Roush Fenway Racing’s Trevor Bayne flirted with first place several times throughout today’s Alliance Truck Parts 250 before securing his third NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Top-5 finish in as many races. Bayne and the No. 6 team battled to the end in the ROUSH CleanTech Ford Mustang, crossing the finish line in fifth place at Michigan International Speedway.
“I thought we were going to get that 1,000th win for Ford Racing to be honest,” said Bayne after climbing out of the car. “The car just got too loose. A couple guys got by me and it got real sketchy, otherwise I think we would have had a shot at the No. 7 car of Regan Smith.”
Bayne challenged for the lead early, before dropping back as the car’s handling freed up. Just before the 100-lap mark, Bayne was running in ninth-place when the caution flag flew. The team earned him a spot with a fast two-tire stop, and Bayne was able to rally up to third place on the restart.
As the laps wound down, the chassis got looser and Bayne fought to hold his position.
“They were better than us at the end of the run but (crew chief) Mike Kelley did a good job getting our track position back after we got loose there that one time,” said Bayne. “It stinks we didn’t get the win this weekend but we will keep fighting hard.”
Fighting earned Bayne another 39 points for his fifth-place finish and moved him up two spots in the NNS standings, leaving him 88 points behind NNS leader Regan Smith.
Bayne will return to the track for the first NNS road course of the season next week in Wisconsin where they No. 6 car will be sporting the Valvoline NextGen paint scheme for the second time in 2013.
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