Wood Brothers Throwback Ford Fusion Honors Kyle Petty’s ’87 Coca-Cola 600 Winner
DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 30, 2017 – Ryan Blaney already has become the 21st driver to win a race for Wood Brothers Racing this season behind the wheel of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, now he wants to join an even more elite group: Drivers who have won at Darlington Raceway for NASCAR’s longest-running team.
Should Blaney win this weekend’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sunday night, in addition to scoring the team’s 100 victory, he will join Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Neil Bonnett as drivers who have piloted the iconic No. 21 to victory lane at Darlington.
This is Blaney’s third run at the famous South Carolina track and has made steady improvements since his first Cup start there in 2015. In his inaugural start, driving a car covered in photos from the team’s storied history, he started 9th and finished in 30th. Last year, driving Pearson’s 1976 paint scheme, he started 20th, found himself two laps down late in the race but battled back to a respectable 13th-place finish.
For the 2017 NASCAR Throwback weekend at Darlington. Blaney and the Wood Brothers are paying tribute to the No. 21 Citgo Ford Thunderbird that Kyle Petty drove to victory in the 1987 Coca-Cola 600.
RYAN BLANEY
On the Throwback Weekend:
“I think Darlington has done a great job of implementing the throwback cars and crew members get involved with it. It’s always pretty neat. The fans show up in all their vintage attire, which is always cool to see. It’s one of my favorite weekends especially since they started doing this.”
On the 1987 Kyle Petty Paint Scheme:
“We’ve got Kyle Petty’s old scheme from the ‘80s, which I’m pretty excited to run. The car looks great. I’m looking forward to that. It’s always a nice event. It’s always nice to see some paint schemes from the past to make it a lot more fun.”
On Darlington Raceway Itself:
“It’s probably one of if not the most difficult track we go to just as far as length of the race, the track itself in general and the day-to-night changes things up. There’s a lot of things that can go wrong there and we seem to have found them the last couple of years. Hopefully we can be mistake free and have a good run.”
RYAN BLANEY DARLINGTON FAST FACTS:
Is currently eighth in 2017 NASCAR Playoff standings
Started 20th and finished 13th in 2016
Started ninth and finished 30th in 2015
WOOD BROTHERS DARLINGTON FAST FACTS:
This will be the team’s 91st start at Darlington
Has eight wins with Cale Yarborough (1), David Pearson (6) and Neil Bonnett (1)
Won the pole 12 times
Team has 22 top fives and 31 top 10s at Darlington
CREW CHIEF JEREMY BULLINS
On Darlington Raceway:
“I always look forward to this weekend because of the throwbacks. It’s very cool to see the teams participate and honor those who came before us and to see the paint schemes that we watched when we were young and some we’ve only read about or seen in pictures or old films.”
“Our 1987 Kyle Petty scheme is incredible and we can’t wait to race it. This is a great way to celebrate the history of our sport at one of the most historic tracks on the circuit.”
WEEKEND SCHEDULE ON NBCSN (All times Eastern)
Friday: Sept. 1, 1-2:25 p.m. – Practice, NBCSN
Sept. 1, 3:30-4:55 p.m. – Final Practice, NBCSN
Saturday: Sept. 2, 2 p.m. – Qualifying, NBCSN
Sunday: Sept. 3, 6 p.m. – Bojangles’ Southern 500, 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.
