Quick Blog: Trevor Bayne Is Just A Normal Kid

Who would of thought that by the end of the day, Trevor Bayne would be the homepage of CNN.com, mentioned in ABC's World News, and on every homepage of every major sports website?

You may have, but I guarantee you, Trevor didn't.

In fact, he wasn't even prepared for it. Not even for his media tour he gets to go on this week after winning NASCAR's biggest event.

"I got two T-shirts," He said. "I thought it was a big joke. But here we are. I guess I better call somebody that can make up a suit and get some clothes down here for me."

To add onto that, he needs someone to drive his F-150 home because he drove it to Daytona, unlike other drivers who have private jets.

"I drove down (to Florida) in my F-150," he said. "I was planning on driving it back. They told me somebody else is going to have to drive it back for me."

His parents who watched him race weren't even in the infield, they were in the grandstands. Imagine sitting next to them during the final laps.

Oh by the way, this Daytona 500 champion doesn't even have his own website. If you go to it, it says it is coming soon.

Some of us may have known Trevor Bayne in the recent years, but to many, he was just an unknown kid out there. Now, after winning the Daytona 500 at age 20, he will always be remembered.

Daytona 500 Unofficial Standings

Trevor Bayne may be the Daytona 500 champion, but does not walk away with the points lead due to his ineligibility of scoring points in the Sprint Cup Series because of NASCAR's new rules regarding points. He may only score points in the Nationwide Series. So, Carl Edwards walks away with a one point lead, which equates to a one positions advantage going into Phoenix, the second race of the season. Here are the unofficial standings following the Great American Race.

Note: There are some tied positions between drivers due to drivers getting bonus points.


1.Carl Edwards-42 points
2.David Gilliland-41
2.Bobby Labonte-41
3.Kurt Busch-40
4.Juan Montoya-39
5.Tony Stewart-37
5.Regan Smith-37
6.Kyle Busch-36
7.Paul Menard-35
8.A.J. Allmendinger-34
9.David Ragan-32
9.Mark Martin-32
10.Robby Gordon-31
11.Bill Elliot-29
12.Clint Bowyer-28
13.Jamie McMurray-27
14.Martin Truex Jr.-25
15.Denny Hamlin-24
16.Ryan Newman-24
16.Dale Earnhardt Jr.-21
16.Joey Logano-21
17.Dave Blaney-20
18.Kasey Kahne-18
19.Jeff Gordon-17
19.Jimmie Johnson-17
20.Brad Keselowski-16
21.David Reutimann-14
22.Brian Vickers-13
23.Andy Lally-11
24.Matt Kenseth-10
25.Greg Biffle-9
25.Jeff Burton-9
26.Marcos Ambrose-7
27.Michael Waltrip-4
28.Brian Keselowski-3
28.Kevin Harvick-3
29.J.J. Yeley-1

Daytona 500 Results: 20 Year Old Bayne Wins

After an unusual speedweeks 2011 and an uncertainty of how the racing would turn out for the Great American Race as a result of the different drafting styles, Trevor Bayne, a young kid who no one expected would win the race, became the youngest Daytona 500 winner in the history of NASCAR.

The racing was exciting, the drafting was incredible, speeds were high and thrilling wrecks were present making the 500 one of the best in history.

Here are the unofficial results of the finish of NASCAR's biggest event:

1.Trevor Bayne
2.Carl Edwards
3.David Gilliland
4.Bobby Labonte
5.Kurt Busch
6.Juan Pablo Montoya
7.Regan Smith
8.Kyle Busch
9.Paul Menard
10.Mark Martin
11.AJ Allmendinger
12.Bill Elliott
13.Tony Stewart
14.David Ragan
15.Terry Labonte
16.Robby Gordon
17.Clint Bowyer
18.Jamie McMurray
19.Martin Truex Jr.
20.Steve Wallace
21.Denny Hamlin
22.Ryan Newman
23.Joey Logano
24.Dale Earnhardt Jr.
25.Kasey Kahne
26.Dave Blaney
27.Jimmie Johnson
28.Jeff Gordon
29.Brad Keselowski
30.David Reutimann
31.Brian Vickers
32.Travis Kvapil
33.Andy Lally
34.Matt Kenseth
35.Greg Biffle
36.Jeff Burton
37.Marcos Ambrose
38.Robert Richardson Jr.
39.Joe Nemechek
40.Michael Waltrip
41.Brian Keselowski
42.Kevin Harvick
43.JJ Yeley

2012 Daytona 500 Pushed Back A Week

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Daytona 500 will take place one week later in 2012, on the final Sunday in February, NASCAR has announced.


