Ryan Blaney opened the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season by driving the fuel-starved Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion to second place in the 59th Daytona 500.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 26, 2017 – Ryan Blaney opened the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season by driving the fuel-starved Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion to second place in the 59th Daytona 500.
Running in 11th place with three laps to go, the Wood Brothers’ driver – in only his third start in the Great American Race – looked like he might have to settle for a top-10 result. Then things started to happen, as they often do at Daytona.
“I tried to make a move with about 10 to go and I didn’t go anywhere,” Blaney said. “We were kind of stuck. Luckily we had the 22 with us and I kind of helped him and he kind of helped me. At the white flag there we got a big run into (turn) one and they kind of all separated and we got a big pull off of that. And then we got to second behind 41 and that kept us going the whole way.
“I thought we had it,” he explained. “I thought we were in the cat bird’s seat with the 41 way out in front and the 47 right behind me and we started sputtering pretty bad there. I’m surprised we made it back (to pit road). With an ounce more of gas we might have won it. I was sputtering and running out of gas the whole straightaway.
“It was a solid day for us,” he said. “We had such a fast car. To go to a back-up car (due to an accident in the Thursday Can-Am Duel) and work so hard on it means a lot for Ford and Motorcraft and Quick Lane. It’s a good start to the season.”
Starting in the rear of the field with the back-up, Blaney quickly moved to the front. He was in the top 20 by lap six, the top 15 by lap 10 and in the top five by lap 26.
“We went up through the middle really well,” Blaney said. “We made up a lot of ground early and that spoke a lot about how fast our car was. That definitely gave us a lot of confidence.”
The ability to join the front runners early in the race allowed Blaney to take advantage of NASCAR’s new stage race format and he picked up eight points for finishing third after the race’s first 60 laps. He collected another point by being in 10th after stage two.
Blaney’s Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford picked up slight damage in a 10-car crash on lap 127. Coming in to get that repaired a few laps later, he was rear-ended and sustained even more damage.
“The team did a great job of fixing the race car and getting it to where we needed it to be to finish the race,” Blaney said.
Starting his second full season behind the wheel of the Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21, Blaney said he if he couldn’t get the win, he was pleased another Blue Oval (driven by Kurt Busch) took the checkered flag.
“I’m happy we got a Ford in Victory Lane,” he said. “In the first half of the race the Fords were all working together and we looked unbeatable then a wreck took out a bunch of them and we’re the underdogs with just a few of us left.
“It was one of the more-wild 500s I’ve been in,” he added. “A lot of wrecks that took out a bunch of good cars, which you hate to see. There were only a handful of cars out there that looked OK at the end.”
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team now heads to the Atlanta Motor Speedway next week, March 5, for the Folds of Honor QuickTrip 500.
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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 more than 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.
