Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed into Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway not exactly sure how the race will play out other than it is expected to be a crowd pleaser.
The 500-lap race will be the first Cup Series event contested on the high-banked, half-mile concrete racing surface since the introduction earlier this year of an all-new car. The first Cup race of the season at Bristol was run with a dirt surface atop the concrete.
Brian Wilson, crew chief of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang, said he’s looking forward to racing at Bristol and the challenges that come with it.
“Bristol always gets everyone in the industry excited, and personally I’m no different,” he said. “It’s certainly in my top three for favorite tracks.”
He said the information the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team gathered at Bristol in April, won’t be any help this time around.
“We were able to get a top-20 finish in the first race there, but there’s absolutely nothing we can take from the dirt race that can help us this weekend,” Wilson said, adding that nonetheless he and the team are doing all they can to be ready for Saturday night’s 500-lapper. “In our prep this week a majority of the discussion has centered around how the track will change throughout the weekend.”
A lot of the changes will be related to NASCAR’s application of PJ-1 to the bottom groove of the race track.
“How well this added grip lasts through the race is the first question,” Wilson said. “Historically you’ve wanted to run in the PJ-1 when the tires are new. As the run progresses you’ll move up the track. At times the high groove will rubber in to a point where you’ll start to move back down on a really long run.
“Lately our Goodyear tires have put down a decent amount of rubber so we expect that this may be the case on Saturday night.”
But Wilson pointed out that to be successful will require more than just staying in the fastest lane especially when it comes to dealing with race traffic, which is common at Bristol.
“Harrison and I have talked about the best ways to be versatile, both with the car setup and in his driving style,” he said. “We know that to have a good night we’ll need to run where the other cars aren’t and be aggressive in making passes.
“The action happens so quickly at Bristol that there isn’t a lot of time to think through situations. Doing our homework during the week will hopefully allow us to read and react to anything that’s thrown at the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford team on Saturday night.”
Practice for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race is set for Friday at 4:35 p.m. to be immediately followed by qualifying.
Saturday’s race is scheduled to start just after 7:30 p.m., with TV coverage on USA Network.
Stage breaks are planned for Laps 125 and 250.
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.
