Trevor Bayne was diagnosed with MS in 2013; He addressed the media to clear up concerns of his current health
Early this week, it was announced that Matt Kenseth will make his return to the NASCAR Cup Series. He will do it with a reunion at Roush-Fenway Racing.
Going forward, Kenseth and Trevor Bayne will share the seat in the #6 machine. Previously, Bayne was scheduled to run full-time in that car. Bayne was surprised by the news.
The announcement leaked a day early. Team owner Jack Roush was on his way to Knoxville, TN to make Bayne aware of the announcement that was soon to make the headlines. While Roush was on his way, Bayne found out.
The fans went on to speculate that the health of Trevor Bayne was the reason for the change or at least part of the reason. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013 though medically cleared to race.
Ahead of Talladega Superspeedway, Bayne addressed the media and those concerns…
“First of all, my health is 100 percent,” said Trevor Bayne said in the infield of Talladega Superspeedway after gathering the media.
“I am as fit physically, mentally, spiritually as I have ever been to do my job well. The second part is that my desire is still as it has always been since I was 5 years old, to come to the race track every weekend and contend for wins, championships and be a driver at the top level in the Cup Series.”
“Nothing in that has changed. I’m still going to pursue that because I feel I’ve got the ability to do that, but right now I don’t have much more to add to that.”
“I want to respect you all’s time and I know you have a ton of questions after everything that’s happened this week,” Bayne said.
“But if you guys can just allow me to come into the garage and talk to my team and work through this weekend, I’d love to have that opportunity. I’m coming here to win Talladega as I’d planned to do before any of this. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Matt Kenseth, Jack Roush and Mark Martin made the announcement on Wednesday. Ahead of that announcement, Kenseth hadn’t spoke to Trevor Bayne. He stated that he planned to let things settle down first and have a productive conversation with him the following week.
Bayne’s teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr has reached out on the other hand. Ricky Stenhouse Jr explained his conversation.
“I told him just to keep his head down, go out and keep running races to prove to everybody you’ve got what it takes,” said Stenhouse who won the last Talladega Superspeedway event.
“Don’t really listen to anything, whether it be fans, media or other teams saying anything. Just do your deal. That was the feedback that I gave him.”
Matt Kenseth will make his return at Kansas Speedway on May 12. The following week, Kenseth will run the NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
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