Blaney is Sixth in Points
Strong Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Start Should Continue at PIR
DEARBORN, Mich., March 15, 2017 – Three races into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team roll into Phoenix International Raceway in sixth place overall, seemingly on the cusp of victory.
Blaney was an ounce or so of American Ethanol shy of victory at Daytona last month and finished second. He was strong again, but snake-bitten, at Atlanta winding up in 18th. Then he spent all of last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the top 10, including the seventh-place finish.
Phoenix, the second leg of NASCAR’s three-race West Coast Swing, is a track that suits Blaney’s driving style. In his first two visits to PIR as a rookie last season, Blaney finished 10th in the spring and eighth in the fall.
Add those impressive results to his three consecutive Phoenix top 10s (2012-2014) in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and he’s never finished a race there outside of the top 10.
RYAN BLANEY
“Phoenix is a tough race track. The two corners are very different and the car likes certain things in each corner. It helps to have a couple races there under our belt to build on.”
RYAN BLANEY PHOENIX FAST FACTS:
Posted top-10 finishes in both 2016 Phoenix races
Also had three top-10 truck series finishes 2012-2014
WOOD BROTHERS PHOENIX FAST FACTS:
This will be the team’s 28th start at Phoenix
Has four top-10 finishes, including two last season with Blaney at the wheel
CREW CHIEF JEREMY BULLINS
On Phoenix International Raceway:
“From the technical side it’s difficult at Phoenix to get both ends of the race track as good as you want. Typically, if you’re good in turns one and two you might be too tight in three and four or vice versa. The dogleg on the back stretch also creates some setup changes as it’s the highest loaded area of the track (which is typically the corners at most tracks) so you have to make some compromises to keep your car from bottoming out through that section.”
On team’s fast start to 2017:
WEEKEND TV SCHEDULE ON FS1, FS2 & FOX
Friday March 17, 2 p.m. ET – Practice, FS1
March 17, 7:45 p.m. ET – Pole Qualifying, FS1
Saturday March 18, Noon ET – Practice, FS2
March 18, 2:30 ET – Final Practice, FS2
Sunday March 19, 3:30 p.m. ET – Camping World 500, FOX
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 more than 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 Glenn 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. Glenn’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.
