Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Ambetter Health 400 | Sunday, February 23, 2025
Ford Finishing Order:
4th – Ryan Blaney
11th – Zane Smith
12th – Joey Logano
15th – Todd Gilliland
18th – Ryan Preece
25th – Josh Berry
28th – Austin Cindric
30th – Chris Buescher
34th – Noah Gragson
35th – Cody Ware
36th – Cole Custer
38th – Corey LaJoie
39th – Brad Keselowski
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Delta Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was unfortunate. As a team, as Fords, we had the best cars here this weekend. We put ourselves into position to win the race and got used up and into the fence and didn’t win the race. It’s a shame. Two weeks in a row I feel like we have had the car to beat and haven’t done it. One way or another it is disappointing.”
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 BodyArmor Zero Sugar Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a good comeback. I just fell back from getting spun there and I was able to pick our way through and ended up scrounging a good finish out of it, so not a bad recovery.”
YOU SLOWED AND THEN GOT HIT BY THE 77. WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? “I wasn’t slowing. He was drafting to me and he didn’t lift and just gave me a shot when I’m turning into one and it spun me out. I was just happy I didn’t hook a right back into everybody and was able to stay on the apron.”
ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE RESULT? “I’m happy with the result after being spun with 20 to go, so a decent comeback.”
YOU GOT BACK TO THE FRONT TOWARDS THE END. HOW WAS YOUR DAY? “It was a little bit of a struggle getting to the front after I lost some track position in the first and second stage, and then we got spun when I finally got track position by the 77 and we were able to make it back up and run forward, so it was an up and down day, that’s for sure. I’m happy we were able to make a recovery.”
JOSH BERRY, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “We had a really fast car. We saw yesterday that all of our cars were fast. We were able to stay aggressive, stay on the offense, stay up front. I feel that I am in a situation now where I can succeed. We tried to make the most of it there, but we obviously didn’t get the finish that we deserved. It was just crazy. Honestly, it was a lot of fun, but it was just crazy. A lot of aggressive moves racing there at the end. The [number] 77 threw the [number] 1 out of line and I kind of pushed him through the middle and then we just got squeezed together once into [turn] one and then again off of [turn] two. We all just ran out of room there. It’s just disappointing. I have to go back and look to see if there is something I could have done better. I mean, what’s the use of wrecking for eighth or whatever? I hate that we didn’t get the finish we deserved.”
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was just challenging all day. We had a really fast car and when we were up front we could control it really well. When we had a couple Fords up front it was domination and then when I got in the back I didn’t handle good enough. It just cost us too much back there and I couldn’t move my way back up. Every time I got a gap it just wasn’t good enough to get back up there handling-wise, so the car was fast but we just needed more steering.”
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “Somebody got into the 9 car and put him into the fence off of turn four. I saw it and lifted for that but he seemed to regroup and was fine. As soon as I went to take off again he blew a right rear rear or broke a toe link and hooked left right in front of us. So, we hit him trying not to hit him and broke a radiator. That was the end of our day. The racing is definitely intense. It is actually phenomenal racing. Just wish we would have gotten up front.”
COREY LAJOIE, No. 01 AirMedCare Network Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “There is nothing to get your heart rate up in a race car more than this. You can talk about restarts at Dover where it is really hectic and stuff is happening at lightning speed but at Atlanta you have to be so precise and so instinctive with the moves that you make. We were making our way forward. I thought we got our car driving good after the first pit stop and broke into that top 20 bubble where you can get some fresh air, some clean air, on occasion. That is when you can really maneuver. And we got there. We also got there with a pretty decent strategy to get into the top ten.”
ABOUT THE INCIDENT “Everyone was sort of gummed up and I was just in line pushing. I got by him [number 9] and the next thing I know he caught me in the right rear somehow.”
NOAH GRAGSON, No. 4 TitleMax Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I saw the 99 get turned through the trioval and I don’t know if he was coming back up or if I clipped him with the left-rear, but I had a lot of left-rear damage and couldn’t continue.”
COLE CUSTER, No. 41 3D Systems Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “That was really big. I’m just thankful for everybody at our shop. It was a lot of work they had to do this offseason, but they took the time and made all the seat stuff right. Everybody did a great job on our interior stuff, so happy that we’re all OK, but I’m just disappointed. I hate it for 3D Systems and everybody at the shop. We struggled a little bit, but to get caught up in a wreck just stinks.”
WHAT DID YOU SEE? “I just saw the 99 come up the track and from there I clipped him and went straight head on into the wall. I don’t know what started it.”
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE TRADITIONAL NASCAR RACING? “It will be nice to get off the superspeedways for a little bit and get to a road course and then to normal racetracks.”
CODY WARE, No. 51 Arby’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “I honestly have no idea. I know the 99 was spinning out ahead of us. It felt like we slowed down. I’m not sure if we got hit from behind, but the next thing I know I’m in the outside wall. It’s just another frustrating weekend of superspeedway style racing for the 51 Arby’s team this week.”
