Bayne may run full time in 2014: Roush Fenway Racing's goal is to put Trevor Bayne in a full-time Sprint Cup ride by 2014. Bayne has run a part-time schedule since 2011 when he kicked off the season winning the Daytona 500 in the legendary #21 Wood Brothers Ford. He will run another part-time schedule for the Wood Brothers this season as well as a full Nationwide Series schedule for Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne's contract is with RFR, which supplies engines and chassis to the Wood Brothers. Team owner Jack Roush said if he can work out the finances and sponsorship issues toward the end of this season the plan is to put Bayne in Cup full time next year.(ESPN)(1-25-2013)

2013 silly season notes for #21-Trevor Bayne / Wood Brothers Racing:: Trevor Bayne, with 32 Cup starts, expects to run a part-time Sprint Cup schedule [16-18 races] for the Wood Brothers again in 2013. Motorcraft-Quick Lane return to sponsor the team in about 16 races. No word if Good Sam Club / Camping World will return to sponsor the team in 2013, it was the primary sponsor in four races in 2012. Donnie Wingo returns as the crew chief of the operation. Bayne will run the full Nationwide Season schedule for Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne also got engaged in the off season. See images of the Motorcraft schemes on my #21 Team Schemes page. See more about other teams on my 2013 Team / Driver Silly Season Chart.(1-12-2013)

Wingo's Winter Of Work To Be Tested at Daytona: The recently completed NASCAR off-season was anything but for crew chief Donnie Wingo and his #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion team. The change to a radically different Ford Fusion has kept Wingo and his Wood Brothers crew especially busy, even during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's, when teams typically take a few days off. "For the first time in a long time I didn't take a vacation," Wingo said. "We didn't even take the whole week of Christmas off. This is by far the most change we've ever had from one season to the next." It was just this week that the #21 Ford Fusion saw its first wind-tunnel test, one that answered few questions for now because it's a totally new car. "There's really nothing to compare it to," Wingo said. For the Daytona test, Wingo and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team have taken the chassis they raced at Talladega Superspeedway last fall and made the necessary changes, including the installation of the new 2013 Ford Fusion body, one that more closely resembles those on the Fusions in dealers' showrooms.
"The car has less drag, but it also has less downforce – front, rear, and overall," Wingo said. Since NASCAR is adding even more body templates this year, there's very little that teams can do to affect the aerodynamic characteristics of their cars." Wingo said he'll have his driver Trevor Bayne focus initially on single-car runs, but he does plan to do some drafting before the test ends on Saturday. Only after some drafting practice will drivers and teams know whether the tandem-style racing that has been commonplace at Daytona and Talladega in recent years will be feasible with the new cars.(Wood Brothers Racing)(1-11-2013)

Leonard Wood Could Do Anything With A Race Car - Architect Of Modern Pit Stop Heads To NASCAR Hall Of Fame: Back in the day, there was no such thing as a "how-to" manual for chief mechanics. Or for race car builders, engine assemblers and tuners and anyone else associated with the then-fledgling sport of NASCAR stock car racing. And one who did it among the best is Stuart, Va.'s Leonard Wood, who is among the 2013 class of five set for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday, Feb. 8. Wood, 78, will be enshrined in ceremonies to be held at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center Crown Ballroom which is connected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Wood joins his older brother Glen Wood, the fabled Wood Brothers #21 racing team's original driver and owner, as a NASCAR Hall of Fame member. His fellow inductees in the Hall's fourth class are NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Buck Baker, Herb Thomas and Rusty Wallace and car owner/builder/driver/crew chief Cotton Owens (NASCAR). For the full story, stats and more on Leonard Wood and the Class of 2013, see my NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2013 page.(1-11-2013)

16-race 2012 Schedule planned with Trevor Bayne driving:
1) Daytona 500 - 2/26, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
2) Las Vegas - 3/11, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
3) Texas - 4/14, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
4) Talladega - 5/6, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
5) All-Star, Charlotte - 5/19, Good Sam/Camping World
6) Charlotte - 5/27, Motorcraft/Quick Lane / DAV
7) Michigan - 6/17, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
8) Daytona - 7/7, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
9) Indy - 7/29, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
10) Michigan - 8/19, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
11) Atlanta - 9/2, Good Sam/Camping World
12) Chicago - 9/16, Good Sam/Camping World
13) Talladega - 10/7, Motorcraft/Quick Lane - Warriors in Pink
14) Charlotte - 10/13, Good Sam/Camping World
15) Kansas - 10/21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane
16) Texas - 11/4, Motorcraft/Quick Lane
17) Homestead - 11/20, Motorcraft/Quick Lane

Congrats: NASCAR's Trevor Bayne is stepping out of the fast lane and settling down. The Knoxville area native and 2011 Daytona 500 champion has announced his engagement on Twitter. "Well Ladies and Gentlemen, she said yes," Bayne tweeted. The message was accompanied with a photo of Bayne and his fiance, Ashton Clapp, at a ski slope. Bayne's father confirmed the engagement via text message to WATE 6 Sports on Saturday. Rocky Bayne said Clapp is also from the Knoxville area and said no wedding date has been set.(WATE)(12-23-2012)

#21 running three first races in October: The Wood Brothers' part-time Sprint Cup schedule is looking more like a full-time effort, at least for the first three weeks of October. Trevor Bayne and the #21 Ford Fusion will be racing at Talladega Superspeedway with the pink and purple colors of the Ford Warriors in Pink paint scheme, next week at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the blue, yellow, and red colors of Good Sam and Camping World, and the following week at Kansas Speedway with the traditional red, white, and gold colors of Motorcraft and Quick Lane. In addition to October's three races, Bayne and the Woods plan to test the 2013 Ford Fusion during the pre-race testing sessions at Kansas. Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he's pleased that the team has been able to expand its schedule from an expected 12 races at the start of the season, to 16 points-paying events plus the NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte. "Getting to run three races in a row puts us back in the mode of running full time like we did in the past." Wood also said the test of the 2013 Ford Fusion at Kansas will not only help the team gather information for next season but also give Bayne additional laps and seat time on the newly repaved race track, which is one he's never raced on before in a Sprint Cup car. "It'll be a really busy weekend," Wood said.(Wood Brothers Racing)(10-6-2012)

Ford Warriors in Pink paint scheme for Bayne: Trevor Bayne and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew head into this weekend's Good Sam Road Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway with stats on their side and a special paint scheme on the #21 Ford Fusion. Bayne and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will spend this weekend supporting breast cancer survivors and raising awareness of the disease with a special Ford Warriors in Pink paint scheme. Ford Motor Company has dedicated more than $115 million to the fight against breast cancer in the past 18 years, and 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of Warriors in Pink wear and gear will be dedicated to the cause.(Wood Brothers Racing), see an image of the car on the #21 team paint schemes page.(10-5-2012)

Good Sam/Camping World To Sponsor Bayne & Wood Brothers in three upcoming races: The red, yellow, and blue paint scheme of Good Sam/Camping World will return to the Wood Brothers' #21 Ford Fusion next week in the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition to the Atlanta race, the pairing will also appear at Chicagoland Speedway, the home track for Good Sam/Camping World, on Sept. 16, and at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 13.
The sponsorship from Good Sam/Camping World has allowed the Wood Brothers and driver Trevor Bayne to significantly increase their schedule this year. At the beginning of the 2012 Sprint Cup season, the defending winners of the sport's biggest race, the Daytona 500, had a schedule consisting of 12 races for the 2012 season. Following the season opener at Daytona, a phone call was made to Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Good Sam/Camping World, inquiring if he would be interested in working with the Wood Brothers, a partnership that had already been created from the previous season. Mr. Lemonis accepted the offer and this led to an increase of four additional races, including the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway back in May.
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he and his team are proud to be representing Good Sam/Camping World in some of the Sprint Cup Series' most important races, among them, the Labor Day weekend classic at Atlanta, and the first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, at Chicagoland. "We're happy to have Good Sam/Camping World back on the car for three of our next four races," Wood said. "Hopefully our car will continue to have the speed it's had this season and we can make Mr. Lemonis proud."(Wood Brothers Racing)(8-27-2012)

Bayne disappointed he didn't get Cup ride: #21-Trevor Bayne admitted Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway he has mixed emotions about Ricky Stenhouse Jr. being Matt Kenseth's replacement at Roush Fenway Racing because he believes they both deserve a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride. "At first when they said that [Stenhouse in the #17 next year] I was a little bit bummed out because I wanted them to come to me and say, 'Hey, we're gonna run you full-time in a Cup car with the fourth team' and that didn't happen," Bayne said. "But when I did find out I was running Nationwide and I thought about it, I thought that's probably a good decision to go out there and get that first full season under our belt in the series. I haven't gotten to go points racing and I think it would be good to get that under our belt before we go to that Cup level when it's gonna be even tougher to do that and get that experience." Bayne believes Stenhouse's move into the #17 Ford is a "great opportunity" for his teammate. "At the same time, I can't wait to get my opportunity in Cup," Bayne continued. "I think we could run competitively there every weekend. We do that even with the Wood Brothers part-time. But I've just got to be patient in the meantime for that." Team co-owner Jack Roush has already said he planned to field a full-time Nationwide team for Bayne in 2013. Bayne also plans to continue driving a limited Sprint Cup schedule for the Wood Brothers [#21 Ford]. Bayne said the only way he would consider a move to Penske Racing would be if Roush told him it was an option. "Being under contract, there is no way I would go talk to another team or do anything like that at this point," the 21-year-old Bayne said. "The more (Ford) teams the better, but I don't know if that changes opportunities for me or not."(RacinToday)(8-25-2012)

Candy apple red returns to the #21 at Indy: Mention the words "candy apple red" to even a casual race fan and the next thing to come to mind is the Wood Brothers #21 Ford, or sometimes the Wood Brothers Mercury. The connection between car and color became so strong over the years, that even long after the team switched to a metal-flake red in 1971, most people still referred to the red color as candy apple. Many people today still refer to the red on the Wood's Ford Fusion as candy apple. The moment Trevor Bayne pulls the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion onto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next week, the Wood Brothers' car will be sporting the true iconic colors. The car will be in the throwback colors to honor long-time crew chief and engine builder Leonard Wood and his election into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Wood's picture appears on the hood of the car along with the Hall of Fame logo.(Wood Brothers Racing), see an image of the car on the #21 team paint schemes page.(7-24-2012)

#21 team wins paint scheme contest: The competition in the NASCAR Sprint Showdown and Sprint All-Star race wasn't just for the $1 million purse, it also was for top honors in the inaugural 3M Paint with Pride competition. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 3M PPS System, 3M Automotive Aftermarket held a competition for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and their car painters to show off their best workand win great prizes. The 3M Paint with Pride selected the car with the best paint scheme that ran in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Showdown Race and All-Star Race under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The winning team was selected based on paint scheme design, creativity, application and theme. The winner, selected by the judging panel comprised of Al Pearce of AutoWeek, Ray Evernham of ESPN and Doug Rice of Performance Racing Network, was the #21 Good Sam/Camping World Ford driven by Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing. This is the first time the Wood Brothers have run the paint scheme featuring Good Sam and Camping World. The car was designed with bright reds, blues and yellows to be highly visible under the lights. It was unique in that it was a "make good" from 2011 when the two sponsors were supposed to be on the car and Trevor Bayne wasn't able to run the race because of his illness. The car design featured Sherwin Williams paint. The paint scheme was designed by Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Good Sam/Camping World, and Derek Gigliotti, vice president of creative at Camping World/Freedom Roads. The lead car painter was Mike Smith of Wood Brothers Racing. The team won 3M paint equipment including 3M Spray Gun, 3M PPS Sun Gun Color Matching Light, 3M Mobile Refinish Equipment and 3M painting supplies. In addition, the lead car painter won a gift card for www.Shop3M.com.
Other top finalists included the #17 Fifth Third Ford driven by Matt Kenseth, the first race for new sponsor Fifth Third Bank, bringing a new look for the #17 car. The car featured Sherwin Williams paint and 3M vinyl decals. Also in the top three was the #16 3M American Red Cross Ford driven by Greg Biffle, featuring a special patriotic red, white and blue design with American Red Cross on the hood and the TV panel featuring the names of the top American Red Cross donors from all 50 states. The car design included Sherwin Williams paint and 3M vinyl wrap.(3M PR), see images of the car on my #21 Team Schemes page.(5-27-2012)

#21 to Honor DAV at Charlotte: Since 1996, Ford Motor Company has donated more than $6.5 million to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in a relationship that was initiated by Henry Ford in 1922. Ford Customer Service Division and its brands, Motorcraft and Quick Lane, are happy to join the effort, promoting the DAV at the Coca-Cola 600 as part of the "NASCAR Unites-An American Salute" program announced by the sanctioning body in April. "We're so appreciative for what our military members and their families have done for us and we are more than happy to participate in this program by putting the spotlight on the DAV," said Mary Lou Quesnell, Marketing Director, Ford Customer Service Division. This weekend driver Trevor Bayne will compete with a special paint scheme on the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion and the DAV logo on the sides of the car to honor sacrifices made by American soldiers and their families. Ron Minter, National Director of Voluntary Services, Disabled American Veterans, will attend the race. The 1.2 million-member DAV is a non-profit charity that ensures those who were injured or disabled as a result of military service and their families receive the benefits, representation and advocacy they deserve. Founded in 1920 by veterans returning from World War I and congressionally chartered, it provides free services to veterans of all eras and helps recently injured heroes transition to meaningful life following their time in uniform. "It's really an honor for us to run the DAV logo on our car," said Eddie Wood, of Wood Brothers Racing. "We're proud to show our appreciation to our military in any way we can. That's something that's important to our family and our race team."(Wood Brothers Racing)(5-24-2012)

