On a historic day for the sport of NASCAR racing, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang finished 30th, two spots better than they started,in the Grant Park 220 on the streets of Chicago.
Not only did NASCAR’s elite Cup Series race for the first time on a street course, the race victory went to a New Zealander Shane Van Gisbergen, who became the first driver since Johnny Rutherford at Daytona in 1963 to win a Cup race in his first series start. Rutherford’s win came in a points-paying qualifying race.
Sunday’s ground-breaking race was regarded as a big success for NASCAR in spite of torrential rains that delayed the start of the race and led to the race ending 22 laps shy of the advertised 100 as darkness closed in on the Windy City.
As the skies began to clear late in the afternoon, NASCAR officials elected to start the race on rain tires. Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team set in to try and overcome a poor 32nd-place starting position.
The No. 21 Mustang cracked the top 25 for the first time at Lap 15 but was running 29th at the end of the first 20-lap Stage.
In Stage Two, the team executed a strategy of running long during a round of green-flag pit stops, Burton moved into the top 10 before pitting from eighth place at Lap 27. The strategy nearly paid great dividends as the caution flag flew a lap later, but it ended up being of little help as Burton wound up 26th when the second Stage ended at Lap 45.
The intensity of the race picked up as the track dried and teams switched to the faster slick tires. Adding more drama was a decision to end the race at Lap 75 due to impending darkness.
Burton ran into a tire barrier as he tried to avoid a crash ahead of him with just over 10 laps left to run. After a trip to pit road to replace a flattened tire, he returned to the track and finished 30th.
Next up for Burton and the Wood Brothers team is a Sunday night race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 9.
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 Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, 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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
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, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn 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. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.
