Sports can often give the perception that some are invincible, particularly legends and those with larger-than-life personalities. It therefore becomes shocking when we see they are not such, when their perceived invulnerability is struck down and we see their true humanity.  

Such is the case with legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt.  

Summitt led the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball program for 38 years, during which time she established herself as one of the all-time great coaches. Under Summitt, the Lady Vols compiled a 1,098-208 record, making Summitt NCAA basketball’s winningest coach of all time when she stepped down. Summitt led Tennessee to eight NCAA titles, 32 SEC tournament and regular season championships and 31 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament.  

Her coaching helped developed some of the biggest stars in women’s basketball, including 12 Olympians and numerous WNBA talents, including legend Candace Parker.  

Summitt was still at the helm for the Lady Vols in 2011 when the seemingly unshakable coach’s aura was shattered. At just 59 years old, Summitt was diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s Type, sending shockwaves through the college basketball and sports world at-large. 

Less than a year later, the gritty legend stepped aside, taking on a new role as head coach emeritus as she continued to battle the disease. Concurrently, Summitt took on spokesperson role for dementia and created the Pat Summitt Foundation to advance Alzheimer research, bring awareness and provide support for those with the disease, their families and caretakers.  

It is through the Pat Summitt Foundation Trevor Bayne’s 2012 We Back Pat No. 60 Roush Fenway Nationwide Ford Mustang came to hit the track. Appropriately, near Rocky Top at Bristol Motor Speedway for the 2012 Food City 250. Summit also served as Grand Marshal for the race.  

Bayne’s Mustang, wearing the Lady Vols’ Tennessee orange and light blue and We Back Pat on the hood, won the pole at the Knoxville native’s home track. It was an impressive outing considering Bayne had been sidelined for nearly 20 races leading up to the Bristol race.  

Bayne, the underdog 2011 Daytona 500 winner, was driving the No. 16 for Roush Fenway’s Nationwide program in 2011 when he missed several spring races due to a medical issue. He would later reveal he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Though Bayne only raced in 29 of 36 races in 2011, he placed 11^th in the points.  

Bayne continued his impressive performance in the opening races of the 2012 season, but it wasn’t enough garner sponsor support. The No. 60 team partnered with a group of Knoxville-area investors, YourRaceCar.com, to enter the spring 2012 Bristol Nationwide race. But after just the fifth race of the season, Roush opted to shutter the team with Bayne third in the points standings.  

Bayne was running a partial schedule for the Wood Brothers in Cup that year, but it wasn’t until the Food City 250 and the We Back Pat ride — a partnership between Roush, Yourracecar.com, Food City and others — that he returned to the Nationwide Series to take the pole at Bristol.  

Though he won the pole, Bayne did not lead a lap during the race with eventual race-winner Joey Logano charging out to a quick lead. However, Bayne remained in the top-10 much of the race, and with 10 laps to go hadn’t fallen outside of the top 15. But with just a few laps remaining, Austin Dillon slid under the track while under Bayne, appeared to get loose, and slid up the track into the No. 60 car. Bayne’s Mustang hit the outside wall, bringing out the caution and ending his hopes to put the We Back Pat car in the top-five.  

Bayne’s No. 60 finished 16^th.  

Bayne took issue with Dillon’s move, bumping him on the track after the wreck and confronting him post-race to the point Richard Childress stepped into the fray. He later said Dillon, “Took us out…that’s all there is to it.”  

Though the We Back Pat car’s night ended with disappointment, the diecast version remains a celebration of Summitt’s legacy and her foundation’s continued efforts to fight Alzheimer’s.  

We Back Pat 1/24 diecasts aren’t readily available to purchase online, but those that do are certainly affordable. Several examples were found sold online or on eBay for $20-$40.