Looking Forward to 2017: Key's to finding success for Bayne

The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season will be one filled with many changes for Trevor Bayne on the circuit, but there are some key factors staying the same that will help him out through this season.

Bayne is entering his third full-time season on the circuit this year for Roush Fenway Racing after driving part-time for the Wood Brothers from 2011-2014 in the famed No. 21 Ford.  In Bayne's first two years at Roush, the organization has failed to provide the driver with cars to compete inside the top-10 on a regular base but changes made in the off-season to the organization might be some of the key pieces to get the No. 6 Ford Fusion up front this season.

No. 1 Crew Chief Matt Puccia:  This will be the second season that Bayne and Matt Puccia have been able to work together on the No. 6 Fords at Roush Fenway.  Last season, Puccia and Bayne had moments where it appeared they were coming around and showing signs of being potential contenders in the Cup Series.  They had top-five finishes at Bristol and Daytona and were competitive at tracks such as Dover and Watkins Glen.  The two kept their composure throughout the season and were able to come back several times after being wrecked to record solid finishes inside the top-10.

Puccia helped Bayne improve in every category of statistic except the win column last year by scoring more top-fives, more top-tens, better average start and finish and laps led than any year past.

No. 2 Restrictor Plate Tracks:    Probably the strongest point of Trevor Bayne and Roush Fenway's year in 2016 was on restrictor plate tracks.  Bayne was a solid contender in the four plate events last season.  He was up front battling for the win in the July Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.  Bayne battled himself through pack in the final laps and finished 3rd in the event.  He also was 10th in the Spring Talladega event but fell back at the finish of the fall event and finished 17th.

Considering Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500, six years ago, it will be a strong note that the team will continue to be contenders on the plate tracks this season.  Bayne has been strong since the get go on these fast paced drafting events and the Roush cars with the help of former crew chief Jimmy Fennig have remained fast at Daytona and Talladega.

No. 3 No More Stenhouse VS Bayne:  During the Media Day at Charlotte, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., both spoke about the importance of working together instead of against each other in 2017.  The two drivers have been teammates since 2010 when Bayne first arrived at Roush Fenway Racing after being let go by Michael Waltrip Racing after sponsorship issues.  For two years, Roush had a gimmick on social media called Ricky VS Trevor with many videos of them challenging each other to many things away from the track.

Bayne and Stenhouse worked well with one another in the NASCAR Xfinity Series together from 2010-2012 before Stenhouse was moved to Cup Series racing full-time in 2013.  The two have to share what they find with each other and make sure their crew chiefs and teams share the same line of thought.  Roush Fenway Racing's strongest years were when Mark Martin and Jeff Burton were able to work together as a solid pair in the sport and they made things work, along with their teams and crew chiefs.

No. 4 Remain Focused And Look Forward:  Last year, Trevor Bayne was able to work with an experienced spotter Roman Pemberton who finally was able to catch some of the issues going on while Bayne was driving the race car.  The biggest issue was his talking while driving the car and trying to telling Puccia and Pemberton what was going on every 2-3 laps.  Pemberton and Puccia calmed him down and got his focus more on the driving and letting them handle the car.  That needs to be more of the focus this season going forward.

No. 5 Roush Fenway Cars Need Improvement:  For the past few years, Trevor Bayne has had to hear the media and fans throw the comments at him and the problem is he has been driving cars that are midpack class since coming onto the Cup Series scene except for a few events.  The key changes in the off-season should provide some of that, as Kevin Kidd has provided some changes as the new Director for the Cup Series program. 

Both Bayne and Stenhouse have been acknowledged as mediocre at best drivers, but the fact is both drivers can race with the best of them.  It is the cars that are the biggest problem at Roush right now.  I think that some fans and media don't take into consideration that drivers who race cars such as these two have the last few years, it isn't always the driver, or even the crew chief for that matter.  If the team begins to get the cars better you will see the two drivers show a huge improvement on the track.