Ryan Blaney and Jeremy Bullins finished their rookie Sprint Cup season with a 17th-place finish in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday night.
Blaney started 6th and ran as high as 2nd before falling back during some early caution periods.
Fittingly, the rookie Blaney got to race door-to-door early in the race with the retiring Jeff Gordon in Gordon’s final race, much like Gordon was able to race Richard Petty in Petty’s final race in 1992 at Atlanta.
Blaney’s No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion appeared to be faster than Gordon’s car at that point, but the rookie didn’t make any daring moves to pass.
“When I was racing with him I thought it was his last race and he’s racing for the championship and you don’t want to jeopardize his championship,” Blaney said. “You don’t want to race him too hard and put him in a bad spot.”
“I was more concerned with his running for the championship than the fact that it was his last race.”
Blaney did eventually get by Gordon, on the next pit stop thanks to some swift work by the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew.
As the laps wound down, Blaney began to deal with a loose handling condition that kept him from improving his position, and he had to settle for 17th at the finish.
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he was proud of the team’s overall effort, both at Homestead and throughout the 2015 season, and is looking forward to getting to work on 2016, when the team will return to a full-time schedule.
For Wood, one of the many advantages of running full-time is getting the opportunity to run for the championship and be a part of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
“That’s something that will be new for us and new for Ryan,” Wood said. “The 2015 season is behind us, and I’m already looking forward to Daytona.”
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.