The race weekend is being pushed one week back from the traditional President's Day weekend to the final weekend in February. The date for the Daytona 500 is Feb. 26, 2012. To maintain the end of season schedule, the off Sprint Cup weekend typically scheduled in March will now be eliminated.


"When we look at the schedule in general, we've historically had an off week in that fourth week, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that hurts our momentum throughout the season. By being able to move the date back a week, we close up that off week, [and] NASCAR's able to keep the momentum throughout the season, which is great," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations.


The decision to kick off the NASCAR racing season one week later was made in close partnership with the sanctioning body, its broadcast partners including Fox, community partners and others within the industry. The rationale is three-pronged: 1. It shortens the racing season by one week; 2. It maintains momentum in the early part of racing season (TV viewership, media coverage, fan interest, etc.); 3. It's a better opportunity for fans as it moves the race further away from the "Daytona 500" of football held in early February.


O'Donnell added the move was made partly in advance of a potentially expanded NFL schedule.


"We're not going to deny the fact that part of this also is in dealing with the NFL. Who knows where they'll go with an 18-game schedule, but we want to get ahead of that. Either way, we think it's the right thing to do for our season," O'Donnell said. The Super Bowl is certainly a big event, but so is the Daytona 500, and to give fans an opportunity to go to both of those is certainly the right move."


Since fans like to plan their Daytona 500 trip well in advance, NASCAR is announcing the 2012 date much earlier in the season to minimize any inconveniences in planning their visit. Other schedule announcements for Daytona International Speedway and other race facilities will be determined and announced at a later date.




Copied from NASCAR.com's official release on the story.

NASCAR Slows Down Nationwide Cars

After speeds that were very similar to the Sprint Cup Series in the Nationwide Series practice session at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR has decided to decrease the size of the tapered spacers on the cars.

NASCAR will decrease the spacer size to 15/16ths of an inch. On the new generation engines the spacers will change to 59/64ths. The horsepower will decrease by about 30hoursepower.

“We didn’t have a test like the Cup teams had so we’re allowing the teams to make changes during today’s practices,” said Nationwide Series director Joe Balash. "(The 200.303 mph) was not really the number we’re looking for.”

This season's Budweiser Shootout is shaping up to be one to remember

As a result of the new pavement at the world center of racing, Daytona International Speedway, we have heard hundreds of media members, drivers and NASCAR fans say that the 2011 Daytona 500 will be wild, crazy and the best yet. Those folks are absolutely correct.

But wait, there might even be something better than that.

There is a race that might just top even that prediction.

The race? The Budweiser Shootout.

Despite the recent negativity regarding the Budweiser Shootout in the recent months as a result of the expanding field with less talent in it, the shootout has always proven itself to be something to watch.

It's technically the real beginning of the season, especially for the fans. All those hardcore NASCAR lovers who wait in boredom for two months, finally get their NASCAR fix with this event. It pumps them up for the big season to come.

The majority of the teams can say that this is their beginning as well. There is new combinations of team members, new sponsors, new cars, new noses and renewed hope. After months of preparation, the teams can finally put it to the test. Not to mention the event is points free. There's the emphasis on winning for you.

The race is always very short compared to usual events, less than 100 laps with multiple segments, plus the excitment increases since it's under the lights.

So on Saturday, when the sun goes down and FOX's TV coverage goes up, tune in. The weather will be cool, the surface will be smooth, the speed will be up and the racing will be one for the record books. On Saturday, it truly will be checkers or wreckers.

NASCAR Wants Stripes On Daytona Surface

NASCAR will ask Daytona International Speedway to add broken, white lane stripes between Turns 1 and 2 and Turns 3 and 4 before returning in February. Sprint Cup director John Darby said before NASCAR returns for Speed Weeks, the track will add lane markers in all the 31-degree banked areas. "We've had some conversations with a few drivers and they've told us that would be helpful to them when they are three wide in a draft," Darby said Saturday. "The hash marks will give them some sort of a guide to understand how much room they have above and below them. In talking with the Speedway (Saturday) morning, they said they will probably paint those right before the stock cars start running in February." Darby said the double-yellow lines, which separate the racing surface from the out-of-bounds area for NASCAR races at Daytona, will not be moved from the apron to the track surface.


Thanks to Dayona Beach News Journal