After a mid-week trip to Bristol Motor Speedway where Matt DiBenedetto won the NASCAR All-Star Open, earning his first appearance in the NASCAR All-Star Race, it’s back to work in the points-paying races on the Cup Series schedule.
DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday, hoping for more of the same from the past few weeks.
“We’ve been having a lot of fun lately as far as our car speed and stuff, so that’s been great,” DiBenedetto said. “I’m excited to get to Texas and hopefully continue on this roll that we’re on where we’ve gotten stage points in the last eight stages in a row.
“That just shows we’re running in that front group consistently from start to finish of these races, so that’s awesome. I’m excited.”
DiBenedetto finished 13th in the All-Star main event after sustaining damage to the No. 21 Mustang in an early incident, but the car was competitive before then, continuing a string of recent strong runs, including a third-place finish this past Sunday at Kentucky Speedway.
“We’ve really been building and getting better and better, running up there in that front group consistently from start to finish in a lot of these races lately,” he said. “We’re continuing to get more and more points, climbing up there, catching guys in front of us.
“If we keep running up there consistently, that puts us in a position to have a shot at winning one of these things.”
He and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team also have a shot at being one of the 16 teams that will start the Playoffs, which begin after nine more regular season races. He’s now 12th in points and 13th in the playoff standings, 44 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who holds the 16th spot heading into Texas.
“Going in, Goal Number One was making sure to make the playoffs, which is never easy,” DiBenedetto said of the 10-race, season-ending race for the Cup Series championship. “Knowing the strength of the team, I know we can work at it and do it, especially now that we’ve been on this good streak lately of having a lot of speed and racking up stage points.”
He said he not only wants to make the playoffs, he wants to prove that he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team belong among the elites in the sport.
“If we keep improving like we have been, I think we can turn a lot of heads,” he said.
Due to the coronavirus, there will be no practice or qualifying before Sunday’s 500-miler at Texas, which is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m. Eastern Time, with TV coverage on NBCSN.
About Motorcraft:
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Omnicraft:
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visitwww.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
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 120 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 Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.
