On Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series season, dramatically altered by a once-in-a-century pandemic, will come to an end with the running of the Season Finale 500.
For Matt DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, it’s been a year of learning each other and overcoming obstacles.
After racing resumed following a break due to the coronavirus, new NASCAR rules cut out practice and qualifying for all but one race – at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That made it tough for DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as they navigated their first season together.
“We had a lot thrown at us, and it was especially hard on us being a new group,” DiBenedetto said. “There are a lot of things we would have learned in practice and been able to apply to the car in a normal year. Instead, we had to learn during the race.
“We still made the Playoffs, had a lot of success, especially in the latter part of the season.”
DiBenedetto and the No. 21 team have turned in some strong numbers over the course of the season. They scored three top-three finishes and 10 top-10s. They scored 107 Stage points, and enter this weekend’s season finale 14th in the points standings, just 11 markers behind 12th place. DiBenedetto’s previous best finish in the final points standings was 22nd, before he joined the Wood Brothers team.
He said this season’s performance has him already looking forward to 2021.
“As a team we’re just now getting on the same page,” he said. “We’re meshing better, and now we are able to turn bad days into good solid runs. That’s what strong teams do.
“We’ll be way, way further ahead when we start next season.”
The 2020 season also saw DiBenedetto sign up to drive the No. 21 Mustang for 2021, and he said he has one main goal in mind for the upcoming year.
“I want to get the Wood Brothers their 100th win and some more as well,” he said. “I want that 100th win more than anything. The Woods are a great family, and it’s a great honor to drive for them – a dream come true.
“I will remember this time for the rest of my life.”
But before DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team turn their attention to 2021, there’s still Sunday’s 312-miler at Phoenix to run.
“Phoenix is one of my favorite tracks,” said DiBenedetto, who will start 12th. “It’s kind of a short track. We’ll run the low-downforce, high-horsepower package, and I enjoy those races the most.”
He said he’s heartened by the speed the No. 21 Mustang had at Phoenix back in March, when he finished 13th.
“We had a fast car, but we didn’t quite keep up with the adjustments,” he said. “We have lots to build on from the spring. It’s a good place for us.”
Sunday’s 500-kilometer race is set to get the green flag just after 3 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBC.
About Motorcraft:
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Omnicraft:
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
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 120 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 Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.
