The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion finished 33rd in the rain-delayed Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway when driver Ryan Blaney’s power steering failed 74 laps into the 500-lap race.
BRISTOL, Tenn., April 24, 2017 – The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion finished 33rd in the rain-delayed Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway when driver Ryan Blaney’s power steering failed 74 laps into the 500-lap race.
Blaney started sixth on the grid since qualifying was rained out on Friday and the lineup was determined by owner’s points. He quickly raced his way into the top five and was scored in third place on lap 72. Shortly thereafter the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21’s power steering gave out.
At the end of Stage 1, the team tried to make a quick fix that didn’t work and forced the team behind the wall to change the power steering pump and its electronic controls. When they re-emerged onto the world’s fastest half mile, Blaney was in 38th place, 47 laps behind the leader.
“We had to come in and fix it, which stinks because when we went back out we were actually really fast, but you’re not racing for anything, which is unfortunate,” Blaney said after the race.
Blaney made up five positions in the second half of the race to finish 33rd.
The driver remained optimistic about returning to Bristol in the fall based on what he learned about his car before and after the repair.
“It’s something to look forward to in the fall race because I felt like that was one of the best cars I’ve had at Bristol,” he continued. “It stinks that it happened. I know it happened to us and the 2, the same problem, so we’ll have to figure out what happened and what was different on the 22 to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
The finish moves Blaney from sixth to 10th in the driver standings, 132 points behind leader Kyle Larson.
The next stop on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit is the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. ET.
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 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.