Good Sam/Camping World to sponsor Wood Brothers #21 Ford: The Wood Brothers' #21 Ford Fusion and their driver Trevor Bayne will carry the colors of Good Sam and Camping World for four races this season, beginning with the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte. The #21 Ford Fusion will also represent Good Sam/Camping World in Sprint Cup races at Atlanta in September, Chicago in September and Charlotte in October. The pairing isn't the first for the two companies. Bayne drove the Good Sam/Camping World #21 Ford Fusion in last year's Aaron's 499 at Talladega. The latest deal with Good Sam/Camping World extends the Wood Brothers' 2012 schedule from 12 to 16 races. "I'm excited to be back with Good Sam and Camping World," Bayne said. "Getting to run more races is good for me as a driver and good for our race team." Bayne also feels like he has some unfinished business with Good Sam and Camping World. He was supposed to race for them in last year's All-Star race but was unable to because of an illness. Now; in addition to getting to run the All-Star race, he will have the opportunity to add three intermediate tracks to his schedule. "Atlanta's one of my favorite tracks," he said. "I love running at Charlotte in the fall, and Chicagoland will be good too." For team co-owner Eddie Wood, it's especially nice to add races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is just a couple of miles from the team's shop in Harrisburg, and at Atlanta, where the Woods lead all others in race victories with 12. "We'd like to thank Marcus Lemonis of Good Sam/Camping World for supporting us in these 4 races. "We're really excited to get the opportunity to run the two races right here at Charlotte, and it's great for our team to be returning to Atlanta and Chicago," Wood said. "Donnie Wingo and the crew have built some really fast race cars lately, so the timing is perfect to add races to our schedule."(Wood Brothers Racing)(5-5-2012)

Wood Brothers donate winning car to museum: Eddie Wood and Len Wood of the famed Wood Brothers Racing team, donated Trevor Bayne's 2011 Daytona 500 winning Ford Fusion to The Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Mich., on Thursday. The car, exactly as it was after Bayne won at Daytona International Speedway and still covered in celebratory confetti, Gatorade and Coca-Cola will be housed in the museum's Driving America exhibit, next to Henry Ford's 1901 Sweepstakes and Jimmy Clark's 1965 Indianapolis 500 winning Lotus-Ford. The Wood Brothers and Trevor Bayne will attempt to win at Michigan International Speedway this summer during the NASCAR Sprint Cup race on June 17 and the Pure Michigan 400 on Aug. 19. Visit MISpeedway.com or call 800-354-1010 for tickets.(see an image at mispeedway.com)(3-23-2012)

Edwards and Bayne nominated for Cartoon Network's Hall of Game Awards: #99-Carl Edwards and #21-Trevor Bayne could soon add "Dance Machine" and "Gnarliest Newb" to their respective resumes. Edwards and Bayne have been nominated as part of Cartoon Network's second annual Hall of Game Awards, airing Monday, Feb. 20 at 7 pm/et. Five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and 2011 "Dance Machine" nominee Jimmie Johnson will also present "The World's Fastest Award" with a special cameo appearance. The show, hosted by Shaquille O'Neal, is a high-energy, off-the-wall, multi-platform experience that lets viewers vote and honor their favorite sports stars and sports moments of the year. Edwards and Bayne have been nominated – and deservedly so – to compete in the "Dance Machine" and "Gnarliest Newb" categories. Edwards' signature victory celebration, a backflip from his car, catapulted him to be a finalist in the "Dance Machine" category. Bayne's improbable Daytona 500 victory as a 20-year-old in only his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start last season propelled him to compete in what is essentially the "Rookie of the Year" category in this year's awards. Fans can vote for Edwards and Bayne on www.hallofgame.com now through Friday, Feb. 17. The site has already received over 64 million votes.(NASCAR)(2-7-2012)

Bayne says he had Lymes: Daytona 500 winner #21-Trevor Bayne says there are no aftereffects from Lyme disease, which sidelined him for two months last season. Bayne is less concerned about his health than with having the sponsorship that would allow him to compete for the Nationwide Series title. Roush Fenway Racing president Steve Newmark said he should know in a few weeks if that will happen. Doctors never officially called Bayne's illness Lyme disease, referring to it instead as an inflammatory condition. But the 20-year-old driver said during the Sprint media tour Tuesday that he since has been told it was Lyme. "They wouldn't (confirm) because it's such a hard thing to define," Bayne said. "All you can look at with Lyme is a rash. I had already had medication for it, so it can hide. Lyme is ... something that hides in your bloodstream. It is hard to diagnose. To me, if they treat it and it goes away, to me that seems like a pretty good answer."(ESPN)(1-25-2012)

Bayne, Wood Brothers plan less than 20 races: For 2012, just as it was a year ago, Bayne's Cup outlook consists of fewer than 20 scheduled starts with a team that continues to refuse to extend itself without the proper funding, choosing quality rather than quantity when it comes to opportunities at the race track. The 2011 Daytona 500 victory opened doors - Bayne and the team eventually made a total of 17 starts last year - but success didn't follow. While he qualified well on the big tracks, Bayne scored no more top-10s and finished only one other race, at Talladega, in the top 15. A member of the Roush Fenway Racing stable, where he competed for the Nationwide Series title in 2011, Bayne closed the year uncertain of his future as sponsorship concerns muddied the racing waters for the Roush Fenway program and left his status for 2012 questionable.(Scene Daily)(1-19-2012)

Several big name drivers still not locked into Daytona 500: The big question that continued throughout testing was whether or not Danica Patrick would be locked into the Daytona 500. Or Mark Martin. Or Trevor Bayne. It likely will be a few weeks before teams know the answer. With Red Bull Racing having closed, there could still be a deal done for the points earned by the #4 car (14th) and the #83 (25th) last year. If those points aren't used, next in line is the closed TRG Motorsports #71 car. If it does not enter and a deal is not done to use those points, next in line are the Wood Brothers #21 car (Trevor Bayne) and Robby Gordon Motorsports #7 car, which Gordon will drive in the Daytona 500. Among those looking for points are Stewart-Haas Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing. There has been speculation that Stewart Haas would put together a deal with Tommy Baldwin Racing, possibly for points from the #36 car (33rd in 2011 owner points) to be transferred to Patrick. But it also could include a partnership where TBR would field a #10 car for David Reutimann in the 26 races in which Patrick doesn't compete, thus allowing that car to continue to earn owner points all season. MWR attempted to purchase Red Bull for the points and equipment, but that deal fell through. Team co-owner Michael Waltrip said last week no final determination of which two of his three drivers would have the MWR points from 2011, but it is expected those would go to the two drivers competing for the drivers championship - #56-Martin Truex Jr. and #15-Clint Bowyer - while #55-Mark Martin would have to get in the race on speed. It appears that Richard Childress Racing will enter a fourth car for the Daytona 500 and use its points from the #33 car last year. That fourth car would only run a handful of races throughout the year, possibly with Austin Dillon for select events although RCR could put in a more experienced driver such as Elliott Sadler or Brian Vickers for the Daytona 500.(Scene Daily)(1-18-2012)

Bayne back in the #21 for 2012 UPDATE: In an off-season that has seen several surprising driver changes, there's one winning combination that isn't about to break up. Trevor Bayne will remain in the seat of the Wood Brothers #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion. Bayne, who delivered the Woods their fifth Daytona 500 triumph in just his second start in the #21 Ford Fusion, said he's pleased to be putting any off-season uncertainty behind him. "I'm excited," he said. "It's a big deal for me. It's what I had hoped for. We're all excited to be back together." Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he too is pleased to have Bayne back behind the wheel of his family's race car. "It's taken a long time to get to this announcement, but it's good to be back together," Wood said. "We all wanted to do what was best for Ford Motor Company and its young drivers, and to be sure everybody had a place to race." For Bayne, one of the younger drivers in the Sprint Cup Series, driving for the sport's longest running team is something he appreciates even more as time goes by. He was made even more aware of the team's history and heritage – and its long-standing relationship with Ford Motor Company – when he watched a video on the team's history at the company Christmas party. "There's no question at all that since the beginning, the Woods and Ford were going to stick with each other," he said. "The Woods are such a great racing family, and it's amazing that they're the only one of the original teams that has survived since the beginning." But the Woods and Bayne aren't just interested in celebrating the past. Beginning next week, they'll be back at Daytona International Speedway for Preseason Thunder testing and trying to figure a way to adapt to a new rules package and defend their 500 victory. "It's going to be very different at Daytona," Bayne said, referring to a rule change that will block off air to the car's radiator and thereby limit the two-car tandem racing that Bayne so quickly adapted to. "It'll be like starting all over again, but that's OK. We'll just go try to do it again."(Wood Brothers Racing)(1-5-2012)
UPDATE: Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) and its brands Motorcraft and Quick Lane will continue to support the #21 Ford owned by the legendary Wood Brothers in 2012, with defending Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne behind the wheel. "We are proud to continue our relationship with such an outstanding team," said Mary Lou Quesnell, Marketing Director, FCSD. "Thanks to the hard work of the Wood family, the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion continues to be one of the most popular cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - and fans are just drawn to Trevor's enthusiasm. We look forward to a successful 2012 season, starting off by defending our win at the Daytona 500." FCSD and Ford Motor Company have had a long, successful history with Wood Brothers Racing. Motorcraft, a Ford Motor Company brand of automotive parts ranging from filters and spark plugs to engines and transmissions, will be the primary sponsor on the Wood Brothers #21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford Fusion for 12 races beginning in February at the Daytona 500, a race they won last year. Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers are operated by Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers, but are equipped to provide services for all makes and models. Quick Lanes offer routine vehicle maintenance services such as oil and filter changes, and light repair services like brake repairs and tire replacements, all done by factory-trained technicians with no appointment necessary for customers. FordParts.com will also be an associate sponsor in 2012.(Ford Racing)(1-6-2012)

Book about Trevor Bayne: After winning the Daytona 500 in 2011, twenty-year-old Trevor Bayne became a role model for NASCAR fans everywhere. Now you can read his inspiring story in the new biography, DRIVEN BY FAITH: The Trevor Bayne Story (Zonderkidz; $6.99; January 2012) by award-winning Motorsports journalist Godwin Kelly. The youngest winner ever of the Daytona 500, Bayne candidly shares the story of his faith-driven racing career with NASCAR enthusiast Kelly. Kelly's undeniable love of the sport shines through as he details each crowning moment of Bayne's young life—how the child attached to his toy cars went on to win three WKA national and world championships, and NASCAR's highest honor, the Daytona 500. For each accomplishment, the Knoxville-born racer credits his faith. "The biggest thing I've ever done—and ever could do—is find Christ," Bayne says in the book. "That's the reason I'm here."Young readers and NASCAR enthusiasts will especially appreciate Bayne's remarkable humility and passion, not only for his work on the track, but for helping families in need with Back2Back Ministries in Mexico and spreading the word of God. A champion, a big brother, a son and a devoted Christian, Bayne continues to inspire others on and off the race track. DRIVEN BY FAITH proves that the best is yet to come from this young star, who, with faith in his heart, has already touched many lives. "Victories are great, but they go away with time," Bayne said. "A relationship with Christ is something that can never go away."(PR), the book can be ordered at Amazon.com or zondervan.com (12-9-2011)

Bayne looking to run the Rolex 24 at Daytona: Trevor Bayne is trying to work with his manufacturer [Ford] to land one of the spots on a Grand-Am Road Racing Series Daytona Prototype team for the 50th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. "I'm working on Ford to try and run the Daytona 24 hour race," Bayne said. "If I do that I will be doing some testing. I have never driven one. I think the Daytona Prototype cars are just sick. They look like something that you can just manhandle and have a lot of fun with. I'm sure there's a lot more finesse to it than I'm making it sound. I think it's going to be a lot of fun to get out there and just be a part of the 24. That's something that all drivers kind of have a checklist of things they want to drive." Along with the running the Daytona 24 in a DP car, Bayne's wish list of cars to compete in includes a rally car in the X Games, a dirt late model and a modified at Concord Motorsports Park.(Motor Racing Network)(11-20-2011)

Bayne and Gordon, Ford Orders? UPDATE: #21-Trevor Bayne had a wild race, one that was especially weird considering his fourth-place qualifying spot. Bayne was sort of a free agent in the tandem drafting pool. With Ford drivers working under directions that discouraged them from drafting with Chase contenders in other manufacturer camps, Bayne ran much of the day with #7-Robby Gordon. But Bayne wound up in the middle of the upfront drafting pack at the end of the race and was hooked up briefly with #24-Jeff Gordon. They had drafted successfully together at Daytona International Speedway in February as Bayne won the Daytona 500. Bayne broke away from Gordon in the closing miles and after the race tweeted on his Twitter account that he wasn't pleased with the way the race concluded. "I'm not happy about what this has become," Bayne wrote. "It's too premeditated. We should be able to go with whoever is around. I would have rather pulled over and finished last than tell [Gordon] I would work with him and then be strong armed into bailing." Gordon finished 27th.(Ford Racing)
AND Jamie Allison, who oversees Ford's motorsports program in North America, was on Sirius Satellite Radio's "Tradin Paint'' show on Monday afternoon and discussed the issue of if Ford ordered its teams not to work with any other manufacturers at Talladega this past weekend in light of Trevor Bayne leaving Jeff Gordon late in that race and Tony Stewart saying he could not work with David Gilliland because of orders.
Here's what Allison said to the question of if he or Ford ordered its teams not to work with anyone else: "We don't have orders per se. That's how we work with these teams. These are independent teams that choose an affiliate with us as a manufacturer. We have a lot of respect and mutual agreements. We discuss many strategies. We don't mandate. We don't issue orders. I can tell you at the start of the Chase, we reached out to all the Ford teams, I personally did, along with my team and basically said, "Hey, thank you for affiliating with Ford Motor Company. We're very proud of everybody. Hey, these are special times for us. If an opportunity presents itself where you can help a Ford teammate, just please be aware and try to help out. It was just an outreach, a consideration, just be aware that we're in the Chase and we're all part of the big Ford family. No orders. None of what you have been reading around this big plan or big orders. It's none of that. I can tell you guys, it's been a very, very tough and long and hard-fought season. It's been on merit. We've earned all the wins. I wish we could count the almost-wins. It's not just in Cup. You look at Nationwide. We have a strong, strong lead with Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.). We've got the manufacturer's championship that we're contending with there. It's a strong, strong year. It's all because of good preparation, good teamwork and a lot of great teams. We just are reaching out and helping the fellow teammates.''(Virginian Pilot)(10-25-2011)
UPDATE: Jack Roush issued a statement Tuesday morning: "At Roush Fenway Racing we expect our individual drivers to make decisions that put themselves in the best position to win each and every race. That is a philosophy that we have lived by for over two decades, and one that we will continue to abide by going forward. Of course, as in any team, we would prefer for our drivers to work together when possible. However, to be clear, we did not micromanage or dictate to any of our drivers, nor any other Ford drivers, how to race with other drivers at Talladega last Sunday. There are unique codes that all drivers establish and have to live by on the track. How they manage their code is up to our drivers as individuals. This weekend, there were no team orders, from myself or anyone at Roush Fenway, given to any of our drivers as to whom they could or could not choose to run with or assist, nor did I give similar directions or suggestion to any of the other Ford drivers. I've spoken with Trevor (Bayne) and understand that he was put in a situation requiring a split-second decision on the track and in his response to questions justifying his actions afterwards, where it was almost certain that not everyone was going to be satisfied. Trevor is extremely talented, but it is still very early in his career. Over time he will grow to understand that in such a high-paced, competitive and hostile environment it is unlikely that all of his decisions will make everyone happy. I'm confident in his decision making, his ability and actions on the track, and I'm excited as we continue to move forward with his development."(Roush Fenway Racing)(10-25-2011)

