Blaney Moves up to 15th in Points
Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion gave the Wood Brothers a homecoming gift – their fourth top 20 in six 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup races – finishing 19th in the team’s return to Martinsville Speedway for the STP 500.
“We had some runs where I thought we were okay and other runs where I thought we were way off. At the end we were just okay. It wasn’t the best day but at least we came home on the lead lap.”
MARTINSVILLE, Va., April 3 – Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion gave the Wood Brothers a homecoming gift – their fourth top 20 in six 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup races – finishing 19th in the team’s return to Martinsville Speedway for the STP 500.
Martinsville is the closest Sprint Cup track to the Wood Brothers’ original shop in Stuart, Va., and the team celebrated the return to the historic track with an open house on Friday evening.
Starting 12th after a strong qualifying effort on Friday, Blaney slid back to 19th on lap 33, then stayed in the top 15 for the next 300 laps of the 500-lap race. The rookie wheelman lost a lap to the leader on lap 450 but took the wave-around when a caution flag flew 10 laps later.
“The 18 car was going to get by me regardless, so I didn’t want to mess their race up,” Blaney explained. “So I just pulled over and kind of let those guys have their race. You don’t want to screw up the leader’s race and I didn’t want to be that guy.”
Blaney maintained his position on the lead lap despite a last-pit-stop penalty when his crew went over the wall early.
“That penalty didn’t help during that last pit stop,” he said. “That probably cost us a few spots but we had some runs where I thought we were okay and other runs where I thought we were way off. At the end we were just okay. It wasn’t the best day but at least we came home on the lead lap.”
Blaney said he was conscious of his rookie status and his experience level at the historic paperclip-shaped oval.
“I was pretty courteous today,” he said. “You don’t want to be the rough guy when it’s your first time and you’re a rookie, so I probably gave a little bit more than I should have, but maybe we’ll put that in our bank and utilize that in the fall.”
Blaney kept the legendary No. 21 car one place ahead of Chase Elliott and his No. 24 car and pulled within a few points of his prime competitor for NASCAR Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
The 19th-place finish puts Blaney into 15th place in the drivers’ standings and the Wood Brothers 16th in owners’ points.
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane team now heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the Duck Commander 500 Saturday night, April 9.
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About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers
Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With nearly 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.
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 98 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 117 poles in NASCA’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 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by Ryan Blaney in the famous number 21 racecar.
