Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Ford/Disabled American Veterans team are headed this weekend to a new venue for NASCAR’s Cup Series, but one that Burton and his crew chief Brian Wilson are familiar with.
Burton has raced in both NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, the 1.25-mile track located in the St. Louis suburb of Madison, Ill.
And crew chief Brian Wilson competed there back in 2010 as a race engineer for Brad Keselowski in the series now known as Xfinity. That team came away a winner in the fall race at Gateway that year.
Wilson said he’s looking forward to this weekend’s inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway.
“It’s really exciting to be going to the St. Louis market this weekend,” Wilson said. “Personally I always enjoy the challenge of going to a new track for the Cup series.
“This weekend I’m especially interested in the extended practice format that we’ll have. We get extra time and will be able to make more changes to the setup than on a normal weekend.”
Wilson said he, Burton and the No. 21 Ford/DAV team are hoping to continue down the technological path they’ve taken at recent races.
“The past few weeks we’ve been working on a new direction that showed some potential at Charlotte in qualifying,” he said. “We’ll continue on that path and try to utilize the extra practice time to maximize the potential.”
And Wilson said his No. 21 team showed Sunday in a marathon Coca-Cola 600 that even when things looked discouraging in the early laps, each member continued to put forth a maximum effort.
“I feel like last week’s race shows the fight in this team, which resulted in a great 11th-place finish,” he said. “With that fighting mentality we’ll continue to push to learn and improve on our speed.”
For this weekend’s race, the No. 21 Mustang will carry a special paint scheme celebrating the 100-year relationship between Ford and the Disabled American Veterans.
That relationship began in 1922 when Ford provided 50 Model Ts for veterans of the first World War to attend the second national DAV convention. In the years since, Ford has worked to ensure that veterans have access to reliable transportation to reach their healthcare and medical appointments.
Ford’s efforts on behalf of veterans are also evident in the company’s employment of approximately 6,000 veterans. Since 2019, the Ford-Lincoln Veteran Careers Program has been a part of New Ford Tech, a program that hires and trains Ford service technicians.
A 50-minute practice session at Gateway is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. (5:05 Eastern Time) Friday, and qualifying is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. (11 Eastern).
Sunday’s 240-lap, 300-mile race is planned for 2:30 p.m. (3:30 Eastern Time) with TV coverage on FOX Sports 1.
Stage breaks are set for Laps 45 and 140.
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 maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change & maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator & electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension & steering, wheel alignment, belts & hoses, lamps & bulbs, wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) 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; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services. Ford employs approximately 187,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn 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. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.
About DAV
DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: keeping our promise to America’s veterans. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a nonprofit organization with more than 1 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at DAV.org.
