2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne finishes 12th in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ‘Scorcher’ Thursday, Aug. 22 at Volunteer Speedway

2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne finishes 12th in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ‘Scorcher’ on Thursday, Aug. 22 at Volunteer Speedway

BULLS GAP, Tenn. — Before heading on up Interstate 81 to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, Trevor Bayne of Knoxville got “down-and-dirty” at Volunteer Speedway on Thursday night. For the second straight year, Bayne raced in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 10th annual Scorcher at “The Gap.”

Bayne wheeled the Team Benore/Benore Logistic Systems Inc./Massey Electric Co./Stowers CAT/Cherokee Millwright & Mechanical/Blount Excavating/GEO Services – Geotechnical & Materials Engineers/Al Blankenship Enterprises/Vic Hill Race Engines/VP Racing Fuel/David Bryant Motorsports/Rocket Chassis/No. 6 Ford Mustang, owned by Larry Garner and Blount Motorsports out of Maryville, to a 12th-place finish in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 10th annual Scorcher. Bayne qualified at 12.895 seconds (117.824 mph) around the high banks, and finished third in the fourth heat race to earn the 12th starting spot in the 24-car feature lineup. Drivers representing 13 states were present for the 2013 Scorcher.

Michael Asberry spun NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Wood Brothers Racing) and Nationwide Series (Roush Fenway Racing) driver Bayne racing off turn two down the backstretch on lap 12 to bring the caution out just one circuit back under green, with Joe Ramey also involved. Bayne did a masterful job keeping his spinning ride from making contact with the concrete retaining wall and was able to continue in the race, while both Asberry and Ramey wound up parked in the pits.