Gary Bechtel purchases majority interest in MWR Nationwide team; putting Trevor Bayne in car
Trevor Bayne will drive the full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for Michael Waltrip Racing next season. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
Former NASCAR team owner Gary Bechtel has purchased a majority interest in Michael Waltrip Racing’s Nationwide Series team and will put Trevor Bayne in the No. 99 Toyota full time next year, sources say.
A news conference is scheduled for Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway, where Bechtel and Bayne will make the announcement.
MWR will continue to operate the team out of its shop in Cornelius, N.C.
Bechtel was the owner of Diamond Ridge Motorsports, which won 10 races in what is now the Nationwide Series and competed in 129 Cup events from 1990 through 1998. Bechtel’s last full season in Cup was 1997, and he sold the assets of his operation following the 1998 season to Joe Gibbs Racing.
Bechtel befriended Bayne earlier this year and has helped the 18-year-old driver land rides in the Nationwide Series this season.
Bayne, a former Dale Earnhardt Inc. development driver, has raced in the Nationwide Series 14 times this year, and is entered with MWR’s No. 99 this weekend at Phoenix.
Bayne won his first career pole at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis this year and finished seventh in the race for MWR. He also finished seventh at Richmond for CJM Racing.
