ATLANTA, Ga., March 5, 2017 – Ryan Blaney and Wood Brothers Racing battled back from early race tire and vibration issues to pedal the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion to an 18th-place finish in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Starting 14th on the grid, Blaney advanced up the field to seventh place by lap 40 before tire problems and unidentified vibrations forced two unscheduled pit stops that put the No. 21 way down the leader board two laps behind the leader.
“The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion had great speed today and we quickly worked into the top 10,” said crew chief Jeremy Bullins. “Unfortunately we had to pit with some tire-related issues that got us behind but we battled back to get all we could out of it.”
A fast race car, good pit stops and a couple of timely caution period wave arounds allowed Blaney to drive his way back into the top 20 by lap 269. He picked up one of the two lost laps on lap 288 and moved into 18th place during a caution period during the 311th tour of the Georgia track. He took another wave-around during a lap-311 caution to get back on the lead lap.
“We can’t wait to get to Vegas next week as we feel good about the speed in our cars after today,” Bullins added.
With the 18th-place finish, Blaney drops from second to eighth in driver points standings, 27 points behind the leader.
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week, March 12, for the Kobalt 400.
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.