Wood Brothers scheme honors Glen Wood's last winning ride: The Wood Brothers have had lots to celebrate in 2011, including a win in the Daytona 500 and the election of team founder Glen Wood into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The celebration continues during the Bank of America 500 weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as the paint scheme on the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford honors Glen Wood's final win as a race driver. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane car will be painted in the same colors as the 1963 Ford Galaxie that Wood drove to victory at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C., on July 13, 1963, and crew members will wear shirts just like the ones the Wood Brothers wore in the mid-1960s.(Wood Brothers Racing), see an image of the car on the #21 team paint schemes page.(10-13-2011)

Stenhouse could drive for Woods in 2012: Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Led Wood says a decision will be made in the next few weeks about whether Trevor Bayne will return to the legendary #21 Sprint Cup Series Ford next season, or be replaced by current Nationwide Series point leader Ricky Stenhouse. "If I had to say right now, I would say it would be that guy," said Wood, pointing to Bayne's name on the roof of the #21 Quick Lane Tire and Auto Ford Fusion in the garage at Chicagoland Speedway. "He's done an amazing job for us this season, and we'd love to have him back. But it's all up to Ford Motor Company and the sponsors." Wood said he expects to run a similar number of races next season, with "at least 12 and maybe as many as 18" events on the schedule. "If I tell you 12 (races) and it ends up being 18, that's great," he said. "Right now, though, I'll just say 12." He said a decision on who will steer the #21 Ford next season will be made by Ford Motor Company and Roush Fenway Racing, which whom the Woods have a longstanding technical alliance. "We'll probably have a conversation about that with (RFR President) Steve Newmark in the next couple of weeks," he said.(Sirius Speedway)(9-18-2011)

Wood Brothers to carry special scheme for JDRF at Michigan: Seven-year-old Katie Hahn of Omaha, Neb. used every crayon in the box when she created her entry for the "JDRF Race Car Design Contest," hosted by the Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). She named it "Driving Our Way to a Cure." The tie-dyed pattern can't be missed. It'll be everywhere the Wood Brothers Racing team goes during the Pure Michigan 400 this weekend, at Michigan International Speedway. On their uniforms. On the pit lane wall. Katie and her family will wear matching shirts. Even Trevor Bayne, driver of the #21 Ford Fusion, will be in on the fun. Katie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of five. She and her family raised $4,210 online by asking their friends and family to cast their vote for her design by making a donation to JDRF. Overall, more than $43,000 was raised in the contest this year. In four years, the partnership has resulted in more than $240,000 in donations to support JDRF's goal: to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. Bayne and representatives from FCSD, Ford and JDRF got their first glimpse of the "Driving Our Way to a Cure" #21 Ford Fusion at the official unveiling at Ford World Headquarters, where Mark Fields, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company; President, The Americas welcomed the family and thanked them for their participation with host Brett Wheatley, Director, Marketing, FCSD. "On behalf of JDRF, we congratulate Katie Hahn for creating such a unique design and for raising the critically needed funds for type 1 diabetes research," said Scott McCormick, JDRF International Board Member and Interim Chief Marketing Officer. "This colorful car is sure to stand out on the racetrack, not only raising awareness for type 1 diabetes, but also showcasing the important partnership between JDRF and Ford." McCormick attended the unveiling of the racecar and accepted the check on behalf of JDRF.
Len and Eddie Wood, team owners of the #21 entry, are excited for the opportunity to revisit the past through the 1960s-esque tie-dye paint scheme. "It's a really cool thing, kind of a throwback to when I was younger," Eddie Wood said. "I remember the brightness of the colors and that particular time in history. I was just in my late teens, early 20s (when tie-dye took off the first time) and this car takes me back to a good time." Len Wood looks forward to the first time Trevor, at 21 one of the youngest drivers on the NASCAR Sprint Cup tour, steps out of the #21 hauler for the first time in a rainbow explosion of colors. "It should be a surprise for him," Len Wood said. "I don't think I've ever seen a driver in a tie-dye suit. The first time he walks out of that hauler and everybody sees him, it'll be interesting, but it's all for a good cause. I hope the crew shirts look good. Maybe I should've worked on this and not got my hair cut for the last few months."
Just as many sports have a regular season and a playoff season, the JDRF Race Car Design Contest has a voting phase and a judging phase. Representatives from FCSD, JDRF and Len and Eddie Wood choose a winner among the top five fundraising entries. "The paint schemes were very good this year," Len Wood said. "It was hard to pick, but we wanted something different. I think with the tie-dye paint scheme; it's different all right. I don't think I've ever seen a race car painted like it." Ford Motor Company is JDRF's only global partner and no company has raised more to fund research for JDRF than Ford. Ford has raised more than $35 million for JDRF since 1998.(Ford PR/ Wood Brothers Racing), see image of scheme on the #21 Team Schemes page.(8-18-2011)

Partial Cup schedules for Bayne, Stenhouse in 2012? Roush Fenway Racing still is sewing up sponsorship on the Sprint Cup Fords of #99-Carl Edwards, #16-Greg Biffle, #17-Matt Kenseth and #6-David Ragan. Trevor Bayne said Wood Brothers Racing still is hunting sponsorship, too, and he would like to run full time in 2012 if the money were available. The #21 hasn't run a full schedule since 2008, and Bayne said he is slated for 13 to 15 races next year.(USA Today)
AND: Ironically, had Edwards not announced last week that he was not leaving Roush Fenway Racing for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Trevor Bayne would have been in line for Edwards' Cup ride. Now, Bayne likely will return to a part-ride Cup ride in the #21 Wood Brothers car and run a full or part-time Nationwide schedule at Roush. Stenhouse said he has no definitive plan other than he'd like to run a full Nationwide schedule for Roush and part-time Cup schedule. Stenhouse mentioned that Richard Petty Motorsports, which gets chassis and engines from RFR, might be looking to expand.(ESPN.com)(8-10-2011)

Special decal on the #21 starting at Indy: The #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Wood Brothers Racing Ford driven by Trevor Bayne, will feature a special logo that will adorn the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion beginning this weekend at Indianapolis.

Bayne was treated for Lyme Disease: Trevor Bayne had to miss five Nationwide races earlier this year after suffering from what his doctors think was Lyme Disease. But he feels fine now. "I'm great. I'm going back in a couple months to find out if that's officially what it was," he said. "I had treatment for that and my symptoms are gone. Hopefully, that's what it was and they knocked it out."(Associated Press)(7-23-2011)

Johnson Earns Two ESPY Nominations; Bayne one: UPDATE: #48-Jimmie Johnson has earned two nominations in The 2011 ESPYs co-presented by Capital One and Castrol EDGE, hosted by Seth Meyers. All nominations have been revealed and voting has begun, and the complete list of The 2011 ESPYs nominees is available for voters at espn.com/espys. Johnson, who won his fifth consecutive NASCAR championship in 2010, has again been nominated in the "Best Male Athlete" category and in the "Best Driver" category. He could become the first auto racer to win "Best Male Athlete" - also nominated are tennis star Rafael Nadal, Dirk Nowitzski of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks and Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Joining Johnson in the "Best Driver" category are 15-time NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion John Force, NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson and three-time IZOD IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti.(ESPN)
AND: #21- Trevor Bayne is nominated in the "Best Moment" category for his Daytona 500 win.(6-28-2011)
UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson won the "Best Driver" ESPY. Dirk Nowitzki of the NBA Dallas Mavericks was named best Male Athlete. Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay's no-hitter in the 2010 MLB playoffs won "best moment".(7-14-2011)

Trevor Bayne sets Daytona 'record': #21-Trevor Bayne's finish in Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, giving him the worst finish in Daytona's July race for that season's Daytona 500 winner. The previous worst finish was 40th for Cale Yarborough, the 1983 Daytona 500 winner. The 1983 Firecracker 400 had a field of 40 cars, and although Yarborough started on the pole and led a lap, his engine failed after five laps. Forty-three cars started Saturday night's race.(Sporting News)(7-3-2011)

Kyle Busch is the Most-Mentioned in Sponsor Exposure: Even before his most recent dustup, #18-Kyle Busch had been the center of attention during this year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series broadcasts. Interviewed longer and mentioned more frequently than any other driver on the circuit during the first 12 event telecasts of 2011, Busch parlayed the spotlight into $28.4 million of exposure value for his sponsors-some $6.5 million more than the next most sponsor-potent driver, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.
According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. -- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 27 seasons -- Busch's sponsors, with logos appearing on his car, uniform and pit crew, etc., were monitored for eight hours, 30 minutes, 39 seconds (8:30:39) during live and replayed coverage of NASCAR's Daytona 500 through last month's Coca-Cola 600. Additionally, Busch and the FOX TV crew verbally mentioned his sponsors on 95 occasions.
Earnhardt Jr.'s cumulative exposure value ranked him second among all drivers with $21.8 million, based on 5.5 hours of on-screen time for his sponsors and 18 brand mentions. The popular driver was third in interview durations (0:13:07), but interestingly, Earnhardt Jr. sat just seventh in total driver mentions (1,140).
Meanwhile, Trevor Bayne, despite starting only eight of the first 12 points races this year, rode the wave of his Daytona 500 win to earn $12.3 million of exposure value for his sponsors, the seventh-most among the drivers. Bayne placed 20th in terms of cumulative sponsor on-camera time and 22nd in driver mentions. (for charts and more, go to Joyce Julius & Associates)(6-15-2011)

Bayne will return for Chicago Nationwide race: Trevor Bayne will make his ninth start of the season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway in the STP 300. Bayne: "I'm looking forward to concentrating on our Nationwide program this weekend at Chicago. I am thankful to be able to get back into a race car and I am going to savor this moment forever. We as race car drivers are so blessed to be doing this for a living and I think we take that for granted sometimes. I am ready to get back to work and compete at the highest level. Our Nationwide program has been unstoppable as of late and I want to contribute to that success as much as I can. Chris Andrews and the guys give me awesome race cars to drive, so there is no doubt in my mind that we can win this thing on Saturday night."(Roush Fenway Racing)(5-31-2011)

Doctor's still do not know what ails Bayne: Having been out since late April, Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne hopes to return to the track next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. It has been week to week for the driver since his health issues surfaced in April. So far, Bayne still doesn't have a diagnosis for what was wrong with him. When he checked into the Mayo Clinic a month ago, his main symptoms were nausea, fatigue and double vision. He was admitted to a Charlotte hospital the week before. "I think I finally just had to accept that nobody knows," Bayne said. "I can promise if I was just tired or not feeling great I would've still been in the race car because I'm a racer. But I went to bed Monday feeling great and woke up Tuesday seeing double." He said he's felt fine for about a week, but team officials wanted to stay on the cautious side and hold him out of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600. "Last week I took off as a caution, and this week, they made me take it off as a caution," Bayne said.(Charlotte Observer)(5-27-2011)

Stenhouse to fill in for Bayne in the #21 at Charlotte: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., will fill in for Trevor Bayne in the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford in this Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race will mark the Sprint Cup debut for the 2010 Nationwide Series rookie of the year, who won his first Nationwide Series race last weekend at Iowa Speedway. "Obviously its not the circumstances that you want to make your first Sprint Cup start," said Stenhouse. "But you grow up dreaming about this moment and I am excited and grateful for the opportunity; to not only make my first start, but to be able to drive the #21 Ford of the Wood Brothers in one of the biggest races of the season. Trevor is a very good friend of mine and he's going to be around this weekend and I know that his help with the transition will be instrumental. Hopefully we can give him an effort that will make him proud before we turn the car back over to him for the rest of the season."
"We can't wait to have Trevor back with us, but we can't think of a better driver to fill in than Ricky," said Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood. "Ricky has been doing an outstanding job in the Nationwide Series. Like Trevor, he is definitely one of the up and coming drivers in our sport and we are happy that he accepted the offer to step in before Trevor comes back for our next race." Bayne will make his return to NASCAR next weekend in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland. He will make his next Sprint Cup start in the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford two weeks later at Michigan.(Wood Brothers Racing)(5-25-2011)

Bayne to skip Charlotte; next Cup race at MIS; #21 at Charlotte?: Trevor Bayne will make his NASCAR return next week in the Nationwide Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. As a precautionary measure, Roush Fenway Racing and Wood Brothers Racing have decided to withhold Bayne from NASCAR competition this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but subject to any unforeseen changes, the 20-year old driver is expected to fully resume his regular racing schedule beginning at Chicagoland in the #16 Roush Fenway entry. He will make his next Sprint Cup start in the #21 Wood Brothers Ford two weeks later at Michigan (June 18.) "By all standards Trevor had a great week," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "His symptoms have completely subsided. He tested at Virginia International Raceway on Tuesday, had one of the fastest Nationwide Series cars on the race track and his team was extremely pleased with his progress. As a result, we plan to have him back in competition next week in Chicago, and have consulted with his doctors at the Mayo Clinic and the NASCAR medical staff about that timetable".
"Of course, Trevor is a competitor and he wanted to be back on the race track this weekend," added Newmark. "However, we feel it is in his best interest for us to exercise an abundance of caution with this matter and withhold him from racing this weekend; especially considering the length of the races and the fact that Trevor is just starting to get back into his daily routine. Although Trevor would have preferred to compete in all 900 miles this weekend, he respects and understands our decision and will shift his considerable focus to his return at Chicagoland next weekend."(Roush Fenway Racing), no word if the #21 Wood Brothers Racing team will run the Coca Cola 600 with another driver or withdraw from the event.(5-25-2011)

