Bayne’s World! Rookie Driver Trevor Bayne Wins Daytona 500
Wow! I don't think anyone saw this coming, but huge congratulations are in order for the rookie.
Trevor Bayne finally made a mistake. Fortunately for him, it didn't happen until he missed the turn pulling into Victory Lane at the Daytona 500.
The youngest driver to win the Great American Race gave the historic Wood Brothers team its fifth Daytona 500 victory -- its first since 1976 with David Pearson -- and Bayne did it in a No. 21 Ford that was retrofitted to resemble Pearson's famed ride.
In just his second Sprint Cup start, the 20-year-old Bayne stunned NASCAR's biggest names with a thrilling overtime win Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, holding off Carl Edwards after fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashed in NASCAR's first attempt at a green-white-checkered flag finish.
"Our first 500, are you kidding me?" said Bayne, who needed directions to Victory Lane. "Wow. This is unbelievable."
Unbelievable, indeed.
Just one day after celebrating his 20th birthday and leaving his teenage years behind, the sport's biggest race was captured by an aw-shucks Tennessean who shaves once a week and considers "Rugrats" his favorite TV show.
The rookie had been great throughout Speedweeks, even proving his mettle by pushing four-time champion Jeff Gordon for most of a qualifying race.
With the win Bayne breaks Gordon's mark as the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history. Gordon was 26 when he won the 500 in 1997.
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