Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne joins Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Cup team as Optimization Leader

Trevor Bayne, winner of the 2011 Daytona 500 in the iconic No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, is set to take on the role of a driver optimization leader at Legacy Motor Club for the 2024 Cup Series season. He will be working alongside Matt Kenseth, the newly appointed competition advisor for Legacy MC.

Trevor Bayne previously worked as an analyst on Fox Sports where his skillful coverage of the sport gained him recognition. In his new position, Bayne will primarily be devoted to preparing Legacy MC Cup drivers John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, and team co-owner Jimmie Johnson for the races.

Bayne expressed that he felt "super humbled" upon being offered the position at Legacy MC. He said in a statement (via legacymotorclub.com):

“I’m super humbled that Jimmie (Johnson), Joey (Cohen), Matt (Kenseth) and our drivers are trusting me with their preparation process this year. Preparation is one of the biggest keys in motorsports, and with so much data that is available to the drivers, it’s my job to translate the most important parts to them and work with them to make sure they are ready to go in all aspects come race weekend."

He further added:

"Jimmie, Matt and I built a great relationship through road biking and training together over the years. We all share a common mentality that drivers can all become even better at their craft if they are willing to put in the work -whether that be in fitness, studying, or leading their teams. Relying on raw ability at this level isn’t enough. It’s funny, because when I was a driver everything felt like it was being built around me, so as I make this transition, I’m looking forward to building up others and helping them make the most of their careers."

Touching on Legacy MC's in-house program for drivers, Bayne expressed his excitement about working with the team:

"Very few teams have in house programs like this so I’m excited to build this from a blank slate alongside our leaders and drivers.”

Anticipating a prosperous season for Legacy MC under the Toyota banner, Vice President of Racing Operations Joey Cohen believes that Corey Heim and Trevor Bayne will play a significant role in achieving that success on the track.

"Corey and Trevor are critical components to ensure our drivers have the best data and tools to execute and deliver results at the race track for LEGACY M.C."

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Trevor Bayne's history in racing

Trevor Bayne's notable career commenced at the age of 5 in the go-kart racing circuit, where he secured three world championships and a total of 18 State and Track Championships. At the age of 15, Bayne transitioned to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series Southern Division, where he earned the top rookie honors.

Trevor Bayne achieved a significant milestone in 2011 by becoming the youngest winner of the Daytona 500 at the age of 20, a record that still stands in NASCAR race history.

Bayne is no longer actively competing in NASCAR but remains involved in the sport as a driver optimization leader at Legacy Motor Club and as a NASCAR analyst on Fox. Bayne has also pursued business ventures outside of racing, including co-founding a coffee roasting company called Mahalo Coffee Roasters.