- Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team overcame an early race tire problem and finished a strong fourth in the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
BROOKLYN, Mich., August 28, 2016 – Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team overcame an early race tire problem and finished a strong fourth in the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway this afternoon.
A solid qualifying effort on Friday put the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 seventh on the starting grid and Blaney quickly drove into the top five where he spent much of the sunny afternoon in Michigan’s Irish Hills.
Blaney reported a flat right-front tire going into turn one on lap 62. He quickly pitted, changed tires and continued on with a small hole in the hood as a result.
“It just unraveled,” Blaney explained. “It didn’t blow. At least it went down in a spot where it really didn’t hurt us. We lost a lot of time but I’m surprised we didn’t hurt our car more. We were lucky it was kind of in a fuel window and that it didn’t happen again.”
A fast race car and smooth green-flag pit stops the rest of the day kept the rookie driver among the leaders, including during the last re-start with 10 laps to go in the 400-mile race.
“I was trying to push the 24 and the 4 was pushing me,” Blaney recounted. “It was kind of a big bottleneck. I thought we were in a decent spot for that last re-start but it didn’t really work out great.”
The fourth-place finish was Blaney’s seventh top 10 of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. He’s now 17th in the driver points standings but 20th on the Chase grid.
“It was a solid day for us,” Blaney said. “It was one of the smoothest weekends we’ve had. We always want to win in Ford’s back yard but we did all we could do to run fourth. We were up toward the front most of the day. Some runs were better than others. It was kind of a decent day for us and there’s nothing to complain about.”
The series’ next stop is Darlington Raceway for the traditional Labor Day weekend Southern 500 when the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford will take on its 1976 throwback livery honoring David Pearson and his triple crown-winning season 40 years ago.
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.
