As NASCAR’s elite Cup Series makes its highly anticipated return to historic North Wilkesboro Speedway this weekend, many of the competitors, including Harrison Burton and other members of the No. 21 Motorcraft/DEX Imaging team have never experienced a Cup race there.
“I’ve never even seen the place,” Burton told reporters on a Ford teleconference last week. “It’s going to be a challenge for sure.”
It’s a different story for his Wood Brothers team, which ran 46 races on the 5/8-mile track before it dropped off the Cup schedule in 1996. The Woods ran their first race at Wilkesboro in 1957 with Jimmy Massey starting fifth and finishing 10th behind the wheel of the No. 21 Ford.
The team went on to score two poles there, both by team founder Glenn Wood, who ran five Cup races at North Wilkesboro, with a runner-up finish to Junior Johnson in 1958 after starting from the pole and a third-place finish in 1960 behind race-winner Lee Petty and Rex White.
Wood had four top-10 finishes at Wilkesboro in five starts, and suffered a blown engine after starting second in the fifth.
The Woods have two North Wilkesboro victories, both by Marvin Panch, and a total of 14 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes at Wilkesboro.
Burton said it would be cool to be the winner of the inaugural All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, but he has other goals in mind too. To compete in the main event of the All-Star weekend, he’ll have to finish first or second in the preliminary Open or win the fan vote.
“Just making the show in general – it’s important,” he said. “Think about the amount of effort that goes into building these race cars for our guys at the shop, the amount of effort you put in preparing for these races. It’s important.
“It’s a big thing for the morale of everybody and a big thing for your sponsors. So, it’s always been important, especially when it’s a really cool event like this one I think will be. It makes it that much cooler.”
Practice for All-Star and Open drivers is set for Friday from 4 p.m. to 4:50. Qualifying, which will be determined by the Pit Crew Challenge (based on the speed of the pit stop), will begin at 5:45 p.m.
Two heat races for drivers locked into the All-Star race, are set to start Saturday at 7:20 p.m. and approximately 8:15.
The 100-lap Open is scheduled to begin just after 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, with the 200-lap All-Star race getting the green flag just after 8 p.m.
FOX Sports 1 will carry the TV coverage.
About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity
DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.
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 Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, 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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
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 and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and 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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at 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 WoodBrothers 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.
