Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team appeared headed to a possible top 15 finish in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and ended up in 25th when he got bumped from behind and spun during the green-white-checker finish.
ATLANTA, Ga., Feb. 28, 2016 – Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team appeared headed to a possible top 15 finish in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and ended up in 25th when he got bumped from behind and spun during the green-white-checker finish.
Early in the race, the 22-year-old rookie Wood Brothers driver moved steadily forward from his 23rd starting position to occupy 15th by lap 69 of 325. He stayed mainly between 13th and 15th throughout the rest of the race, climbing as high as 10th at lap 148. Although he maintained that track position, he did lose a lap on lap 175 and another on lap 289.
“We were going to run 13th to 15th, which would have been an okay day,” Blaney said after climbing out of his classic red and white Fusion. “I didn’t know what happened initially, but I guess the 43 got a big run off the top and I was inside the 14 and got tagged in the back. Unfortunately, that sent me around, which kind of stinks. We were just trying to salvage a decent day out of it and it just stinks to run all those laps and then get wrecked at the end of a race.”
The Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 Ford Fusion got one lap back when it stayed on the track during a late-race caution that set up the green-white-checker that ended the race.
“We were just trying to find some balance,” Blaney said. “Sometimes we were better than others, and at the end we weren’t the best. There are some things we can learn to go onto Las Vegas next week and we’re excited to bounce back there.”
NASCAR’s new low-down-force aerodynamics package debuted at Atlanta. Blaney said he enjoyed it.
“It was a blast,” he said. “It was a handful, that’s for sure. If your car wasn’t handling great, it was tough. My car would really fall off after about 20 laps and that’s when we would struggle. We were okay before then, but Vegas is going to be a whole different deal next week. The tires don’t fall off as much, so we’ll see how it is there, but I think it’s a good direction. I felt like we could pass cars a little bit easier with this package and I think it’s the right way to go.”
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team now heads to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week, March 6, for the Kobalt 400.
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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
Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With nearly 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.
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 NASCA’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 number 21 racecar.