No racing for Bayne this weekend UPDATE: Roush Fenway and the Wood Brothers have decided to withhold Trevor Bayne from NASCAR competition this weekend, including Sunday's Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway and Saturday night's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "Although we would like for Trevor to be on the track this weekend, we want to make sure that he is fully back to prime condition before he goes out to compete with the best drivers in the world," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "He has been undergoing tests and out of his routine for almost a month now. With that disruption in his schedule, he has not been able to take part in our daily training activities and he's going to need a little more time to get acclimated to the strenuous demands of a NASCAR racing schedule," added Newmark. "Obviously we would love to have him back out on the track, but we are not prepared to do that until we are sure that he's 100 percent. His symptoms have improved tremendously, but we're still not all the way back to where we want to be."
"We knew all along that there was not a timetable for his return," said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Wood Brothers Racing. "We knew it would be a process and we continue to work towards his return. Trevor really wants to be back, and we remain hopeful that we'll have him competing again soon." Neither the Roush Fenway #16 Nationwide Series entry, nor the Wood Brothers #21 Sprint Cup entry, will participate in the NASCAR races this weekend. The Wood Brothers, however, do intend to participate in the Pit Crew Challenge this evening.(Roush Fenway Racing)(5-19-2011)
UPDATE: The undisclosed illness that has sidelined Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne with blurred vision and other symptoms for more than three weeks will keep him from driving in Saturday's All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Bayne tested Wednesday at Rockingham Speedway for Roush Fenway Racing, which owns Bayne's contract and fields him in the #16 Ford in the Nationwide Series. RFR officials said Bayne, who qualified for the All-Star race by winning the Sprint Cup opener at Daytona in the #21 he drives on a limited basis for the Wood Brothers, did not appear at full strength after more than three weeks of non-activity while undergoing tests. Bayne's Nationwide car did not make the trip to Iowa for Sunday's race and will not be entered with any driver. The Wood Brothers will not replace Bayne in the All-Star race even though they have that option. Bayne has been having symptoms of blurred vision, pain in his left shoulder and elbow, fatigue and periods of feeling nauseous since early last month. Although the symptoms had subsided enough that it was initially thought Bayne could compete in the All-Star race, it was decided after Wednesday's test he probably needed another week to recuperate and gain back his full strength.(ESPN), NOTE: #78-Regan Smith will replace Bayne in the burnout contest on Saturday, before the races.(5-20-2011)

Bayne to test this week; could race in All-Star race: #21-Trevor Bayne will test this week at Gresham Motorsports Park in Georgia before a final decision is made on whether the Daytona 500 champion can compete in Saturday's All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Team owner Jack Roush said Sunday at Dover International Speedway that Bayne has made "a lot of progress" with the symptoms from his undisclosed illness. He said the symptoms beyond pain in the left shoulder and elbow and periods of feeling nausea and fatigue have included blurred vision. NASCAR medical consultant Dr. Jerry Petty is monitoring the situation and will make a final decision on clearing Bayne for his return after the test. "If he feels like it, he's going to be in the Wood Brothers car in the All-Star race," Roush said of Bayne. Roush said no decision has been made on whether Bayne will compete in next Sunday's Nationwide Series race at Iowa even if he does drive in the All-Star race. Bayne has missed the last three Nationwide Series races. He spent more than a week at the Mayo Clinic undergoing tests for what were originally believed to be symptoms from a bug bite received last month after the Martinsville Sprint Cup race. Roush said no definitive diagnosis came from the tests.(ESPN)(5-16-2011)

Bayne to skip Dover NNS race, but plans All-Star race: Roush Fenway Racing will hold Trevor Bayne out of this week's Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway. Fellow Tennessee native Kevin Swindell will fill in for Bayne in the #16 Roush Fenway Mustang this weekend in the Nationwide Series race. "Trevor's symptoms have subsided and we are very encouraged by his progress," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "Still, we are going to exercise an element of caution with his return to the track and keep him out of competition for at least another week. "Trevor is itching to get back out on the race track, and, although it's hard to keep someone with his passion away, we feel it is in his best interest to hold off for another week. As of now, we, along with the Wood Brothers, are planning for Trevor to return next week and compete in the Sprint Cup All-Star event in Charlotte and the Nationwide Series race in Iowa."(Roush Fenway Racing)(5-11-2011)

Bayne doubtful for Darlington Nationwide race: UPDATE 2: Roush Fenway Racing driver Trevor Bayne remains hospitalized in the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and likely will remain out of the driver's seat for at least another week. Hospitalized last week for fatigue, nausea and blurred vision, Bayne missed the Nationwide Series race at Richmond last week. He likely will miss this weekend's race at Darlington although a final decision might not be made until Thursday, a Roush Fenway Racing spokesman said Wednesday. His replacement would be Chris Buescher.(Scene Daily)(5-4-2011)
UPDATE: Chris Buescher likely will replace Trevor Bayne in the Roush Fenway Racing Nationwide Series car for the second straight race as the Daytona 500 winner remains hospitalized for an undisclosed illness, sources told ESPN.com Wednesday. Despite numerous rumors about Bayne's condition -- which at times has included a rash as well as swelling and numbness in his left arm -- several sources said doctors have not made a final diagnosis and would not speculate on whether this could be career-threatening. A final decision on whether to put Buescher in the car is expected to be made Thursday. Bayne's next scheduled Cup race for the Wood Brothers is the May 21 All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(ESPN.com)(5-4-2011)
UPDATE 2: Roush Fenway Racing's Trevor Bayne has been released from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. after being admitted last week for testing and evaluation. The 20-year old Daytona 500 winner will continue to be monitored closely by the Mayo Clinic team. He is expected to return to his NASCAR racing duties with both Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series and the Wood Brothers in the Sprint Cup Series this season. He will not, however, be in the #16 Roush Fenway Nationwide Series entry this weekend at Darlington Raceway. No timeframe has been set for Bayne's return at this point. "Trevor Bayne was seen by a team of Mayo Clinic specialists where he underwent a series of tests and consultations over the last week," said Mayo Clinic neurologist Brian Crum, M.D. "He was admitted after suffering from nausea, fatigue and vision impairment. Since his admission, the nausea and fatigue have abated, and the vision impairment continues to be treated with medication, and is showing significant improvement. "This symptom appears to be the result of an inflammatory condition. Further assessments will be made over the next couple of weeks. His condition is not life threatening or career-ending. We expect he will continue to improve, though the timeframe for his return to racing is unknown at this point. He will continue to be followed closely by his Mayo Clinic team." Chris Buescher, who drove the #16 Roush Fenway NNS entry last week at Richmond, will again fill in for Bayne this weekend at Darlington. Team officials are unsure of Bayne's status for next week's Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway but are hopeful for his return for that race.(Roush Fenway Racing)(5-5-2011)

Bayne Undergoing Medical Tests UPDATE 2: Roush Fenway's [and Wood Brothers Racing's #21] Trevor Bayne has been hospitalized and is undergoing tests for symptoms that are thought to be related to the insect bite he sustained earlier this month. "Trevor was not feeling well early this week and he is currently being evaluated for lingering symptoms that may be related to his previous insect bite," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "Unfortunately Trevor will not be available to drive the #16 Ford for us this weekend in the Nationwide race at Richmond [Bayne was not scheduled to run the Sprint Cup race as the #21 Wood Brother's team runs a limited schedule]. As of now, our plans are to use a substitute driver from the Roush Fenway family of drivers in place of Trevor at Friday night's race. Obviously Trevor wanted to be in Richmond and he's upset about not being able to compete. However, his health is our top priority and we insisted that he have these tests to get to the bottom of his symptoms. We will work to provide you with further updates as they become available." The 20-year old driver was treated and released earlier this month after a reaction from an apparent insect bite on his left elbow that he suffered earlier that week while at home in North Carolina.(Roush Fenway Racing)(4-28-2011)
UPDATE: Trevor Bayne remained hospitalized a second night Friday as he undergoes tests for symptoms thought to be related to an insect bite suffered earlier this month. He suffered nausea and fatigue earlier this week before going to the hospital for the second time this month, a Roush Fenway Racing official said. Bayne was hospitalized April 10 upon returning to North Carolina from the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. "[Bayne] is undergoing a very comprehensive and thorough battery of tests,'' said Steve Newmark, president of Roush Fenway Racing, on Friday night at Richmond International Raceway. "The doctors will finish those tests and, hopefully, get the results back and figure out what the diagnosis is. In a perfect world, what's going to happen is that they're going to come back and say, 'Roush Fenway, you overreacted.' In our view, the racing is kind of irrelevant right now when you're talking about the health of a 20-year old kid.'' Bayne was scheduled to have competed in Friday night's Nationwide race. He was replaced by Chris Buescher.(Roanoke Times)(4-30-2011)
UPDATE 2: Bayne no longer believes an insect bite is behind the symptoms that have landed him in the hospital. "Still at the hospital!" Bayne posted on Twitter on Saturday night. "Don't think its related to the bite ... But we'll see!" Roush Fenway Racing announced Thursday that Bayne had been hospitalized to be tested for symptoms that were believed to be from an insect bite in early April. Team owner Jack Roush told the Motor Racing Network that Bayne has been hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic. The team has released very few details about the 20-year-old, and has not said how long he's been hospitalized (Associated Press)(5-1-2011)

Wood Brothers to skip next three races: #21-Trevor Bayne and the Wood Brothers team, who have planned a limited Sprint Cup schedule this year, will skip the next three Sprint Cup races and return to the track on May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race with sponsorship from the Good Sam Club. Bayne and the Woods are guaranteed a starting spot in the All-Star race because of their victory in the season-opening Daytona 500.(Wood Brothers Racing)(4-20-2011)

Bayne may have sponsor to run All-Star race: UPDATES: The Wood Brothers are close to a sponsorship deal that will put Daytona 500 champion #21-Trevor Bayne into the May 21 All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. "I think it will work," said Len Wood, one of the co-owners of the team. "There's been interest in the last 36 hours." Wood said he should know something for sure early next week, but wouldn't identify the sponsor other than to say it was a familiar name in racing. "We've got somebody who wants to run the race," Len Wood said. On Tuesday, Eddie Wood said the team didn't plan to enter the non-points event without sponsorship. Len Wood said the publicity did not spark the interest from the sponsor that has stepped forward, but acknowledged a number of people want the team in the race. Among those are Charlotte Motor Speedway, which hosts the race, and Ford, the team's manufacturer.(ESPN.com)(4-2-2011)
UPDATE: Wood Brothers Racing is expected to add two more races to Trevor Bayne 's schedule, including the May 21 Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The team is completing a deal for additional sponsorship that would push the rookie's schedule in the Sprint Cup Series to 18 regular season races and the All-Star event. The announcement could come as soon as this week. The additional sponsorship also includes the April 17 race at Talladega Superspeedway.(Augusta Chronicle)(4-8-2011)
UPDATE 2:Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne will enter the May 21 All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as Wood Brothers Racing has secured sponsorship for the event. The Wood Brothers have lined up Camping World and Good Sam Club to sponsor the 20-year-old Bayne in the non-points event. Until sponsorship was lined up, Bayne, who qualified for the race with his surprising victory at Daytona, was not slated to take part. Camping World and Good Sam Club will also sponsor Bayne's car in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. (ESPN.com)(4-11-2011)
UDPATE 3: Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne and his Wood Brothers Race Team will carry the colors of the Good Sam Club in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 17 and in the NASCAR Sprint All Star Race on May 21. Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Good Sam Club and its sister company Camping World, said he's thrilled to have Bayne and the Woods on board for a big weekend in April, which includes both the NASCAR race and Good Sam Days, where the camping club's one million members can enjoy special deals at Camping World's online store at www.campingworld.com and free food and hospitality at Camping World stores. Then, at the All Star race, the #21 also will carry a Camping World logo, but the most prominent space on the car will go to the Good Sam Club, which Lemonis said is most appropriate.(Wood Brothers Racing)(4-12-2011)

Bayne admitted to hospital: UPDATE: Trevor Bayne was admitted to Carolinas Medical Center-University in Charlotte, NC, on Sunday morning after returning home from the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. According to a Roush Fenway Racing team spokesman Corey Wynn, Bayne's illness has not been diagnosed. But the 20-year-old winner of this year's Daytona 500 had tweeted earlier: "Not sure if its a spider bite or a tick bite . . . But either way I'm in a hospital bed with a needle in my arm! #nobueno". Bayne began exhibiting symptoms Tuesday. On Friday, he was taken to the infield care center at Texas Motor Speedway, where he was administered antibiotics. Then, Saturday night, he went to the emergency room when the Roush plane returned to Charlotte, and he was admitted to the hospital. (Fox Sports)(4-10-2011)
UPDATE: Roush Fenway Racing's Trevor Bayne was treated and released Sunday from Carolina Medical Center University Hospital in Charlotte after a reaction from an apparent insect bite on his left elbow that the 20-year old driver suffered last week while at home. "Trevor has been treated and released from the hospital and is fine to continue with his daily activities - including driving a race car," said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. "Doctors are still waiting for the test results to determine for sure what caused the reaction, but Trevor has been treated, is at home and he is doing fine." Additional information should be available at the end of the week. Bayne competed in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend. He is scheduled to compete in both events this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway (Ala.).(Roush Fenway PR)(4-10-2011)

Bayne's Beginning to Feel at Home in Southern Virginia: So far, Trevor Bayne's first racing adventure on the home turf of his Wood Brothers racing team is going just fine. He and the crew of his #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion are adapting to the tricky Martinsville Speedway, where they'll start 25th in Sunday's Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500. And he and crew chief Donnie Wingo got a warm welcome from an overflow crowd at the Wood Brothers' home shop in nearby Stuart on Friday night. "This is really, really cool," Bayne said of his weekend in southern Virginia. He especially liked the gathering in Stuart, which also featured three generations of the Wood Brothers family, including three original racing brothers Ray Lee, Leonard and Glen, along with their sister Crystal. "We thought we would do a couple hours from 7-9 (p.m.), and we ended up signing autographs until midnight last night for 4,000 fans," he said. "So it was a really good turnout. It's awesome to see the hometown support here."(Wood Brothers Racing)(4-3-2011)

