Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were able to bounce back from early misfortune in Sunday’s playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway and come home with an 11th-place finish that keeps them in the top 10 in points heading into the second playoff race at New Hampshire next Sunday.
Blaney started 12th at Chicagoland but dropped back early and fell off the lead lap due to contact with another car.
He remained off the lead lap through the first two stages and got his break of the day when the caution flag flew on Lap 169 for a spin by Jamie McMurray while Blaney was in the free pass position.
From there on to the finish of the 267-lap race it was a matter of first passing the lapped cars ahead of him on the next restart then overtaking those ahead of him on the lead lap. He wound up 11th, which was 10th among the playoff contenders.
He did fall one spot in the standings and heads to New Hampshire 68 points out of the lead and eight points ahead of 13th-place Kurt Busch. The bottom four drivers in the playoff standings will be eliminated after two more races.
Blaney pointed out in his post-race comments that the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team wasn’t the only playoff contender to have an up-and-down day at Chicagoland.
“We started off not great, got into it with a lapped car,” he said. “That put us behind and got us a lap down.
“We spent a long time trying to get a lap back and finally did and were able to go racing. We went the wrong way on our last adjustment and that hurt us unfortunately.”
“We can’t hang our heads about that. A lot of other cars had problems today. It stinks we didn’t get any stage points, but maybe next week.”
The championship hunt continues on Sunday with a 300-miler at New Hampshire Motor 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 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. 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 No. 21 racecar.
