09/06/2026
Where to even start… 💔
Bayne was a Colorado kid who traveled like no other. Racing brought him all over the country, and Ohio was where I had the opportunity to see him for the first time just shy of a few years ago. From there, he became one of those racers I continued to follow—watching him at the tracks, keeping up with his social media, his results, his travels, and his accomplishments just like I do with so many of the riders who become part of my journey behind the camera.
This is another one that hits home.
As a photographer, you sit behind the camera at a time like this and wish there were more. More photos. More laps frozen in time. More smiles. More memories to give back to the people who loved him. You try so hard to get to everyone, but you simply can’t capture every rider and every moment. Today, I wish I could have.
Bayne always had a smile. His group of friends included so many of the kids and riders I would stop by, mess with, joke around with, and somehow always end up laughing with. Those moments seemed so normal then. Now they are memories I will forever be thankful for.
And Triangle… that one hits differently. Triangle holds a special place in the story of how this journey behind my lens began, and it’s also where I first remember seeing Bayne. Now that track will forever hold another memory for me.
Bayne may have called Colorado home, but he left pieces of himself at racetracks all across this country—including right here in Ohio. That’s what this sport does. Somewhere between the miles traveled, the pits, the starting lines, and the checkered flags, state lines stop mattering quite as much. The racing community becomes family.
As we allow his family the time and space they deserve to process an unimaginable loss, our prayers and our hearts will forever hold a special place for Bayne’s family, his friends, and everyone whose life he touched.
My heart is also with every racer who continues to put on that helmet and line up today. With every parent watching from the fence. Every friend standing in the pits. And every person carrying Bayne with them when they return to the track.
To everyone who showed their support for Bayne this weekend at Springfield—this is why I will always love our racing community. The way this community gathers. The way everyone comes together when one of our own needs us. The way we hold families close, even when there isn’t a drop of shared blood between us.
Because in racing, family has never just meant blood.
We race together. We travel together. We celebrate together. And unfortunately, sometimes we hurt together.
“Some ride through life, but only a few leave tracks on everyone’s heart.”
Rest easy, Bayne “The Train” Nantz. 🩷🩵🪽🏁
Nantz Bros Racing
From Colorado, to Ohio, to every track and every person in between—you left your tracks.
RIP Bayne. Never forgotten.
