Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team have shown resilience during the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, rebounding from back-of-the-pack finishes to run solidly the next week nine times. They’ll need to make it an even 10 this weekend in the Bank of America 500 Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
DEARBORN, Mich., October 5, 2016 – Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team have shown resilience during the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, rebounding from back-of-the-pack finishes to run solidly the next week nine times. They’ll need to make it an even 10 this weekend in the Bank of America 500 Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
A blown right-front tire and contact with the turn-three wall early in last Sunday’s race in Dover set the Wood Brothers’ table for another bounce-back race.
So far in 2016, the iconic No. 21 finished in the top 10 five times in rebound races. Blaney drove to sixth in Las Vegas after placing 25th in Atlanta. He notched a fourth at Michigan, which followed a 35th at Bristol. The fourth-place run at Chicago came after a 39th in Richmond. Four other times, the team followed a lack-luster finish with a top-20 effort.
In the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte, Blaney qualified 18th and finished in 20th position.
“We had a good car at the 600 and cut a tire so I’m pretty confident we can improve on that finish. I’m also confident we can bounce back from what happened in Dover.”
— Ryan Blaney
RYAN BLANEY CHARLOTTE FAST FACTS:
Qualified 18th and finished 20th in the Coca-Cola 600 in May.
Qualified 16th for both races at Charlotte last season.
Best finish at Charlotte was fourth in the 2014 XFINITY race.
WOOD BROTHERS CHARLOTTE FAST FACTS:
Captured 20 pole positions including 13 straight from 1974-1979.
111 starts, six wins, 24 top-five finishes and 38 top 10s.
First win in 1960 fall race with Speedy Thompson.
Last win in 1987 600 with Kyle Petty.
CREW CHIEF JEREMY BULLINS REFLECTS ON DOVER LOOKS TO CHARLOTTE:
“Dover wasn’t the outcome we were looking for but once again we had another fast car. After starting 20th due to qualifying being rained out, we were about to crack the top 10 only 100 laps in when the tire failure occurred. Not only am I extremely proud of our guys for getting the car back on the track, I’m also proud of the way we have bounced back from things like that this season. Some of our best runs have come the week after weeks like Dover. That resiliency will serve us well moving forward as a team.”
“It’s nice to be home this week with the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion. The forecast looks like Saturday night could start to cool off and give the Charlotte surface a lot of grip. I feel like the setup we used for the Showdown in May will make a great baseline and hopefully we can improve upon that for the race.”
WEEKEND TV SCHEDULE:
Friday October 6, 1:30 p.m. (ET) – Practice on NBCSN
October 6, 7:20 p.m. (ET) – Qualifying on NBCSN
Saturday October 7, 3:30 a.m. (ET) – Practice on NBCSN
October 7, 6:30 p.m. (ET) – Practice on NBCSN
Sunday October 8, 6:45 p.m. (ET) – Bank of America 500 on NBC
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 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 98 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 117 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 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by Ryan Blaney in the famous number 21 racecar.