Bayne & Wingo to to be honored at Wood Brothers Racing Museum: When the NASCAR circuit returns to Martinsville, Va. next week for the Goody's Fast Relief 500, Eddie, Len and Kim will host an event at their racing museum in Stuart that brings together the best of both Wood Brothers Racing worlds. On Friday night, April 1, from 7 to 9 p.m., fans and friends of the Wood Brothers will get a chance to meet both the original Wood Brothers and the team's latest Daytona 500 winners, driver Trevor Bayne and crew chief Donnie Wingo. Representing the Original Wood Brothers that began racing 61 years ago are team founder and driver Glen Wood, crew chief Leonard Wood, tire changer Ray Lee Wood and jackman Delano Wood. For Wood family friends and race fans in the area, to see Bayne drive the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion at nearby Martinsville Speedway, it's a rare opportunity to see the Original Wood Brothers. Ray Lee retired in 1965 and Delano in 1983 and neither has been to a NASCAR race since. "This is probably the first time the four of them have been together in a racing setting since 1965," Eddie Wood said. Trevor, Donnie and The Wood Brothers will all be on hand to greet friends and family and to sign autographs. Eddie Wood said the event is his generation's way of recognizing the family members, as well as the friends and fans, who have stood by them through the good times in the past as well as the lean times in between victories. "We just want to thank the people that have supported us through the years," he said. The Wood Brothers Racing Museum at 21 Performance Drive in Stuart, Va. will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. As always, admission is free.(Wood Brothers Racing)(3-29-2011)

Roush Fenway has no plans to put Bayne in All-Star Race: [Roush Fenway President Steve ] Newmark is optimistic regarding the promise of his Nationwide Series racers Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse. He's watched both youngsters mature over the past year. Despite Bayne's uncertainty regarding a sponsored ride in the All-Star race, Newmark says there are no current plans to provide their driver with a car. "It's not anything we've had discussions about," Newmark said. "We're focused on having Trevor run in Nationwide and try to compete with he and Ricky to win the championship. We're hopeful that the Wood Brothers will figure out a way to get Trevor in the All-Star race, but we haven't had any discussions about putting him in any of our vehicles."(Fox Sports), see earlier infomation about Wood Brothers not running the All-Star Race on my #21 team page.(3-26-2011)

Trevor Bayne...not running All-Star race? #21-Trevor Bayne is not expected to race in the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21. Bayne, 20, automatically became eligible for the event with his win in the Daytona 500 last month. However, before the season the Wood Brothers scheduled only 16 races for Bayne. The Wood Brothers added Martinsville last month and, after his early success on restrictor plate tracks, they opted to move one of the later dates to Talladega in April. The Darlington race in May has also been added to Bayne's schedule, giving him 18 for the season. "We weren't planning on going to the Open (the all-star qualifying race) anyway," team co-owner Eddie Wood said. "Naturally, we're in it, but we weren't going to run it. If you're going to spend money, you're going to run points races. The way the new points system is now, it may be possible to stay in the top 35 and not run all the races if you're fairly consistent. Last year if we didn't show up for a race, we didn't get any points. This year, that's different." Although a couple of sponsorship offers were presented for Bayne to run the Sprint All-Star Race, the products conflicted with current partners of the Wood Brothers. However, that doesn't mean the Wood Brothers won't entertain any and all offers. "If a sponsorship deal shows up, we can go do it," Wood said. "There's still time. It's simple enough to do. But as of now, we're not going. As things are right now, the first race we're not planning to run is Richmond (on April 30). We won't go to Dover or the all-star race, either. The schedule we have is all we got."(FoxSports)(3-19-2011)

Bayne still needs sponsors: Daytona 500 winner #21-Trevor Bayne is still working on finding sponsors for his Sprint Cup and Nationwide cars. The 20-year-old driver said he'd like to add both races at Talladega, but doesn't have anything lined up. He also says Friday his car would have a lot of open spaces on it this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway because the Wood Brothers are still trying to line up more sponsors. Bayne is scheduled for 18 Sprint Cup races, but would like a full season. His Nationwide car does not have a sponsor.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(2-25-2011)

Trevor Bayne gets Sprint Cup option...but sticks with NNS: Because of a lack of sponsorship, Wood Brothers Racing had planned to field #21-Trevor Bayne in only 17 Sprint Cup races this season. And with a new NASCAR rule forcing drivers to choose one national series in which to earn points, Bayne took himself out of the running for the title anyway. "Whatever they say, I'm good with it," said Bayne, who tied a record by capturing his first win in NASCAR's premier circuit in his second start. "I think we'll have a really good shot in Nationwide, and obviously we've got a good shot (in Cup), so whatever they say I'm fine with it" Despite his win, Bayne has zero points in the standings because he chose to run for the Nationwide title under the new rule (which was intended to end the five-year streak of Cup regulars wining the second-division title).
But NASCAR said Monday that Bayne would be allowed to change his mind. Though the points he earned from the Daytona 500 still wouldn't count, the victory would in determining his eligibility for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Under a new format this season, the 12-driver Chase will feature the top 10 in points and the two drivers ranked 11th-20th with the most wins. If the rules had been applied last year, a one-win driver would have made the Chase. Still, Wood Brothers would need to run its first full season since 2008 to give Bayne a shot at the top 20 in points before the Chase cutoff in September. The team added a race after his win and hopes to secure funding to continue after the first seven. "This limited schedule enables us to continue racing, but you need to be at all of them and that's our goal," said co-owner Eddie Wood, who said Monday morning he had received text messages from potential sponsors in the 12 hours since the victory. Wood said deciding on whether Bayne would switch his points preference was "a good problem to have."(USA Today)(2-22-2011)
UPDATE: Even though NASCAR would have allowed Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne to change his eligibility for the championship from the Nationwide Series to the Sprint Cup Series, Bayne announced Tuesday he is sticking with his plans to run for the Nationwide title. As tempting as switching to Sprint Cup would have been—with NASCAR saying he would become eligible to run for rookie of the year and that his win at Daytona would count toward a possible wild-card entry into the Chase—Bayne showed he either is mature beyond his 20 years or has gotten some excellent advice—or both.(Sporting News)(2-23-2011)

Bayne celebrates Daytona 500 win and #21 moved to Gatorade Victory Lane: Even with the whirlwind of events that have surrounded Trevor Bayne since taking the legendary Wood Brothers back to Gatorade Victory Lane in Sunday's 53rd annual Daytona 500, it still did not seem real to him as he met with media and fans during the Champion's Breakfast car induction at Daytona International Speedway Monday morning. After winning the richest and most prestigious race on the NASCAR circuit, Trevor Bayne celebrated with friends by playing basketball and riding skateboards in the infield. The celebration continued early this morning as they brought the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, covered in confetti, to the "World Center of Racing's" indoor Gatorade Victory Lane where the car will be on display until it is returned to the team next February. Joining Bayne were team owners Eddie and Len Wood, and crew chief Donnie Wingo. Original co-owner –Eddie and Len's dad – Glen Wood, also attended the event. "That's one of the most special parts of it," Eddie said of having the family in victory lane after the win. "With what our dad and Leonard (Wood, uncle) accomplished in the 70s, 80s, and the 60s, too – we felt like we had dropped the ball. To get back to (victory lane) and have them back in victory lane – and Richard Petty bringing dad in – it feels good to get the family name back going."
Even before the Champion's Breakfast, Bayne's day was in full swing. He entered the room giving a phone interview, autographing hats and being followed by a television camera. After the event he will start a media tour that will take him to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., then on to Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and finally Phoenix for this week's race at Phoenix International Raceway. "Every time I get done with one thing they hand me another phone and I'm talking," Bayne said. "I like to talk a lot, but after this week you might not hear anything except crickets." Though he's young and has only two starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Bayne understands the gravity of the win. "The first realization I got is when I was talking to (the Wood Brothers)," said Bayne. "They said it was as cool as (David) Pearson's win and that's when it sinks in because I don't put myself on that kind of stage with those guys. I don't think of myself as doing the same thing that David Pearson did or AJ Foyt or Tiny Lund or (Cale Yarborough). When they made that comment, that this was one of their coolest 500 wins, that's when I thought, 'Wow, this is real. This is something that a lot of people strive for their whole career. This is one of the biggest races in motorsports and we were the ones in victory lane." During the celebration, Bayne also joined Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III to unveil the logo for the 2012 Daytona 500, scheduled for February 26, 2012.(Daytona Beach News Journal)
AND: Bayne left Daytona Monday afternoon to appear on six different ESPN shows in Connecticut. He is scheduled to leave there Monday night and head to Chicago, where he will appear on two television morning shows and then a fan event at Harry Caray's at Navy Pier and a lunch at Morton's the Steakhouse. Bayne will then fly to San Francisco, where he will participate in an ice cream social with fans in Ghiradelli Square. He will spend Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, where he will meet with fans at Auto Club Speedway and possibly do interviews with a late night talk show or two.(SceneDaily)(2-21-2011)

Bayne heads to San Francisco on Tuesday...for Ice Cream: Race fans are invited to an old-fashioned Ice Cream Social at legendary Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco on Tuesday, Feb. 22, with Trevor Bayne, the winner of the 2011 Daytona 500. For the third consecutive year, the winner of the Great American Race will come to San Francisco to meet with race fans and members of the media, courtesy of Infineon Raceway and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Bayne became the youngest driver in history (20 years, one day) to ever win the Daytona 500. This marked the 53rd running of the Great American Race. It was Bayne's second career Cup start and the fifth Daytona 500 win for the Wood Brothers, the last coming in 1976. The appearance marks the Official Countdown to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend at Infineon Raceway, June 24-26. The Ghirardelli Square Ice Cream Parlor will create a very special ice cream sundae in honor of Bayne. It will be called the "Trevor Bayne Sundae, Sundae, Sundae." Race fans are invited to the event, which begins at 5:30 pm/pt at Ghirardelli Square. Bayne, who will arrive via a CHP escort, will first walk the red carpet to the Ghirardelli Square Ice Cream Parlor, where he will create the very first "Trevor Bayne Sundae, Sundae, Sundae," complete with all the fixins. The item will have a permanent spot on the Ghirardelli Square Ice Cream Parlor menu for fans to enjoy. Bayne will then be escorted to the Ghirardelli Square Courtyard for a formal press conference. Race fans are encouraged to attend and give the winner of the Great American Race a warm Northern California welcome. Fans in attendance will receive a complimentary "Trevor Bayne Sundae, Sundae, Sundae," courtesy of Ghirardelli Square, while supplies last. The event will also feature ticket giveaways, event posters and a visit from the popular Infineon Raceway Girls. Be sure and get there early as seats to the press conference will be limited. Race tickets to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 will be available at the Ice Cream Social, including special packages like the Save Mart Supermarkets 2-Pack (2 tickets for $99) and the Jimmie Johnson 4-Pack (4 tickets, 4 hot dog, 4 sodas, plus a race-day Q&A with Johnson for $195), among others. Stay tuned to www.infineonraceway.com for additional details on the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 24-26.(Infineon Raceway)(2-21-2011)

Bayne unlikely to run for Sprint Cup points: Daytona 500 winner #21-Trevor Bayne said Monday he's probably not going to attempt to run for the Sprint Cup championship this year. The 20-year-old became the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history Sunday with a surprise victory in NASCAR's biggest race. He's scheduled to run only 17 Cup races this season for the Wood Brothers while he competes for the Nationwide Series title for Roush-Fenway Racing. NASCAR rules this season made drivers pick just one series to collect points, and Bayne chose the second-tier Nationwide Series. He can change his mind, but he would not be given retroactive points for the Daytona 500. NASCAR officials said Monday the win would count toward seeding in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, but he would not receive any points for Sunday's race. NASCAR this year changed the format for the 12-driver Chase field. The top 10 in points after the 26th race of the season make the Chase, with the final two spots going to drivers with the most wins who aren't already eligible. The drivers would have to be ranked inside the top 20.(Associated Press), the team has added at least one race to it's 2011 schedule, selecting to run at Martinsville in April, the sixth race of the 2011 season.(2-21-2011)

Trevor Bayne wins the Daytona 500: in what has to be one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history, 20-year old #21-Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on the 2nd green-white-checkered finish. It is Bayne's 1st career NASCAR Sprint Cup win in only his 2nd start [ties a record with Jamie McMurray]. The famed Wood Brothers Racing team won their 5th Daytona 500, 15th overall at Daytona and 98th Sprint Cup race. It is the Wood Brothers first win since Elliott Sadler won for them at Bristol in March of 2001. Bayne is the youngest winner ever of the Daytona 500 at 20 years, 1 day old. The win is Ford's 600th win for the manufacturer. #99-Edwards finished 2nd followed by #34-Gilliland [the best finish ever for Front Row Motorsports], #47-BLabonte, #22-Busch, #42-Montoya, #78-Smith [best career finish], #18-Busch, #27-Menard and #5-Martin [was 3 laps down at one point]. Pole sitter #88-Earnhardt Jr, wrecked late and finished 24th. 2010 Sprint Cup Champ, #48-Jimmie Johnson was involved in 'the big one' on lap 28 and finished 27th after the team made repairs, finishing 19 laps down.
There were a record 74 lead changes among 22 record leaders with a record 16 cautions for 60 laps.
See race results, awards and more on the Daytona Race Results page.
For points standings, see the Drivers Points Standings page and the Owners Points Standings page.(2-20-2011)

Rookie Returns Wood Brothers to Victory Lane After Advice from Hall of Famer: Statement from 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee David Pearson;
2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee David Pearson met Trevor Bayne this morning prior to the start of the Daytona 500. Hours later, Bayne, a 20-year-old rookie, sent the Wood Brothers to Victory Lane in the Great American Race. In 1976, Pearson took the same team to Victory Lane in the Daytona 500. Bayne's famed #21 carried decals honoring David Pearson for his Hall of Fame Induction. Pearson left the track shortly after the race started to drive home to South Carolina
David Pearson: "Yeah, I was listening to it on the radio in the car. That's good. I'm proud of them. I figured they had a chance after seeing that boy race in the 150s (Gatorade Duel). I talked to him (Bayne) this morning. I told him to keep his head straight and not to do anything crazy. I told him to stay relaxed. That's the thing; stay relaxed. I knew he would because he was relaxed in the qualifier. I'm proud of him. I don't understand what has taken them so long to return to Victory Lane. The car has always been capable."(NASCAR)(2-20-2011)

