Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team ran their string of strong runs to six with an impressive sixth-place finish in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
It was their sixth-straight finish of eleventh or better, a streak that started with a 10th-place finish at Road America on the Fourth of July.
On Sunday at Michigan, DiBenedetto lined up fourth for the drop of the green flag and bettered that immediately. He led the third lap and was running third when the Competition Caution flag flew at Lap 21.
He remained in the top 10 for the remainder of the first Stage and ended that 60-lap segment in seventh place, earning four bonus points.
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang was fast again in Stage Two, running in the top five for much of that segment before ending the Stage in 10th place, earning one more point.
In the third and final segment of the race, DiBenedetto continued to run in the lead pack, but lost some spots on a green flag pit stop with just over 30 laps left to run, coupled with a loose-handling condition, put him outside the top 20.
Then, he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team put on a show.
He began his march to the front, an effort that was bolstered by crew chief Jonathan Hassler’s decision to pit under the next-to-last caution for four fresh tires. DiBenedetto, with his handling issues resolved, dodged wrecks, made bold moves, and was able to race his way into the top five, losing one spot on the final lap to finish sixth.
“We had a rocket for a while,” DiBenedetto told reporters after the race. “Then, something went sideways. We didn’t change anything, but we lost the handle on it. I am not sure what exactly happened.
“Either way, we made good calls, and the team did a good job. We got the day going really good and were really fast and then had some things go wrong.”
But he and the team fought back and as he said, he was able to “outcrazy” many of his competitors to finish sixth and back up his fifth-place finish from Indianapolis the week before.
“We were super aggressive and made it back up,” he said. “It was a proud team effort.”
DiBenedetto remains 16th in the Cup Series standings, but will need to win on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway to earn a spot in the season-ending, championship-deciding Playoffs.
“We will study up and be prepared for it, and go try and make it happen,” he said.
Eddie Wood said it was a good day for his team and for Ford Motor Company at Michigan.
“We were really glad to have a good run with the Master Tech paint scheme on the No. 21,” he said. “The work those technicians do is important to all of us.
“And we were happy to see our former driver Ryan Blaney and our friends at Team Penske deliver Ford its seventh-straight Cup Series victory at Michigan.”
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.
