THOMPSON, Conn. — Seventeen-year-old Dale Earnhardt, Inc. development-driver Trevor Bayne scored his first-career NASCAR Camping World Series East victory Saturday night at Thompson Int’l Speedway.
The triumph came in Bayne’s sixth-career start.
Bayne took the lead from DEI teammate Jesus Hernandez on a lap-97 restart and won by a car length. Hernandez finished second, followed by veteran Brad Leighton, Marc Davis and Jeffrey Earnhardt in a third DEI Chevrolet.
Bayne and Hernandez swapped the lead five times over the second half of the race.
“It was a great race for a great organization. Our cars were equal,” Bayne added about the final shootout with Hernandez. “I had the preferred outside line on the final restart, and everything just fell into place.”
The win topped off a huge day for Bayne, who won the pole earlier in the day.
Shadowed by Bayne, Hernandez took the lead on a lap-38 restart. The two waged a close-quarters battle for the win. On the race’s final restart with three laps to go, Bayne took the lead and won the three-lap sprint to the finish.
The finish:
Showing driver, car, laps completed and money won: 1. Trevor Bayne, Chevrolet, 100, $8,815; 2. Jesus Hernandez, Chevrolet, 100, $5,215; 3. Brad Leighton, Chevrolet, 100, $2,700; 4. Marc Davis, Toyota, 100, $3,000; 5. Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 100, $2,500; 6. Jody Lavender, Ford, 100, $1,950; 7. Matt Kobyluck, Chevrolet, 100, $1,600; 8. Rogelio Lopez, Chevrolet, 100, $3,050; 9. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 100, $1,520; 10. Jeff Anton, Chevrolet, 100, $1,500; 11. Max Dumarey, Chevrolet, 100, $1,000; 12. Dustin Delaney, Chevrolet, 100, $1,000; 13. Jonathan Smith, Dodge, 100, $1,000; 14. Jamie Hayes, Chevrolet, 100, $1,500; 15. Eddie MacDonald, Chevrolet, 100, $1,475; 16. Joe Polewarczyk, Chevrolet, 100, $975; 17. Ricky Carmichael, Chevrolet, 100, $1,450; 18. Peyton Sellers, Chevrolet, 100, $950; 19. Brian Ickler, Chevrolet, 100, $1,425; 20. Alex Kennedy, Chevrolet, 100, $925; 21. Ryan Duff, Chevrolet, 100, $900; 22. Steve Park, Chevrolet, 100, $1,400; 23. Eric Lux, Toyota, 100, $900; 24. Craig Goess, Toyota, 99, $900; 25. Bryon Chew, Chevrolet, 83, $1,400; 26. James Pritchard, Dodge, 73, $900; 27. Joe Oliver, Chevrolet, 71, $900; 28. Mike Johnson, Ford, 43, $900.