Bayne's Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford is Good as New: After Trevor Bayne was involved in a last-lap crash in Thursday's Gatorade Duel, Donnie Wingo and the crew of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford turned the garage at Daytona International Speedway into a make-shift auto body shop. While other teams practiced on the track on Friday, members of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew were fabricating body panels, welding them on the car, smoothing the seams with body filler and doing everything they could to make sure the car was as quick as it was before. When Bayne went out for practice Saturday morning, Wingo, the crew chief, and the rest of the team had their answer. The car performed flawlessly. "We're happy with it," Wingo said. "It turned out great. Everybody did a really great job." Wingo said Bayne, who turned 20 on Saturday, didn't try to set any speed records, but spent his time on the track practicing the two-car tandem draft with drivers including fellow Ford driver Greg Biffle and Joey Logano. "We were better as a pusher, but we're good either way," Wingo said. Team co-owner Len Wood said the decision to go with repairing the primary car instead of going to a back-up was a fairly easy one, especially since some of the fabricators from Roush Fenway Racing who helped build the car originally, were on hand and prepared to help make it like new again.(Wood Brothers Racing)(2-20-2011)

No rookie of the year in 2011?: NASCAR will not allow a driver to earn rookie-of-the-year honors if the driver has not declared to run for the season championship in that series, NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said Thursday. That means that rookie #21-Trevor Bayne will not be allowed to run for the Cup rookie award this year. Bayne, who will run at least 17 races for Wood Brothers Racing and was potentially the only rookie in the Sprint Cup series, is competing full time for the championship in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing. The current rule states that drivers who compete in more than seven races in one season uses up his rookie eligibility. Tharp said NASCAR is looking at that provision and what should be the limit under the new rules.(SceneDaily)(2-10-2011)

#21 gets #19; #71 gets #98 owners points: NASCAR has approved a reassignment of owners points, according to sources familiar with the situation. Richard Petty Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing have partnered to create Wood Brothers II LLC. As a result, Trevor Bayne will be locked into the Daytona 500 behind the wheel of the #21 Motorcraft Ford. Richard Petty Motorsports ended last season with four teams inside the coveted top 35 in owner points, which guarantees them a starting spot in the first five races of the season. However, as the organization shrank from four teams to two, it allowed the opportunity to create the partnership with Wood Brothers. Bayne is expected to run 17 Sprint Cup Series races for the Wood Brothers to gain seat time. A decision on Bayne's rookie status in the series has yet to be determined. The Wood Brothers could not be reached for comment.
A similar deal was worked out between RPM and Kevin Buckler, who will receive the #98's owner points for the #71 TRG Chevy. Calls to Buckler and TRG CMO Torrey Galida were not returned. Sources say Buckler will start the season with Andy Lally behind the wheel. TRG remains a customer of Earnhardt Childress Racing Engines (FoxSports)(2-5-2011)

Motorcraft renews with Wood Brothers; team will honor Pearson at Daytona: After 61 years in the NASCAR racing business, the Wood Brothers have two long-standing relationships that stand above the rest - their ties to Ford Motor Company and to David Pearson. Both of them will be prominently represented on their #21 Ford for the 2011 season. Ford Customer Service Division is returning as the team's primary sponsor with its Motorcraft and Quick Lane brands for the 11th straight season, and the team has dedicated its year to Pearson in honor of his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The season-opening paint scheme, a red-and-white car with gold numbers, is the same as the Woods ran on the 1971 Mercury that Pearson began driving at Darlington in the spring of 1972.(Wood Brothers), see an image of the car on my #21 team paint schemes page.(1-27-2011)

Bayne to Drive #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford in 2011: Wood Brothers Racing has announced that 19-year old rookie driver Trevor Bayne will pilot the iconic #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion during the 2011 season. Throughout their 61 years of racing in NASCAR the Wood Brothers historically have entrusted their cars to veteran drivers, but they acknowledge that Bayne is not just any rookie. Bayne made his Sprint Cup debut in the #21 last season at Texas; qualifying in on speed and finishing 17th in the race. With the strong Texas performance behind them, the Woods and Bayne plan to run the first five races on the Sprint Cup schedule, then make selected appearances over the remainder of the season, with an expected total of 17 starts and possibly more. Veteran Donnie Wingo returns to crew chief the team in 2011.
"It's pretty awesome that the Wood Brothers have the confidence in me to believe that I can do it as a rookie," said Bayne, who will turn 20 on the day before the Daytona 500. "That says a lot about our relationship already."
Eddie Wood, co-owner of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion, said NASCAR's oldest team is excited to get back to the track with its youngest Sprint Cup driver ever. "We're really excited to be starting the season with Trevor," Wood said. "It's something new for us. We had a good race at Texas last year. That's where it all started." Bayne's early racing years also have other similarities to the Woods, including the ability to capture checkered flags. In addition to their triumphs in other racing series, the Woods have won 97 Sprint Cup races and 118 poles in Sprint Cup alone since 1953. Bayne said he's eager to prove that he's ready to race in NASCAR's top series. "I'm looking forward to my first year in Cup," he said. "I know it's not full time, but it's been my dream since I was five years old. And you couldn't ask for a better group of people to have behind you. Donnie Wingo has been incredible, and he and the guys on the team have lot of experience and have been great mentors. "Hopefully we'll continue to gain momentum and represent the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team well, on and off the track."(Wood Brothers Racing)(1-20-2011)

More on Wood Brothers plans: #21-Wood Brothers Racing will compete in 17 races in 2011 – four more than it did in 2010 – and hopes to start the year with Trevor Bayne behind the wheel. Team co-owner Eddie Wood said Tuesday that he has no driver deals signed for 2011 and only confirmed Bayne for the test at Daytona, but it appears the team is working on several more races for the 19-year-old and he possibly will be its primary driver for the season. The organization is working on running the first five races in 2011 but even if it didn't run each of those five, its 2011 schedule will include 17 races. "The things that are in place is we're going to try to run the first five races and pending additional funding, run more races – we are up to 17 races either way," Wood said. "We're working on putting a deal together for Bayne. We're going to be using Roush [Fenway] equipment and Roush engineering. That's one big change we'll have rather than doing it ourselves."(SceneDaily)(1-13-2011)

Bayne could run some races for Wood Brothers UPDATE2: The #21 Wood Brothers operation is hard at work in hopes of upping its Sprint Cup schedule to as many as 17 races in 2011. Trevor Bayne, who made his Sprint Cup debut for the team last November in Texas, could add the Wood Brothers effort to his Roush Nationwide Series schedule if sponsorship comes together. Veteran and former Cup champ Bill Elliott is also said to be in the picture for the team as well.(Motor Racing Network)(1-6-2011)
UPDATE: Trevor Bayne will drive the #21 Wood Brothers Ford beginning with the Daytona 500 in February. Currently, Bayne is scheduled to run the first five NASCAR Sprint Cup races of the season. The balance of Bayne's race plans has not been finalized.(Fox Sports)(1-8-2011)
UPDATE: Trevor Bayne, 19, is expected to run 17 races for the Wood Brothers. While there was no room in the Roush Fenway Racing lineup, Bayne could very easily become the future of that company. He is NASCAR's version of a true freshman. Bayne has exhibited potential in the Nationwide Series (where he will continue to run under the Roush banner) to the point that Roush and Ford wanted to see what the youngster was capable of achieving at the Cup level.(FoxSports)
AND Bayne is slated to run a full NWS campaign for Roush this season and after making his Sprint Cup debut for the legendary Wood Brothers team last November in Texas could add more than a few more starts in NASCAR's top division to his schedule. Bayne will run the first five races of the Cup season in the Wood's iconic #21 Ford including the Daytona 500 and pending sponsorship may make up to 17 starts for the team. "It's all about whether we can get the right funding or not, but I'm certainly grateful for the opportunity," said Bayne. "Running the new Nationwide car, which is a lot more like the Cup car, is going to help me a ton, that's for sure. I'm hoping it all comes together and I know it'll be a busy year for me but I'm ready." Team owner Eddie Wood said negotiations with several sponsors continue and he's hopeful an expanded schedule for 2011 will come together.(CBS Sports)(1-11-2011)

RPM purchased by Richard Petty and others MORE: Richard Petty Motorsports signed and closed a sale of its racing assets to an investment group comprised of Richard Petty, Medallion Financial Corp. and DGB Investments. Richard Petty will serve as Chairman and will be actively involved in overseeing day-to-day operations of the company. As previously announced, the team will operate the legendary #43 car driven by AJ Allmendinger and the #9 car driven by Marcos Ambrose. “Today is a great day for me, my family, our fans and our wonderful sponsors. Ford, Stanley, Best Buy, Valvoline, Reynolds, Air Force, Super 8, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), WIX Filters and Menards have supported me through thick and thin and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” said Petty.
Andrew Murstein, President of Medallion Financial, commented: “We could not be happier to be able to acquire these assets together. Richard is one of the greatest names, not only in NASCAR, but in all sports. His name and image are a world recognized brand with unlimited potential to grow and expand in racing. Ample working capital has been invested in the company to insure this great team and legend will not only continue to perform, but will thrive and be back in the winner’s circle.”
“George and Foster Gillett deserve a great deal of credit for running a successful race team,” commented Petty. “They made a significant investment into the business and helped get back into Victory Lane. Going forward, we have put together an all-star ownership team consisting of myself, Medallion, and VeriFone CEO Doug Bergeron.”
Medallion Financial, a publicly traded investment company, has invested over $3 billion in companies since its IPO in 1996 and its board members include such notables as former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, former Connecticut Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker, and another “King” of his sport, Hank Aaron. The Murstein family is the largest shareholder in Medallion, owning approximately 20 percent.
DGB Investments is an investment vehicle of Canadian-born investor Douglas G. Bergeron, CEO of VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), San Jose, Calif. In 2001, Bergeron and DGB participated in the acquisition of VeriFone Systems from Hewlett-Packard in a transaction valued at $50 million. Today, VeriFone’s market value exceeds $3 billion dollars and Bergeron remains CEO and one of the largest individual shareholders.
Douglas Bergeron commented, “With Richard Petty’s unmatched name and reputation in the motorsports industry, I know this investment is well-timed to succeed. We are going to help put Richard Petty Motorsports back in Victory Lane.” Richard Petty concluded, “Our partnership with Andy Murstein and Doug Bergeron will help take us to a whole new level and I could not be more excited about our future.”(RPM PR)(11-29-2010)

MORE: RPM will operate as a two-car organization with AJ Allmendinger in the famed #43 that Petty drove to 198 [of 200] wins and seven championships and Marcos Ambrose in the #9. Sources said rights to the owner's points for the #98 driven by Paul Menard are moving to Menard at Richard Childress Racing [#27 Chevy] and the points from the #19 driven by Elliott Sadler are expected to go to the #21 owned by the Wood Brothers. Andrew Murstein, the president of Medallion Financial, said he agreed to get involved only if Petty made a substantial commitment along with his company and DGB. While he couldn't divulge details due to a confidentiality agreement, Murstein said all three parties invested millions of dollars. Murstein said the more than $100 million of debt on RPM operations has been paid off. "A fresh start for Petty coming in with no debt,'' he said. The sale of RPM's racing assets to Medallion Financial and DGB Investments not only takes Gillett out of ownership but also Ray Evernham, who remained a minority owner after selling what was Evernham Motorsports to Gillett in 2007.(ESPN)
Ford Statement: Statement from Jamie Allison, Director, Ford North America Motorsports, on Richard Petty Motorsports: “We’re elated that Richard Petty has been able to complete this very complex task of restructuring Richard Petty Motorsports. Everyone knows that The King is a motorsports icon and to have him part of the Ford Racing family is something we cherish. We’re also excited about moving forward with Andy Murstein and Doug Bergeron, two men whose knowledge and understanding of what it takes to be successful will serve RPM well in the future. I am extending a personal welcome to Andy and Doug from all of us at Ford. Now, we can concentrate on the task at hand, which is getting AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose the resources they need to win races and make the Chase in 2011.”(Ford Racing)(11-29-2010)

Edwards wins with FR9 Engine, will run all races in 2011: Carl Edwards’ Ford Fusion has been on an impressive winning streak, earning front row starting positions and capturing the win in the last two Nationwide Series races. Edward’s also qualified on the pole during this week’s Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway and swept the weekend by winning the Kobalt Tools 500. Edwards drives the #99 Aflac Ford Fusion powered by Roush Yates’ new FR9 engine. The FR9 is the first Ford purpose-built race engine ever engineered and produced at Roush Yates Engines in Mooresville, NC. The new Ford engine has been integrated slowly into the Sprint Cup Series throughout the second half of the 2010 season with help from Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports’ cars racing the engine intermittently. It has been a remarkable learning period for the FR9, with a total of 5 poles and 3 wins, including Edwards’ win this weekend that required both horsepower and efficient fuel mileage to beat Championship contenders Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. “The new FR9 engine that Ford helped us with certainly was a factor today,” said Jack Roush, owner of Roush Fenway Racing. “The fact that we were able to save gas and still have enough speed to maintain position on the race track was all very good. I’m thrilled to be in Victory Lane this weekend.” Even though a Championship is out of reach for Ford this year, the FR9 engine has shown an impressive increase in performance and reliability throughout the second half of the 2010 Sprint Cup season. These improvements bring enthusiasm to the Ford Racing and Roush Yates Engines camps, as they plan to run the FR9 in all Ford cars for the full 2011 Sprint Cup Season.
“I’m excited to be running the FR9 in all Fords for the entire 2011 Sprint Cup Season and soon to come for the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series,” said Doug Yates, CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Carl’s win at Phoenix is just another testament to the power Roush Yates’ FR9 engine is capable of. Everyone at the engine shop has been working hard to get this engine just right, and we are extremely proud of Roush Fenway Racing and their accomplishments with it this year. I look forward to watching the FR9 race at Ford Championship weekend next week at Homestead, as well as the 2011 Sprint Cup Season.”(Roush Yates Engines)(11-15-2010)

Bayne makes Sprint Cup debut: For most of their 60 years in NASCAR the Wood Brothers racing team has enjoyed the most success with veteran drivers behind the wheel of their #21 Ford. But on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway, they showed that they could accomplish a lot with a rookie behind the wheel. Trevor Bayne, at age 19, will make his Sprint Cup debut in the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion after qualifying 28th – best of the drivers who had to qualify on speed for the AAA Texas 500. Bayne said that having to qualify his way into his first Cup race at a blazing fast place like Texas Motor Speedway was quite the nerve-wracking experience. He ran his qualifying lap at 191.090mph.(WoodBrothers Racing)
AND - 2011? The Roush Fenway Racing development driver obviously was thrilled that he qualified for his Cup debut. Roush Fenway placed him with the Woods and veteran crew chief Donnie Wingo to get him in a Cup race and eligible to run the Daytona 500 next year. Roush Fenway could put him in a fifth car for seven races next year to get him ready for a full-time Cup ride. Bayne had never driven a Wood Brothers car prior to Friday. He had tested a Cup car for Roush Fenway at Rockingham a few weeks ago.(SceneDaily)(11-6-2010)

