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)
