Trevor Bayne Wins First Career Nationwide Race at Texas

Picture Courtesy Getty Images and NASCAR

FORTH WORTH, TX – RIS – Trevor Bayne won his career first Nationwide Series race on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.  He did it in dramatic fashion.  On the restart at Lap 194 (of 200), Bayne powered past teammate Carl Edwards, held off Denny Hamlin, and won the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge.  It was the first victory for Bayne since he won the Daytona 500 in February.

Bayne crossed the finish line .142-seconds ahead of Hamlin, who was subbing for Kyle Busch who was suspended by NASCAR this weekend after rough driving in the Camping World truck race on Friday night. 

Edwards dominated the race until the final caution at Lap 189.  He finished third followed by Clint Bowyer and Brad Keselowski. 

"I don't know if you could script a story like the year I've had," Bayne said. "It's crazy to think only one year ago I was making my first Cup start [at Texas]. To come back to Texas and get our first Nationwide win, this is a place I'm going to love from now on."

Bayne pushed Edwards out front on the Lap 194 restart, then ducked inside his teammate and fought for the lead. One lap later, he secured the top position and held it the rest of the way, as Hamlin passed Edwards for second in the closing laps.

"These are the kinds of [races] you've always wanted to win as a driver. That's the driver I want everybody to know that I can be, the guy that can get it done at the end, and I'm glad that we were finally able to do that."

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. padded his points lead by finishing sixth.  His main rival, pole-sitter Elliott Sadler finished ninth, giving Stenhouse a 17-point lead with two races remaining.