Bayne could make Sprint Cup debut at Texas: UPDATE: Roush Fenway Racing is working on having Trevor Bayne make his Sprint Cup debut next month, most likely at Texas Motor Speedway. Bayne possibly could end up in the #21 Ford of Wood Brothers Racing, although Roush Fenway could field a fifth car for Bayne since he is a rookie. By running Texas, the 19-year-old Bayne would be in a good position for approval for the 2011 Daytona 500. He is approved for any Cup race the remainder of this year except for Talladega. "I know if I were to run the Cup race next year [at Daytona], it would be something I would have to be approved for," Bayne said Saturday at Auto Club Speedway in California. "That would be a process that could include that, but I don't know what the ultimate plan is yet. We have talked about running a Roush car at Texas, but I don't know [what will happen]." Bayne is ninth in the Nationwide Series standings. He signed with Roush Fenway last week after starting the year with Diamond-Waltrip Racing. He will run the rest of the Nationwide Series season for Roush Fenway and full time in 2011 with likely select Cup races.(SceneDaily)(10-9-2010)
UPDATE: When 19-year-old Trevor Bayne drives onto Texas Motor Speedway for qualifying for the Texas 500, it will not only be his Sprint Cup debut, but he will add his name to an elite list of drivers who have driven the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford. Bayne, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., will join the likes of David Pearson, A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, Curtis Turner and Glen Wood - the team founder - who also made his first Cup start in the family's familiar #21 at Martinsville, Va., in 1953. Bayne, like many young drivers over the years who have gotten the opportunity to go Cup racing, found himself in a position where the stars somehow lined up just right for him. He signed with Roush Fenway Racing just a few weeks ago. Not long afterward, the Wood Brothers suddenly found themselves without a crew chief. They turned to their old friend and fellow Ford team owner Jack Roush, who agreed to send veteran crew chief Donnie Wingo their way. As Roush had originally planned to run Bayne at Texas, with Wingo as his crew chief, the logical move was to have Bayne make his Cup debut in the Wood's #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford. Bayne's start at Texas means the Wood Brothers' regular driver Bill Elliott will step aside for the weekend and mentor the young driver. Elliott said he will be at the track to offer Bayne any assistance he can. Elliott, who will return to the #21 for the season finale at Homestead, said he's glad to be a team player at Texas.(Wood Brothers)(10-28-2010)

'Fired up for a Cure' scheme wins contest, featured on the #21 at CMS: One young man wants to tell the entire NASCAR community that he’s fired up to find a cure for type 1 diabetes – and he plans on using the paint scheme on the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion running this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway to get the point across to millions of fans nationwide. Carson Luther, an eight-year-old resident of Wildwood, MO, was selected as the winning designer of the Ford Customer Service Division’s (FCSD) NASCAR Design Contest to Support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). His design, entitled “JDRF – Fired Up for A Cure” was officially unveiled for the first time today at the Wood Brothers’ Racing shop today, with Luther and his family on hand. “I wanted fire and flames on my car, and thought the blue would make the flames stand out,” said Carson Luther. “I want a cure for diabetes more than anything, even all the LEGOs in the world.” For the past two years JDRF children have helped design the paint scheme featured on the NHRA Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang Nitro Funny Car, driven by Bob Tasca III. This year, in honor of the Wood Brothers celebrating 60 years of racing Ford products in NASCAR, FCSD has decided to bring the successful contest over to the legendary race team. The Luther family, along with Wood Brothers Racing, Bill Elliott, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion and representatives from FCSD, were on hand for the unveiling today, Carson and his family will attend their first NASCAR race weekend and watch the JDRF-themed race car qualify for the Bank of America 500. “This is my first NASCAR race,” said Luther. “My Mom, Grandma, Uncle and sisters are here with me in Charlotte and we’re really excited to see my design on the race car this weekend.” Luther raised $5,341 for JDRF with his design. That number, added to the money raised by the designs that were submitted, brought the total for the contest to $33,391 for research for Type 1 diabetes, and nearly $150,000 in donations the past three years.
Each design was featured on www.jdrf.org/ford from July 6 to September 3, a total of 60 days in honor of Wood Brothers Racing’s 60-year anniversary of racing Ford products in NASCAR. During that time, the public was invited to vote for their favorite car design by making a monetary donation to JDRF. The top five donation-earning designs were narrowed down to one by a panel of judges from Ford Motor Company. Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to worldwide diabetes research, including more than $107 million last year. For more information, call 1-800-533-CURE (1-800-533-2873) or visit www.jdrf.org.(Wood Brothers Racing), see images of the scheme on my #21 Team Schemes page.(10-13-2010)

Donnie Wingo Named Crew Chief for Wood Brothers: NASCAR veteran Donnie Wingo has been named crew chief of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion. Wingo will assume the role immediately and will be atop the #21 pit box next weekend in Charlotte. “It’s really an honor to be on top of the pit box for the No. 21,” said Wingo. “Anyone in NASCAR knows the historic significance and what the Wood Brothers have meant to NASCAR. The No. 21 is iconic in this sport and it’s a great privilege to be associated with this team. I’m eager to get to Charlotte next weekend and see what we can do as a team.” Wingo most recently served at the crew chief for Roush Fenway Racing’s #6 Sprint Cup team with driver David Ragan. During his 27-year NASCAR career, he has worked with drivers ranging from Dick Trickle, Ricky Rudd, Jimmy Spencer, Juan Pablo-Montoya, Jamie McMurray and Morgan Shepherd. The #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion and driver Bill Elliott will be back on track next week in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.(Wood Brothers Racing)(10-8-2010)

Crew Chief Hyder Leaves Wood Brothers Racing: UPDATE: The Wood Brothers racing team and crew chief David Hyder have mutually agreed to go their separate ways, effective immediately. Team co-owner Eddie Wood said Hyder, who has been the crew chief of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford since August, 2008, played a key role in helping the team work through one of the worst slumps in its 60-year history in NASCAR. “It took somebody like David to get us back on track, and he did it almost single-handedly,” Wood said. “Len and I and the entire Wood Brothers organization are eternally grateful to him for his contributions to this race team. It’s a shame we weren’t able to stay together and finish what we started.” Wood said he expects to name an interim crew chief later this week. Driver Bill Elliott and the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will be back on the track next week for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Wood Brothers Racing)
AND The 43-year-old veteran crew chief led the #21 Motorcraft Ford for the last two seasons. During his career, Hyder has overseen teams at Petty Enterprises, Michael Waltrip Racing, Bill Davis Racing and BAM Racing. “I enjoyed working with Eddie and Len,” Hyder said. “The Wood Brothers are great people to work for and I wish them success in their future endeavors. I’m hoping to find a position where I can run full-time and compete for wins and championships.”(FoxSports)(10-6-2010)
UPDATE: Donnie Wingo is the leading candidate to fill the vacant crew chief position with Wood Brothers Racing. Wingo will replace David Hyder, who left the team earlier this week after overseeing the operation for the past two seasons. Wingo most recently served as crewchief for #6-David Ragan’s UPS Ford at Roush Fenway Racing, before being replaced earlier this month by Drew Blickensderfer. A spokesperson for Wood Brothers Racing declined to comment on the story earlier today.(Sirius Speedway)(10-7-2010)

Elliott Keeps It In The Family: Chase Elliott [son of NASCAR Legend Bill Elliott] made sure all the accolades were kept in the family winning the inaugural George Elliott Memorial 100 Presented By Monolith Companies Saturday at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA. Elliott captured the event honoring his grandfather by leading every lap of the 100-circuit Super Late Model test on the GMP half-mile oval. It wasn’t easy, however, as Elliott had to hold off a hard-charging Bubba Pollard over the final 15 laps to score the victory.(Gresham Motorsports Park)(9-19-2010)

Elliott's son wins first race at North Wilkesboro since 1996: Chase Elliott was a month shy of his first birthday when Jeff Gordon won the final NASCAR race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (HNWS), but Saturday the second generation driver was the historic track's master as he claimed his first PASS victory this season and the second of his career in the Labor Day Classic 200. "The car was awesome," said the 14-year-old Elliott, who led twice for 69 laps in the 200-lap green flag event. "This is a big win for us. I've always heard about this race track for a long, long time. For them to open it back up and come over here and run, I had a blast today." Elliott's father, Bill, who won three poles at the track but never a race, worked with his son during a test at the speedway about two weeks before the facility's first race weekend since 1996. "To come back and win the first race here after all these years that it's been closed, I thought it was pretty cool," said Elliott, who received the traditional Dawsonville, Ga., victory celebration – the blowing of the siren atop the Dawsonville Pool Room. Elliott plans to compete in the Oct. 3 USAR Pro Cup Series event at HNWS. In the track's other races Saturday, Mack Little III won the 50-lap Limited Sportsman race, Michael Tucker took the 25-lap Stadium Stock event, and Gus Dean emerged victorious in the 35-lap Allison Legacy Series feature. For more information on Historic North Wilkesboro Speedway and the schedule for the Oct. 3 USAR Pro Cup Series race weekend, go to www.historicnws.com. (9-5-2010)

FordParts.com scheme returns for Elliott: For the second time this season, Wood Brothers Racing will switch from their familiar red-and-white Motorcraft schemes to the blue-and-white colors of FordParts.com at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Launched in June, FordParts.com allows repair shops, body shops, fleets, and do-it-yourselfers to order Genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts online. Earlier this summer, Bill Elliott raced his #21 FordParts.com Ford Fusion during the Michigan International Speedway race in mid-June. Elliott qualified 29th and finished the NASCAR event in the 28th position. Every part available on FordParts.com is recommended by Ford Motor Company and features the trusted Genuine Parts or Motorcraft brand name. From air-conditioning compressors to wire sets – it's the right fit for any Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle.(Ford Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #21 Team Schemes page.(9-1-2010)

Fordparts.com scheme for Elliott at MIS: Both Wood Brothers Racing and Tasca Racing will alter the paint schemes of their Ford race cars the race weekend of June 11-13, in conjunction with the public launch of the new FordParts.com website. The Wood Brothers’ famous #21 NASCAR Ford Fusion driven by Bill Elliott, and the Shelby Mustang NHRA Funny Car driven by Bob Tasca III will switch from their familiar red-and-white schemes to the new blue-and-white of FordParts.com. The new, matching schemes will be seen in person by nearly 150,000 fans at Michigan International Speedway and Old Bridge Township Raceway in New Jersey, as well as millions more on TNT and ESPN, providing FordParts.com with a huge national audience to generate awareness of the new website. FordParts.com allows repair shops, body shops, fleets, and do-it-yourselfers to shop online, order and receive Genuine Ford and Motorcraft® parts through one site for Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles. Once a part is ordered, consumers have the flexibility of choosing in-store pick-up or having the parts delivered to their home or shop.(Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center), see an image of the scheme on the #21 Team Schemes page.(5-31-2010)

Larry Mac's & Elliott's sons win at the Rock: Brandon McReynolds, son of championship crew chief and TV commentator Larry McReynolds, dominated the UARA STARS 75 Saturday morning at Rockingham Speeday. "It was fun" quipped McReynolds after the race. "We got to move around a lot. We were sliding around - it was just how it played out." Asked about running close with runner-up Paddy Rodenbeck, McReynolds added: "he gave me all the room in the world. I'd be about the stupidest 18-year-old in the world if I didn't talk to Larry McReynolds," joked Brandon after a question about how often he talks with his father. Racing returns to the one-mile Rockingham Speedway on October 9, 2010 with the running of the ARCA American 200.(Rockingham Speedway)(5-15-2010)
AND Chase Elliott, son of #21-Bill Elliott, dominated the Sunoco National Tour race Friday afternoon at “The Rock” en route to a victory in his first start at the track. In fact, it was his first start at a track over a half-mile in length. “Pacing myself was the big thing,” Chase Elliott said. “This is a very long race for these kind of cars. The biggest thing was to have a set of tires at the end. Everyone who put a hand on this car did a great job getting ready to come race here.” Chase Elliott led all 100 laps of the event. “He ran well today,” said Bill Elliott, outside of victory lane. “He has a good understanding of what it takes to go fast here.”(Rockingham Speedway)(5-15-2010)

Bill Eliott to wave green flag at the Rock: Part-time Sprint Cup Series driver, #21-Bill Elliott [drives the #21 Wood Brothers Ford in selected races], is scheduled to be the honorary starter [wave the green flag] for the May 15 running of the Carolina 200 at Rockingham Speedway. For more info, please see the Rockingham Speedway website.(5-10-2010)

Wood Brothers and Elliott return to the track: Crew chief David Hyder and the rest of the Wood Brothers’ Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford team head to Texas Motor Speedway this week anxious to take on the challenge of running a Car of Tomorrow on a superspeedway with a spoiler instead of a wing on the back of the car. Even though the Woods and Hyder are running a limited schedule this year, they’ll be in the same situation as full-time teams when it comes to this week’s race. The first two runs with the spoiler came on the half-mile at Martinsville and the mile at Phoenix, meaning that this week’s Samsung Mobile 500 will be the first high-speed test since the spoiler replaced the wing. Hyder and his crew say they’re fully prepared. “We’ve got a brand new car - C-24,” he said. “It’s a sister car to the one we ran in Atlanta and we had good success with it at the end of the 2009 season at Homestead.” Hyder pointed out that after a strong finish at Homestead, the crew reworked that car and carried it to Atlanta only to struggle in the early practices and in qualifying. But they learned a lot and were in better shape after Atlanta’s Happy Hour practice. “We came up with a pretty decent race set-up for Atlanta,” Hyder said. “We took some of those same things and put them in C -24 going to the Charlotte test last month.” The team used three sessions in the wind tunnel to give the #21 Ford Fusion its final tune-up before heading to the track. “We’ve thrown everything we can at it, to take the very best piece we can to Texas,” Hyder said.(Wood Brothers Racing)(4-16-2010)

