Catching up with Trevor Bayne

“Cinnamon Toast Crunch … that’s how I roll.”

And with that response to a fan’s query about his favorite cereal, Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne was at his most controversial during a brief stopover in Chicago while on a cross-country victory tour.

In other words, the just-turned-20 Bayne isn’t going to raise many eyebrows with his respectful, low-key demeanor. But he sure has turned heads with his driving prowess, after winning NASCAR’s premier event — in his first attempt.

Bayne, who will compete June 4 at Chicagoland Speedway in a Nationwide event and possibly return in September with the big guys for the Sprint Cup’s first Race for the Chase, is so the “it” driver right now, having gained 22,000 new followers on Twitter and even receiving a surprise call on his cell phone from the White House.

Before he met the public Tuesday at Harry Caray’s Tavern at Navy Pier, the kid with the perpetual smile sat down with the Daily Herald for a 1-on-1 chat.

Q. Total hours of sleep you’ve had since you won?

A. Oh, man, 5-7 hours of good sleep. I got a couple in on the way to Connecticut and a couple on the way here. I tried to sleep in the hotel and in my motor home the first night, but it just wasn’t happening.

Q. How much are you going to get when you finally get a chance.

A. A lot! I’m going into hibernation, don’t worry. Hopefully I get a little sleep before I get to Phoenix (for Sunday’s race).

Q. Best bling you’ve picked up for the win?

A. Oh, this by far (holding up hand to show off enormous Daytona 500 winner’s ring). I’m not a bling kind of guy, but I’ll rock this probably for a little while.

Q. Can you drive with that thing on?

A. I don’t think it’s going to happen; maybe I can put it on over the gloves.

Q. Questions you’ve been asked a million times already?

A. What was it like to cross the finish line, and what are we going to do with the money we won?

Q. Questions someone should be asking you?

A. I think they’ve all been asked (laughs).

Q. Tandem racing: good or bad?

A. Good. And that’s a question people haven’t asked about much. I liked it. It added a team aspect to the sport that we haven’t seen much. Normally, it’s every man for himself even if he has the same logo on his car.

I liked it because I was happy to push guys around. I felt safer doing it. The lead guy, he could get into situations that I could get out of because I’d just back up.

Q. You seem so laid-back; do you ever get ticked off?

A. Not much. It takes a lot. I just accept the good with the bad.

Q. How important is it for you to be a role model?

A. I think we need role models. Jeff Gordon was mine growing up, and I think it’s important to get young guys back in the sport — Joey Logano, myself — our sport needs it, our young fans need it. I don’t know if I’m that guy, but I’d be happy to be.

Q. Who’s your favorite athlete outside of auto racing?

A. I’m going to say Shaun White, Travis Pastrana or Troy Polamalu. I was a Steelers fan, and Polamalu is an animal. Shaun White is the best athlete there is in his sport, and Travis Pastrana is an innovator; he’s a crazy guy and now he’s coming to NASCAR, which is cool.

Q. How do you know that you’re not going to be a one-hit wonder?

A. I don’t. I mean, I do. I can’t say that I don’t, but it could happen. You never know. Everyone says cherish the Victory Lane you’re in because you never know if you’re going to back there, and that’s true. But I’m surrounded by really great people with the Wood Brothers and Jack Roush and Roush/Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series and we’ve won races before.

This isn’t our first rodeo. I think we have a long time to go and have a lot of history to write.