- Ryan Blaney piloted the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion to a solid 11th place in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but he was left unfulfilled.
- “It was good until the end,” Blaney said. “We should have run fifth, easy.”
BRISTOL, Tenn., April 17, 2016 – Ryan Blaney piloted the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion to a solid 11th place in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but he was left unfulfilled.
Despite notching his third top 15 finish and his fifth top 20 of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Blaney said he was disappointed.
“It was good until the end,” he said after climbing out of the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21. “We should have run fifth, easy.”
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender was running in fifth with fewer than 40 laps to go when three consecutive caution flags put him on the bottom lane for re-starts.
“The bottom is terrible here,” he said. “You can’t go anywhere on the bottom. If you’re lucky enough to re-start on the top then you’ll move forward even if you have a terrible race car. We had a good race car and got stuck on the bottom for three straight re-starts and went backward. That’s pretty disappointing when you know you have a top-five race car.”
After starting 18th, Blaney charged into the top 15 by lap 86. By lap 148 he was running in the top 10. He was running in the top five at lap 205 and was scored in second place during the 228th circuit of the “world’s fastest half mile.” All of this advancement was done while dealing with a car that was loose in the corners.
“We were okay for a little bit and then fell off,” he explained. “That last run when we were running fifth was our best run (handling). We could do a lot of stuff. We got it better throughout the day. Unfortunately (the race) didn’t play out for us.”
The 11th-place finish moves Blaney up a place, from 20th to 19th, in the driver points standings.
Blaney and the Wood Brothers now head to Richmond International Raceway for the Toyota Owners 400.
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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.
