Bayne has taken a longer path to Sprint Cup than expected

This past Sunday, Trevor Bayne completed his 67th career Sprint Cup Series start when he crossed the finish line 24th at Richmond.  The 24 year old Knoxville, Tn. native has not come to an easy start in his career as many things have stood in his path of making it to the top tier series in stock car racing.

Winning the pole in Iowa 2010

Bayne has been facing a lot of critics the early part of this year, but what many don't comprehend is the fact he is only 24 years old (former Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards was 24 when he first debuted in Sprint Cup in 2004).  Not many drivers are getting started in the Sprint Cup Series level at this point, and he won his first race when he was only 20 years old and it was the biggest of them all, the Daytona 500.  So when you look at how Bayne has made his steps to the top level go back to when he first got a true shot in NASCAR with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2009, it wasn't a fully sponsored car, and the following year things didn't come into place either and he parted ways and went to Roush Fenway Racing where he has been ever since. 

Bayne seemed to have found the right road to success with Roush Fenway at

Youngest Daytona 500 winner in History

the end of 2010.  He scored a top-five finish at the season finale for the then NASCAR Nationwide Series at Homestead, he had made his Sprint Cup Series debut at Texas a few weeks before and finished 17th for the Wood Brothers Racing Team, and it was later announced he would drive the famed 21 car in 2011.  Then there it was the one race that seemed like the career starting burst for Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500.  He was in an odd position when David Ragan was penalized for moving out of line too quick and Bayne had the fend off challenges from many veterans before winning the race.  As he crossed the finish line his remark will always be remembered by his fans "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Winning at Texas in 2011

However, winning the 500 didn't get sponsorship on his No. 16 Fords for Roush Fenway Racing in 2011.  The team struggled to find sponsorship and then in April, Bayne became ill with what some thought to be Lyme's disease.  He missed several events in 2011, but finally broke through and beat Denny Hamlin to the finish line for his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Texas Motor Speedway where he made his Sprint Cup Debut in 2010.

The Bayne's Celebrate at Iowa Speedway

The following year, Roush Fenway would run him the first 5 races but with no sponsorship they would have to sit him out of the Nationwide division.  The Wood Brothers would still run Bayne in their No. 21 Ford Fusion part time.  He would run his home race in honor of legendary University of Tennessee Womens Basketball coach Pat Summitt at Bristol Motor Speedway winning the pole but finishing 16th.  Bayne finally was able to return full time in 2013 when teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr., moved to Sprint Cup racing, and Cargill Beef stepped up to remain the sponsor on the No. 6 Ford.  Bayne would score his second career win at Iowa Speedway that season in a stellar show with Austin Dillion the same week he and long time fiance Ashton Clapp were married.

Then in November, Bayne announced he had been diagnosed with what would be his biggest challenge:  Multiple Sclerosis.  However, Roush finally had a sponsor that would be willing to take the chance on Trevor Bayne.  Advocare announced that they would be sponsoring Bayne full-time in 2014.  While all of the rumors of where his teammates might be going at the end of the season, Bayne and Advocare made an announcement at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May that they would be bringing back Roush Fenway's famed No. 6 to the Sprint Cup Series.  He couldn't find victory lane but came close at Dover against Kyle Busch and Chicagoland Speedway racing Chase Elliott to the finish.  Ending the season 6th in the standings.  Roush Fenway announced in the off season that Bayne would be paired with veteran crew chief Bob Osborne who had been in hiatus since 2012. 

That puts us here.  These first eight races of 2015, where Bayne sits 27th in the series points standings and even though fans don't see him as one of the younger drivers in the field he still is and has a lot to learn.  He finally has a crew chief that is working with him, willing to help him learn the ropes in Osborne.  The two have gelled well with one another in the early stages of the season.  Bayne knew this season was going to be a challenge with Roush Fenway in a rebuilding stage.  But he has thanked car owner Jack Roush numerous occasions for sticking by him through the long roads that they've faced together.

It's taken that long road to get to where he is today but Bayne feels he wouldn't be as appreciative of his chance if he had gotten it earlier in his career.   He remains healthy and will continue to stay on top of multiple sclerosis.