Blaney Looks Forward to First Playoff Appearance
RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 9, 2017 – The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team was eager to put Saturday night’s 18th-place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway behind it and focus on the NASCAR Playoffs that start next week.
“We knew tonight was gonna be a struggle,” said driver Ryan Blaney after the race. “This is probably our worst race track and it’s been my worst race track my whole career. I don’t know what I need to do (to improve here), but that’s for a different day.”
Starting 14th on the grid, Blaney was able to get into the top 10 early in the 400-lap event thanks to some quick work by the Motorcraft/Quick Lane pit crew, which gained at least six positions for its driver during the race.
Handling problems caused the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 to slip back to 12th by the end of the race’s first segment. The team re-started Stage 2 in 10th, again due to pit crew efficiency, but fell back to 16th by the end of the second stanza.
The final 200-lap stage was a tough for Blaney who was fairly strong in the early going of a run but fell back during long green-flag runs.
With his 14th top-20 result of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series squarely in the rear-view mirror, Blaney looked ahead to his first appearance in the postseason.
“It’s been a decent year for us,” he said. “I think all of the races in the Playoffs we can go and do really good at. I think the first round is pretty strong for us and Chicago has always been a fast race track for us, so hopefully we can start off with a strong showing and can have a good run to where we go to Loudon, which is probably our worst track in that little series. We still run decent there, but I think the biggest thing is just not making mistakes, getting stage points and not messing up on pit road with speeding or things like that.”
Blaney heads into the NASCAR Playoffs ninth on the Playoff Grid with 2,008 points.
The first race of the Playoffs is the Tales of the Turtles 400 on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. at Chicagoland Speedway.
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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 99 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.
