TL;DR
A video by the YouTube channel decayingmidwest shows a stock car bearing Trevor Bayne’s name at Kentucky Speedway, which has not hosted NASCAR events since 2020. The car appears to be a NASCAR Racing Experience ride car, but its owner, exact racing history and how long it has been at the track are unknown.
A video from the YouTube channel decayingmidwest shows a stock car bearing Trevor Bayne’s name inside Kentucky Speedway, a track that stopped hosting NASCAR races after the 2020 season. The car appears to be a passenger ride vehicle rather than Bayne’s original Cup car, but its owner and how it came to be there have not been established.
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The car is shown in footage recorded by the urban exploration channel during a visit to the speedway, according to The Drive, which reported the find. The outlet describes it as a No. 6-style stock car with Bayne’s name above the door and a Performance Plus Motor Oil livery associated with the driver in 2016 and 2017. The footage establishes that a car was present; it does not establish who left it there or when.
The car’s appearance has led The Drive to identify it as likely a NASCAR Racing Experience demo car, wrapped to resemble Bayne’s No. 6 Cup entry. That is not the same as confirming the car’s identity or competition record. Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 in a Ford, while the car shown in the video does not appear to match that original vehicle.
Ride-experience cars are used to take customers around racetracks, often with a passenger seat fitted; some programs also offer customers the chance to drive. The Drive says such fleets can include retired cars from different racing series, including NASCAR’s national ranks and ARCA. The report does not identify this vehicle’s prior series, owner or maintenance history.
A Ride Car Without a Clear Owner
The discovery is a small but unusual sign of what can remain at a major motorsports facility after its headline events end. A real stock car can be a valuable asset, but a vehicle left idle for an extended period may need substantial inspection and work before it can return to track use. The car’s current condition is not documented in the report.
For race fans, the Bayne branding invites a connection to a notable NASCAR moment, but the distinction matters: the car appears to be a lookalike experience vehicle, not the car Bayne drove to his Daytona 500 win. Without a verified vehicle history, its racing past remains a question rather than a confirmed piece of NASCAR memorabilia.
The video also puts attention on access to a closed or inactive venue. The Drive warns that entering the track without permission can constitute trespassing, regardless of whether security is visible. The footage is not a reason for others to enter the property.
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Kentucky Speedway After NASCAR
Kentucky Speedway left the NASCAR Cup Series schedule after the 2020 season. That did not mean the facility immediately stopped all activity: according to The Drive, the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience held events there through 2024. The report also says Ford used the track’s extensive parking area to store Super Duty trucks during the semiconductor shortage.
The Drive reports that public records show the speedway remains owned by Speedway Motorsports, and that the venue’s website lists it as available for rental. Those details sit alongside the channel’s description of the site as abandoned; the word should not be taken to mean the property has no owner or that visitors have permission to enter. The facility’s present operating status and the terms of any rental availability are not detailed in the supplied report.
“The car appears to be a NASCAR Racing Experience demo car wrapped to look like Bayne’s Cup car.”
— The Drive
The Car’s History Is Unverified
The available account does not identify the vehicle’s legal owner, explain whether it was formally stored or discarded, or say how long it has been at the speedway. It also does not confirm whether the car belonged to the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience or another operator. The apparent Bayne branding and ride-car configuration support The Drive’s theory, but do not prove the car’s make, former racing series or specific race history.
No response from Speedway Motorsports, the racing-experience operator or a vehicle owner is included in the source material. The report also gives no inspection results, information about the car’s mechanical condition, or indication that anyone has made arrangements to retrieve it. Its future use cannot be determined from the video alone.
Ownership and Retrieval Remain Open
The next concrete development would be confirmation from the property owner, a racing-experience operator or the vehicle’s owner about who is responsible for the car and whether it will be removed. The source material does not report a planned retrieval, sale, restoration or return to service.
Until the vehicle is identified and assessed, its apparent race-car appearance should not be treated as evidence that it is ready to run. If it is recovered and intended for track use, its condition and history would need to be checked. For now, what is known is limited to the video’s depiction of a stock car at the speedway and the reporting that the venue remains owned by Speedway Motorsports.
Key Questions
Was the car Trevor Bayne’s actual NASCAR Cup car?
The report does not identify it as Bayne’s original Cup car. The Drive says it appears to be a NASCAR Racing Experience demo car styled to resemble his No. 6 entry.
Who owns the car?
The supplied report does not establish the vehicle’s owner. It reports that public records identify Speedway Motorsports as the speedway’s owner, which does not by itself establish who owns the car.
When was the stock car left at Kentucky Speedway?
That timing is unknown. The video shows the car at the track, but the report gives no date for when it arrived or how long it has been there.
Is Kentucky Speedway still in use?
The track stopped hosting NASCAR events after 2020, and The Drive reports that the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience held events there through 2024. The venue’s website lists it as available for rental, but the report does not detail its current operating schedule.
Can visitors go inside the speedway to see the car?
No permission for public entry is reported. The Drive cautions that entering the property without authorization can be trespassing; the video should not be taken as an invitation to visit or enter the site.
Source: thedrive.com
