For Bayston, who has cut his teeth in both the pavement Kenyon Midget Series and more recently in the USAC National Midget Series with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, adapting to winged racing has been both a fun and unique challenge.

“It’s obviously been a learning curve for me,” said Bayston. “There’s some things that make the winged cars similar to the midgets I drive for Keith Kunz, but at the same time they’re definitely really, really different as well. In the midgets, if you can get it close (on setup), the rest is up to the driver to figure out how to make it work, but with these things if the driver isn’t able to understand what it needs then you’re really going to be (behind) the 8-ball.”

“It’s just a big transition, with the speed, having the wing there … leaning left and not leaning right; it’s most of the basic stuff, to be honest with you. I’m just trying hard to get used to it and learn as much as I can as we go. I’m enjoying it, for sure, but there’s still plenty that I have to learn yet.”

But while Bayston learns, both he and Swindell have been equally-focused on having fun along the way.

“I think having Kevin around makes life a little bit easier for me, because I can communicate with him and he knows what it’s like from being behind the wheel. That makes it fun, for sure,” Bayston said of working with Swindell. “Obiously the guys wrenching on these cars are the best in the business; Kevin wouldn’t have it any other way. But to have him coaching me and teaching me the right way forward has been a great experience so far.”

“I enjoy having him around. Every sprint car race he’s ran, he’s done with me … so he doesn’t really know a lot different,” Swindell added. “We have a good time and we work well together, though, so it’s just been about trying to get him better at his feedback. Obviously, I can relate to driving it, as well as trying to make it go around. But we enjoy working together, without a doubt.”

So what does the future hold at this point for the Bayston-Swindell combo? According to the car owner, a roughly 40-race schedule similar to the one they put together this season, as they continue to test themselves against the best of the best.

“We came (to Charlotte) to find out really where we’re at,” Swindell said. “We don’t quite have the motor program that a lot of these guys do, but we’ve been close. We’ll keep getting him better on these bigger places, and keep running the cars, and hopefully we’ll learn a lot and head into next year with some more notes that we can use to our advantage.”

And as for Bayston, who leads the USAC National Midget points with two races to go?

He’s already having the time of his life, and he can’t wait for the journey to continue.

“It’s been pretty cool. Kevin and I have already become pretty good friends … and I owe him so much for everything he’s already taught me. I can’t wait for next year to keep getting better at this. It’s been a blast so far.”

About the Writer

Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network, as well as a periodic contributor to SPEED SPORT Magazine.

Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.

The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.

Email Jacob at: [email protected]

Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77

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