Successful Charlotte Test has Elliott, Woods Ready to take on Texas: Bill Elliott and the #21 Wood Brothers Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion shed their wings and spent Tuesday and Wednesday getting reacquainted with an old friend – the conventional rear spoiler. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane team was among 40 Sprint Cup outfits that participated in the two-day test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The wing that was on the Car of Tomorrow for its first 93 races will be replaced by a flat blade rear spoiler beginning with this week’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Elliott and the Woods, running a limited schedule this season, won’t race with it until the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 16-18. Elliott posted the ninth fastest speed in Wednesday morning’s session, turning a lap at 185.134mph. But he said that although that speed got his car number on the upper side of the speed chart it wasn’t the true measure of what the team accomplished at the test. “The important thing is we learned a lot,” he said. “The test went well, and we collected a lot of data.” (Wood Brothers Racing)(3-30-2010)

Bill Elliott to run in Thunder Roadster race at AMS: NASCAR legend Bill Elliott will compete in a Thunder Roadsters race on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s quarter-mile “Thunder Ring” following Saturday’s E-Z-GO 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Elliott, who will also compete in Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 [in the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Motorcraft Ford] and has five-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins in Atlanta, previously won his only appearance on the “Thunder Ring” in a Thunder Roadster. The Legends races will immediately follow the conclusion of the E-Z-GO 200 scheduled for 2:00pm/et. In addition to Elliott, three-time Thursday Thunder champion and current ARCA competitor Casey Roderick will compete against Elliott in the event. Roderick currently competes for the Bill Elliott Racing Team. Roderick will compete in a Roadster owned and usually driven by Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark.(AMS)(3-3-2010)

Wood Brothers Named Honorary Starters for Daytona 500: Marking the Wood Brothers' 60th year in NASCAR competition, Glen Wood, one of the founders of Wood Brothers Racing, will wave the green flag for the 52nd running of 'The Great American Race" – the Daytona 500. Joining Glen Wood in the flagstand for the start of the Daytona 500 will be his brother Leonard as well as Glen's sons Len and Eddie Wood, who currently lead Wood Brothers Racing efforts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series today. Under the leadership of Glen and Leonard Wood, Wood Brothers Racing has captured the Daytona 500– NASCAR's most prestigious race –four times and earned a total of 96 wins with legendary drivers such as David Pearson, A.J. Foyt, Tiny Lund, Neil Bonnett, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty and Cale Yarborough. In the 52nd running of the Daytona 500, the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford will be wheeled by two-time Daytona 500 champion Bill Elliott, who will start 40th.(DIS)(2-14-2010)

Three drivers to run new Ford engine in Daytona 500: Ford Racing announced that #17-Matt Kenseth and #19-Elliott Sadler will join #21-Bill Elliott as drivers sporting the new Ford FR9 engine Sunday in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.(Racin' Today)(2-13-2010)

Bill Elliott to run #6 car in Shootout? Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that talks are underway to put former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott behind the wheel of Roush-Fenway Racing’s #6 UPS Ford in the February 6 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Elliott ran a partial schedule with Wood Brothers Racing in 2009, and is expected to do so again this season beginning with the season-opening Daytona 500. The Woods have no plans to compete in the Bud Shootout, however, leaving Elliott free to drive for another team. Ragan is not eligible for the race, while Elliott qualifies as a former Sprint Cup, Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 and Budweiser Shootout champion. Negotiations are reportedly in their preliminary stages, awaiting the approval of sponsor UPS. A call to Roush-Fenway Racing in search of comment was not immediately returned this afternoon. (Sirius Speedway)(1-6-2010)
NOTE: as of Feb 1, 2010, no word if Elliott will run the #6 Ford, the #21 Wood Brothers Team does not plan to run the event.(2-1-2010)

Wood Brothers hope to return to full-time in 2011: Wood Brothers Racing, a Ford nameplate for 60 years, will race part-time in Sprint Cup racing again in 2010 with an eye on returning to the full-time schedule soon, perhaps in 2011. Bill Elliott again will drive the Woods’ familiar #21, one of the most famous numbers in motorsports, in the 13 races the team plans to enter this season. Team co-owner Eddie Wood said additional races possibly will be added to the schedule if sponsor funding can be found. Motorcraft, Ford’s customer service division, again will sponsor the team. A new co-sponsor is Ford’s Quick Lane Tire and Auto Centers. Announcements were made during a Tuesday stop of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour near Charlotte, N.C. Although Wood said he wants to return to full-schedule racing, he said his team picks up benefits from its abbreviated schedule. “You have more time,” Wood said. “The group of people we have together is a very close-knit group. And it’s small. And small is OK. It works for us. We have a lot of time to do things. If we want to do a test or have an idea, we have time to go do it. The bigger teams don’t. “We do want to get back full-time, but we won’t do it until we can do it correctly. You won’t ever see us be a start-and-park car.” Elliott has raced with the Woods since 2007.(Ford Racing)(1-23-2010)

Motorcraft & Quick Lane to sponsor #21 Ford: For the 10th consecutive year, Ford Customer Service Division’s Motorcraft brand will team with the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team to compete in the highest form of stock-car racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. A new addition to the #21 Ford Fusion for the 2010 season is the co-sponsorship of Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers. Ford Motor Company’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers are the fastest growing service brand in the country and is on track to reach 600 stores nationwide in early 2010. “We are very pleased to have Motorcraft and Quick Lane with us for the 2010 season,” said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Eddie Wood. “We value Ford Customer Service Division’s involvement with us for the past 10 years, and we are excited to have both Motorcraft and Quick Lane on our NASCAR Fusions this season. Ford Customer Service Division has been loyal to us, and we have always been loyal to them. It feels like family – Wood Brothers Racing with Motorcraft and Quick Lane on board.”
Motorcraft, a Ford Motor Company brand of automotive parts ranging from filters and spark plugs to engines and transmissions, will be the primary sponsor on the Wood Brothers #21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford Fusion for 10 races, beginning in February at the Daytona 500 and culminating with the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “It’s a new and exciting year for us. We look to build on the strides we made last year,” said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Len Wood. “On our partial schedule in 2009, we achieved five top-10 starts and four top-16 finishes. We hope to carry that momentum into 2010.” Bill Elliott, who drove the Coors/Motorcraft Thunderbird to a NASCAR championship in 1988, is scheduled to be the driver for all of Motorcraft and Quick Lane’s sponsored races. Elliott, Motorcraft and the Wood Brothers first joined forces in 2007. For the 2010 season, the Motorcraft and Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers logos will appear on both the #21 Ford Fusion in NASCAR and on the Shelby Mustang Nitro Funny Car of Bob Tasca III in NHRA. FordParts.com will also have a presence on both race cars for the 2010 season. In addition to the serving as the primary vehicle sponsor for Wood Brothers and Tasca Racing, FCSD brings a very aggressive brand awareness campaign with a significant trackside presence at selected NASCAR and NHRA events in the form of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Experience. The massive display, spreading out over half a football field, will let race fans connect with Motorcraft and Quick Lane brands in a unique way.(Motorcraft/Ford PR), see an image of the car on my #21 Team Schemes page.(1-19-2010)

Hyder staying at the Wood Brothers: David Hyder will continue in his role as crew chief with the #21 Wood Brothers Racing team and driver Bill Elliott in 2010. Hyder, 42, is enjoying his second stint leading the #21 Ford and is under contract with the team through the end of the 2010 season. "I've really enjoyed my time with the Wood Brothers," Hyder said. "We'll continue to run a limited schedule and build the program with Bill behind the wheel."(FoxSports), #49 BAM Racing recently said that Hyder would return to them as crew chief in 2010.(11-25-2009)

Vist Wood Brothers Museum: If race fans have some extra time this weekend while at Martinsville Speedway, consider visiting the Wood Brothers’ Museum at 21 Performance Drive, Stuart Virginia, 24171 - located just 30 miles west of Martinsville off of route 58. Admission is free. The #21, 1971 Wood Brothers’ Purolator Mercury Cyclone will be on display, along with a host of other Wood Brothers’ memories, including a 2009 race car. The museum will be open from 9:00am/et to 5:00pm/et Friday, October 23, 2009 and Saturday, October 24, 2009. Any questions, directions, please log on to www.woodbrothersracing.com – or call at (276) 694 – 2121.(10-22-2009)

100th start at LMS for the Wood Brothers: Fall racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway has come a long way since the inaugural fall race on October 16, 1960. The Wood Brothers won the first fall Charlotte race with Speedy Thompson behind the wheel of the #21 Ford. This will be the Wood Brothers 100th start on the 1.5 mile quad-oval having compiled a record of 6 wins, 24 top fives, 38 top tens and 20 poles. Driver Bill Elliott has competed in 59 races at the famed speedway earning 2 wins, 11 top fives, 22 top tens and 4 poles. The #21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion will be sporting a special “Warriors in Pink” paint scheme in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Bill Elliott will be wearing a “Warriors in Pink” fire suit and helmet that will be available through an online auction - all proceeds benefiting “Susan G. Komen for the Cure.”(Wood Brothers Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #21 Team Schemes page.(10-15-2009)

Happy Birthday, Ford Racing: Ford Racing is 108 years old today. On this date – Oct. 10, 1901 – Henry Ford, competing in a race as a driver for the only time, won a highly publicized and well-attended 10-mile event in Grosse Pointe, Mich. Several financial investors took note of the victory and later helped Ford start what would become Ford Motor Company in June 1903.(Ford PR)(10-10-2009)

Warriors in Pink on the #21 at Lowes: Ford Motor Company, with the help of Wood Brothers Racing, is giving new meaning to "racing for the cure." The Wood Brothers Racing #21 Ford driven by Bill Elliott will feature a special Ford Motor Company Warriors in Pink paint scheme in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The new paint scheme will debut at Lowe's Motor Speedway during the NASCAR Banking 500 only from Bank of America on October 17. Elliott will also be wearing a specially-designed Ford Warriors in Pink fire suit and helmet during the race that will be auctioned off online after the Race. One hundred percent of auction proceeds will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.(Ford PR), see an image of the scheme on my #21 Team Schemes page.(10-10-2009)

Wood Brothers plan similar 2010 schedule: They still have four races this year—Kansas City on Oct. 4, Charlotte on Oct. 17, Texas on Nov. 8 and Homestead on Nov. 22—but the Wood brothers already are considering their 2010 plans. “We’d love to maintain our relationship with Bill Elliott and our sponsors, and run about the same number of races we’ve run this year,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “We’d consider it, but it would take a ton of sponsorship money before we tried to run the full schedule again. We’re really content with the way things have gone this year.” Because of sponsorship issues, the long-time Ford loyalists trimmed their schedule from 36 to 13 races this year. Elliott ran the first eight and David Gilliland was in the #21 Fusion this weekend. Elliott took himself from the car after breaking three ribs in a Wednesday afternoon dirt-bike accident.(Ford Racing)(9-7-2009)

Gilliland in the #21 at Atlanta UPDATE 2: Motorcraft's Facebook page is reporting: Wood Brothers just announced David Gilliland to drive the #21 car this weekend in Atlanta. A press release with more details is coming soon.
UPDATE: David Gilliland will be taking over the driving duties of the #21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion this weekend for the Pep Boys Auto 500, filling in for Bill Elliott. Elliott is experiencing some back problems and uncertain how he will feel driving the car. Co-owner Eddie Wood stated, “Given the modified practice schedule where the practices and qualifying are all being done on Saturday, we didn’t feel there was enough time to make changes to the seat if Bill wasn’t comfortable and we needed to get another driver. We called David to see if he was available. Thankfully he was and agreed to help.” Gilliland has 6 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway with his best finish (15th) coming in 2006.(Wood Brothers Racing)
UPDATE 2: Bill Elliott has cracked three ribs riding his dirt bike. “It was just a freak deal,” Elliott said. He said although he probably could have raced in pain, he decided to step out of the Wood Brothers Ford for this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway because he didn’t want to jeopardize the team’s chances of running well in the Pep Boys Auto 500. “I just decided that those boys had worked so hard on the car it wouldn’t be fair for me to have a problem and mess them up,” Elliott said. David Gilliland, who lost his regular ride to Bobby Labonte, will drive in Elliott’s place this weekend. “He runs good at Atlanta, so they should be OK,” Elliott said. “And I’ll be back in the car for Kansas.”(Racin' Today)(9-4-2009)

Chase Elliott wins PASS race: Going into turn three prior to the final lap of the Over the Mountain 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott [son of Bill Elliott] worked his way to the back bumper of the race leader Jeff Choquette and made slight contact. As the two drivers came to the white flag, they were side by side. Jeff Choquette tried to work the high side through three and four, but Elliott had the preferred line and won the event. At 13 years old, Elliott becomes the youngest winner in PASS South, and PASS Super Late Model overall, history. Dave Blaney's son, Ryan, finished sixth in the race.(Speed51.com)(8-30-2009)

Bill Elliott to have different colors on #21 at MIS; Image: The Wood Brothers Racing #21 Ford Fusion driven by Bill Elliott will switch from its normal red Motorcraft paint scheme and feature the blue, white and orange colors of Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Michigan International Speedway. "We are excited to have Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center sponsor the #21 Ford Fusion, especially since Michigan International Speedway is the home track of both Quick Lane and Ford," said Tom Suttles, Quick Lane Business Manager. "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our partnership with Motorcraft. Quick Lane and Motorcraft form the perfect combination of fast, convenient service and the highest quality parts." In addition to being the primary sponsor of Bill Elliotts Fusion this weekend, fans can see the #21 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Fusion at 12 Metro Detroit locations this week. Bill Elliott will be signing autographs at the Quick Lane at Varsity Lincoln Mercury in Novi and the Quick Lane at Hines Park Ford in New Hudson on Thursday, August 13. Ford Customer Service Division brands of Motorcraft and Quick Lane are primary sponsors on the Wood Brothers #21 Ford for 12 races this season, which began in February at the Daytona 500 and will culminate with the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Quick Lane provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. For more information about Quick Lane, visit www.quicklane.com.(Wood Brothers Racing/Ford Racing)(8-12-2009)
IMAGE: see am image of the car on the #21 Paint Schemes page.(8-14-2009)

Congrats to David Hirsch, gas man for #21-Bill Elliott in the Sprint Cup Series, and wife Kimberly on the August 5th birth of daughter Madison Rose Hirsch.(8-7-2009)