Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were fast early in Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway but after being involved in some chain-reaction crashes wound up with a 22nd-place finish.
Sunday’s 109-lap race started in rainy conditions, but the sun soon began to break through. Sensing the rain was ending, crew chief Greg Erwin was among the first to bring his driver in for regular, treadless racing tires.
As the track began to dry, DiBenedetto, who started 20th, was able to motor by his competitors still running grooved rain tires and take third place in the first 25-lap Stage.
At the start of Stage Two, DiBenedetto continued to race among the leaders until Lap 34, when he had to stop to avoid contact with Brad Keselowski, his Ford teammate who spun around backwards ahead of him.
That evasive move cost him 12 positions and set the pattern for the remainder of the race.
One incident damaged the right front of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang. The crew made repairs and got DiBenedetto up to speed only to see the left front damaged in another incident.
DiBenedetto was able to briefly rejoin the top 10 in the third segment of the race, but the incidents on restarts caused him to lose track position he was never able to regain.
“We had about everything go wrong,” DiBenedetto said. “We just couldn’t dig ourselves out of the hole we were in. It was just a long, rough day.”
Eddie Wood, who joined his son Jon and brother Len in watching their first race in person since attendance was strictly limited due to the coronavirus, said it was good to be back at a race track.
“I wish we’d had a better day,” he said. “We did get some stage points, and Greg made good calls all day, but racing on the Roval is tough.”
DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are 15th in the Cup Series points standings heading into the next race, at Kansas Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
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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.
