the Phoenix area and knows a little about dealing with sudden celebrity. Patrick said she thought it was “cute” that Bayne didn’t know how to get to Victory Lane after the race.
Patrick and Bayne were at a fund-raising event when she suggested he spend some of first big paycheck.
“I tried to get him to buy something expensive,” Patrick said. “He said he doesn’t want anything. Apparently, I have a lot to learn from a 20-year old.”
Read more: hxxp://www.thatsracin.com/2011/02/25/57407/wreck-only-a-distraction-in-baynes.html#ixzz1F453GP5v