DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 9, 2017 – What happens when you put one of the fastest cars in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on one of its fastest tracks? Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team hope that combination translates this weekend into a Michigan International Speedway win for Ford Motor Company and the 100th victory for Wood Brothers Racing.
The Wood Brothers’ iconic No. 21 has been fast at MIS in recent years. Since Blaney took the wheel in 2015, his average qualifying position is in the top 10. His average finish, however, is between 18 and 19 due to setup issues and bad racing luck. A strong fourth-place result a year ago showed that Blaney can run up front at MIS and contend for the win.
Overall this season, Blaney has three stage wins to go with his June Pocono race victory and has scored 159 stage points, sixth most in the series. He is currently ninth in the playoff standings and 12th in the overall driver standings.
RYAN BLANEY
On Michigan International Speedway:
“Michigan’s always a big race track for our team and for Ford. It’s always a big one to try to run well and win. I thought we learned some thigs last time. We had a good run going before we had some trouble on a re-start. It’s just a matter of putting everything together. It’s one of the fastest places we go. It’s pretty difficult to practice on. It usually changes a bunch. We’ll try to clean up a few things and see if we can win one for Ford up there. That would be pretty neat.”
RYAN BLANEY MIS FAST FACTS:
Average start in five attempts: 8.4
Average finish in five starts: 18.8
Best MIS finish: fourth in August 2016
WOOD BROTHERS MIS FAST FACTS:
Team has 95 starts at MIS.
Won 11 times at MIS with Cale Yarborough (2), David Pearson (8) and Dale Jarrett (1).
Sat on the pole nine times and have led 1,075 laps.
A plaque near the start-finish line commemorates team’s longevity in NASCAR.
CREW CHIEF JEREMY BULLINS
On Michigan International Speedway:
“Michigan is obviously a track we want to be fast at because we are in Ford’s backyard. It’s a track that we’ve qualified well at almost every time we’ve gone there, but haven’t felt like we’ve found the race balance we wanted yet. Hopefully some of the strong intermediate cars we have had in 2017 have us better positioned to get the race win there we’d like to have.”
“Michigan is one of our fastest intermediate tracks, making the aero side of things critical, and it will be important to qualify well and keep our track position all day. If you find yourself mid pack or further back, it’s a tough place to recover from without getting off sequence strategy wise. As good as we’ve been at the faster tracks this year, we’re confident we can improve on our previous finishes at MIS.”
WEEKEND SCHEDULE ON NBCSN, CNBC & NBC Sports App (All times Eastern)
Friday: Aug. 11, 11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m. – Practice, NBCSN
Aug. 11, 5:05 p.m. – Qualifying, NBCSN
Saturday: Aug. 12, 8:30-9:25 a.m. – Practice, CNBC
Aug. 12, 11:30-12:20 p.m. – Final Practice, NBC Sports App
Sunday: Aug. 12, 3 p.m. – Pure Michigan 400, NBCSN
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 99 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. 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.
