The last time Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center team raced at Talladega Superspeedway they won Stage One, led 28 laps including the white-flag lap and finished fifth in the April 25 GEICO 500.
This time around, in Sunday’s YellaWood 500, the strategy and the goals will be a bit different. With the team eliminated from championship contention, there’s less emphasis on earning points and more on putting the No. 21 Mustang in position to race for the win in the closing laps.
DiBenedetto said the Quick Lane team is capable of coming away with a victory if the late-race circumstances play out in their favor.
“We have been in contention to win at the superspeedways countless times now,” DiBenedetto said, adding that being there at the end requires a lot more than just racing luck.
He said that he, spotter Doug Campbell, crew chief Jonathan Hassler and other team members, as well as the entire Ford contingent, put in a lot of hours going over scenarios that are likely to occur at Talladega and coming up with strategies to deal with them.
“Doug, myself and the team have really worked hard on our race craft at these places to be there when it counts,” he said. “Luckily we don’t have to race for Stage points and are there to try and take the win!”
There will be no qualifying or practice prior to the start of Sunday’s 188-lap race, which will feature Stage breaks at Laps 60 and 120. DiBenedetto will start 15th, the line-up having been set based on results from Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the 12 championship contenders starting ahead of the rest.
The green flag is set to fly at 1 p.m. (2 p.m. Eastern Time), with NBC carrying the live TV broadcast.
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.
