For Matt DiBenedetto and Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, Dover International Speedway lived up to its Monster Mile nickname in Sunday’s Drydene 400.
DiBenedetto’s No. 21 Mustang had handling issues from start to finish, leaving him with a 24th-place finish, five laps behind the leaders.
DiBenedetto lined up 18th for the start of the 400-lap grind on the one-mile concrete oval. He was able to move up in the initial laps, gaining three spots in the first five laps. He was running 20th when the Competition Caution flag flew after 36 laps. But from that point on, he ran mostly outside the top 20 for the remainder of the race.
DiBenedetto said his team tried some different things set-up wise after failing to meet their expectations at Dover last year.
“We tried to throw some things at our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang going into this weekend, and unfortunately it didn’t work out,” DiBenedetto said, adding that he pushed the ill-handling car as hard as he could without taking undue risks. “We just had to be smart.”
Eddie Wood said he and the entire team are disappointed but will move on.
“We had string of good finishes going, but we’ve stumbled the past two weeks,” he said. “We are a better team than this, and we’ll turn it around.”
Despite the recent struggles, DiBenedetto remains 17th in the Cup Series standings, nine points behind 16th place Michael McDowell.
Next up for DiBenedetto and the Wood Brothers team is the first-ever NASCAR race on Circuit of the Americas, a road course in Austin, Texas. The weekend opens for the Cup Series with practice next Saturday morning. Qualifying is set for Sunday morning, followed by the 68-lap EchoPark Texas Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
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.
