- The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion finished 36th in the Toyota Owners 400 due to a late-race crash but that isn’t what will be remembered by Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers Racing Team.
- The main take away from Richmond International Raceway is that the team worked hard all day to rectify an ill-handling car that caused Blaney to slip from his third front-row start of the season to 18th place by the half-way point of Stage 1 and made their way back into the top 10 before the incident.
RICHMOND, Va., April 30, 2017 – The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion finished 36th in the Toyota Owners 400 due to a late-race crash but that isn’t what will be remembered by Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers Racing Team.
The main take away from Richmond International Raceway is that the team worked hard all day to rectify an ill-handling car that caused Blaney to slip from his third front-row start of the season to 18th place by the half-way point of Stage 1.
The Wood Brothers crew used every possible pit stop opportunity to work on the car, which finished Stage 2 in 16th place.
In the last 150 laps of the 400-lap race, Blaney was scored as high as 14th and as low as 20th before the handling returned and other competitors’ pit strategy helped him drive into the top 10 on lap 371 and into eighth on lap 372.
“We struggled most of the day but actually got it better at the end when we drove up to eighth,” Blaney said.
Then on lap 376 Kurt Busch bumped the Wood Brothers’ famous No. 21 and cut its left-rear tire, sending Blaney into the wall ending his day.
With the Richmond result, Blaney moves down two places to 12th in the driver standings, 169 points behind leader Kyle Larson.
The next stop on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit is the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday May 7 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.
