NASCAR Driver Trevor Bayne Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

"I've never been more driven to compete," Bayne said, according to a press release. "My goals are the same as they've been since I started racing. I want to compete at the highest level and I want to win races and championships. I am in the best shape I've ever been in and I feel good."

The driver added that as there are no symptoms at this time, and he will continue to take the best care he can of his body and look towards God for guidance regarding his health and his career.

As he won the 2011 Daytona 500, becoming the youngest driver to gain the title, the 22-year-old is currently hoping to compete for Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide series.

"As for now, I want to close out the season strong this weekend at Homestead and then shift my focus on getting ready to compete for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship in 2014," Bayne said. "I have a great team, a great family and great people all around me. I have been truly blessed in life and I look forward to what my future holds."

Bayne is currently sixth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings, where he has one win, six top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 2013. The team said he will compete again full-time for the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship in 2014.

Multiple Sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease in which the immune system is broken down, can be difficult to treat. Damages to the myelin sheath due to the disease may interfere with communication between the brain, spinal cord and other areas of the body. This can create wreak havoc in someone's daily life who is suffering from the problem, as symptoms may range from reduced or lost mobility to numbness, tingling and in more extreme cases, even blindness or paralysis. 

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society notes that the progress, severity and symptoms of MS for one person cannot always be predicted and may be experienced differently depending on various cases. .