BARBERVILLE, Fla. — The last couple of years haven’t been easy for Spencer Bayston.
Struggling for results, parting ways with multiple teams and an unstable future in sprint car racing plagued the Indiana driver. But the uncertainty caused by that timeframe feels long gone after Wednesday night at Volusia Speedway Park.
Bayston partnered with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing to return to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2026. The pairing got acquainted with a few races late last year and they came out of the gate swinging.
The NOS Energy Drink No. 17 lined up 10th on the starting grid for the 25-lap Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals season-opening feature and Bayston got to work right away, wheeling past a trio of cars on the opening circuit.
A little mid-race chaos among the leaders helped him climb to fourth. From there, he worked his way forward until ripping around Anthony Macri’s outside on the 16th circuit and driving away to victory.
It marked Bayston’s first sprint car triumph since topping the Night Before the Ironman on Aug. 4, 2023. He pushed his career total with the World of Outlaws to six checkered flags and grabbed a gator trophy with his first win at Volusia.
But more important than any statistic was the validation awarded by the victory.
“I’m trying to take it all in,” Bayston said. “I think it’s no secret it’s been a rocky road upon my career and what I’m capable of. I think this kind of shuts up some of the naysayers, but more than anything rewards this team for all they put into the sport, all Richard and Jennifer (Marshall) and Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) have put into this series. To be able to come and join forces with them and NOS Energy Drink and start the year off like this with a win is crazy. I haven’t been in victory lane in a sprint car in too long, way too long, so long I can’t even remember. But to come out swinging and hammering this thing first night out and get ourselves a win for all of our partners is awesome.”
Carson Macedo, Anthony Macri, Michael Kofoid and Donny Schatz, who started 21st, rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 17-Spencer Bayston[10]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[9]; 3. 39M-Anthony Macri[4]; 4. 83-Michael Kofoid[6]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz[21]; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart[5]; 7. 10-Ryan Timms[7]; 8. 23-Garet Williamson[26]; 9. 1A-Ashton Torgerson[8]; 10. 21-Brian Brown[14]; 11. 27-Emerson Axsom[23]; 12. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[1]; 13. 9-Daison Pursley[24]; 14. 2C-Cole Macedo[22]; 15. 7S-Chris Windom[18]; 16. 17GP-Hank Davis[17]; 17. 32-Bryce Lucius[11]; 18. 88-Austin McCarl[19]; 19. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[12]; 20. 6-Kasey Jedrzejek[27]; 21. 23D-Chase Dietz[15]; 22. 28M-Conner Morrell[16]; 23. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[13]; 24. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[20]; 25. 2-David Gravel[3]; 26. 19-Brent Marks[2]; 27. 17B-Bill Balog[25]
