Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team will be looking to continue their string of strong performances this weekend in the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
“We have a lot of confidence going into Talladega and hopefully we’ll have an even better run than we had in the first race,” he said.
DEARBORN, Mich., October 21, 2015 – Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team will be looking to continue their string of strong performances this weekend in the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The Wood Brothers’ team comes to the historic Alabama track on the heels of a 12th-place finish in Charlotte and a seventh-place showing last weekend in Kansas.
At Talladega in May, Blaney had his best weekend of the season starting in third after two solid qualifying runs and was in that same spot running strong with two laps to go in the 188-lap race. When the cars behind Blaney decided to try to overtake him in the second-to-last lap, he slipped back a few places but recovered to claim fourth before he reached the checkered flag.
“Running well anywhere definitely gives you confidence when you go back to that track, whether it’s a superspeedway or a short track,” Blaney said. “We had a fast car there in the first race and there are a lot of things you take from that race, and can learn and apply to the next race whether it’s how the draft works or what line to take.
“We have a lot of confidence going into Talladega and hopefully we’ll have an even better run than we had in the first race,” he said.
Crew chief Jeremy Bullins also is confident as the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team heads to Talladega.
“We’ve had good cars at every speedway race and there’s no reason to think that we won’t have one again,” Bullins said. “Those races are all about dodging bullets and putting yourself in the right position at the end. We’ve managed to do that and that’ll be the plan this time.”
When asked if he anticipates any changes in strategy or setup five months removed from the Ford Fusion’s best finish of the season, Bullins said, “I wouldn’t do a thing differently than we did last time. We had a strong car and made good pit calls to stay up front all day.”
If there was a downside to the May Talladega race for the 21-year-old Blaney it was that he couldn’t count on any other drivers to help him make a move late in the race. Does he think he’s earned any respect from his elders throughout a season of clean racing?
“I think so,” Blaney said. “Whenever you go to a speedway and run well, and don’t do anything to make other drivers mad or make any stupid mistakes, the veteran drivers trust you more. Hopefully we’ll have more friends. It’s kind of a product of how you run earlier in the race so that’s something we’ll have to earn.”
Practice sessions for the Alabama 500 begin on Friday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. ET and 4:30p.m. ET and can be seen live on NBCSN. Qualifying will be broadcast on Saturday, Oct. 24 on NBCSN at 4:15 p.m. ET. The Alabama 500 begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 25 on NBCSN.
Alabama 500/Talladega Superspeedway Facts
Track: 2.66 miles
Laps: 288
1st NASCAR Race: 1964
Wood Brothers Wins: 2 (Fall race)
Track Record: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 183.665, 2002
2014 Winner: Brad Keselowski
2014 No. 21 Finish: 16th
About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. Quick Lane’s nationwide network of more than 700 facilities, each providing the convenience of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait, evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained, technicians). In addition to offering trusted parts from Motorcraft, Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers offers brand-name tires from Goodyear, Continental, Michelin and others. Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.quicklane.com
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 98 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 117 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by Ryan Blaney in the famous No. 21 racecar.
