Steve Wallace, Trevor Bayne overcome setbacks for strong finishes at ORP
INDIANAPOLIS - Trevor Bayne and Steve Wallace were running first and second, respectively, when they took the caution flag Saturday night on lap 35 for Michael Annett’s crash in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
But they didn’t cross the start/finish line first and second on the next lap.
That’s because Michael Waltrip Racing’s Bayne slowed dramatically in Turn 2 when he saw the pace car pull on the track in front of him. The 18-year-old was then rammed from behind by Rusty Wallace Racing’s Wallace, and the two slid sideways.
NASCAR ruled that they didn’t maintain a cautious pace, dropping Wallace to seventh and Bayne to 11th.
“We had the yellow,” Bayne said. “The pace car pulled out, and I slowed down to pick up the pace car because they pulled out really early in front of us. As soon as I tried to check up, Stephen was still rolling. It’s not really Stephen’s fault, but then again, we are under caution. We’re not racing.
“The pace car should’ve stayed down there a little bit longer, but what do you do?”
Wallace wondered why the pace car so quickly moved in front of Bayne.
“They threw the caution, and we went down in the corner running 100 mph, and the pace car pulled out in front,” Wallace said. “It took out me and the 99 car [of Bayne]. I don’t really know why NASCAR sent the pace car out in front of the field like it did.”
Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash said Bayne and Wallace slowed down enough, but Bayne slowed too much.
“When you look at what happened there, the 99 [of Bayne] probably should have rolled past the pace car, and let the pace car collect him up on the back straightaway,” Balash said.
Both drivers bounced back to finish well, with Wallace in fifth and Bayne in seventh. That matched the best finish of Wallace’s career while it was the best finish of Bayne’s young career.
