Bayne's future still unsettled
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (AP) — Despite the sudden stardom that came with his wild victory in NASCAR’s biggest race, Trevor Bayne’s future is anything but settled.
This much is clear: The youngest-ever Daytona 500 winner wants to race full time in the Sprint Cup Series next season. And as he returns to Daytona International Speedway this weekend, Bayne acknowledges he’s keeping an eye on Carl Edwards’ impending free agency.
Edwards has been coy about his contract situation at Roush Fenway Racing and there has been speculation he could move to another team in 2012.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do, but obviously I love having him as a teammate,” Bayne said. “I want him to stay. On the other hand, if he leaves, it’s an open seat.”
Bayne drives for Roush in the Nationwide Series and is running a part-time Cup schedule with the Roush-affiliated Wood Brothers team. If Bayne were to make a full-time move to Cup next year, Roush would be the natural place to do so.
But Bayne says nothing has been decided and he’s getting a little antsy.
“I just talked to my dad about it,” Bayne said during a break in the Nationwide Series race weekend at Road America. “I was like, ‘Man, it’s about time for us to start talking about next year.’ And we haven’t yet at all. Hopefully that’ll be the next conversation that we have.”
On the track, Bayne is confident going into Daytona — if only because he knows other drivers will be more willing to work with him in the draft. Bayne doesn’t want to get cocky, because that’s not how he got to victory lane in February.
Winning Daytona was an emotional high for Bayne, but it didn’t last long. He soon found himself in the Mayo Clinic being treated for what he now believes was Lyme disease.
