After a week at Bristol Motor Speedway with their car carrying the logos of Virginia Tech, Ryan Blaney and his Wood Brothers team return to their traditional Motorcraft/Quick Lane colors for this weekend’s Pure Michigan 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.
That’s the home track for Ford Motor Company, and therefore an important race for the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team.
For crew chief Jeremy Bullins, Michigan is fresh on his mind, as the team ran there just eight races ago.
“One of the cool things about the summer stretch in my mind is there are a couple of tracks that we race twice in a short span, and one of those is Michigan,” Bullins said. “Last time there, we had a top-five qualifying effort and had speed in our car in the race until sustaining some damage later in the event.”
That performance came with the same lower-downforce aerodynamic package that will be used this weekend.
Among the aerodynamic characteristics for this weekend are a smaller rear spoiler, the elimination of rear-axle offset, a smaller fin on the rear deck lid and smaller sides on the front splitter.
Bullins said that because his team has both raced and tested with the new package, he feels good about his team’s chances heading into Michigan.
“We definitely have some confidence that we have a solid baseline to work from,” he said. “It’s also going to be fun and challenging to work with the lower downforce package again.”
“It seems like Ryan adapts well to that package as we were also very fast at Kentucky. We are looking for a fast fun weekend for the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion.”
Bullins also said he’s keeping a positive outlook despite disappointing finishes at Bristol and Indianapolis Motor Speedway that have put Blaney in a longshot position as far as making the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
“Obviously some wrecks over the summer have put a damper on our points position, but we have our heads high knowing we are bringing fast cars to the track,” he said. “We will continue to push forward.”
Qualifying for the Pure Michigan 400 is set for Friday at 5:15 p.m. and the race should get the green flag just after 2 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on NBCSN.
# # #
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.
