Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team closed the 2023 Cup Series season with a 26th-place finish in Sunday’s Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.
Burton started the 312-mile race from 25th place and finished 27th in the first 60-lap Stage, which ran under the green flag from start to finish.
In the second Stage, Burton finished 26th but was lapped by the leaders in the closing laps.
In the third and final segment of the race, Burton spent countless laps in the Free Pass position as the first driver a lap down, but the caution flags didn’t fly in his favor and he ended the race in 26th place, one lap down.
The finish of Sunday’s race saw Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, a former Wood Brothers driver, outrun his fellow championship contenders to capture his first Cup Series title.
It also was the first Cup title for Blaney’s crew chief Jonathan Hassler, whose first stint as a Cup crew chief was on the No. 21 Ford in 2021. Blaney drove for the Wood Brothers from 2015-2017 and delivered the team its 99th win at Pocono in his final season aboard the No. 21 Ford.
Team Penske, which fields three Cup entries including the No. 12 team of Blaney and Hassler, shares an alliance with the Wood Brothers and the No. 21 team.
“All of us here at Wood Brothers Racing are really happy for Ryan, Jonathan, everyone on the No. 12 team and all their families,” Eddie Wood said. “Every team starts the season hoping to win a championship, but it’s extremely difficult to actually do it.
“To see people we’ve worked with accomplish what they did makes us very proud. They were – and still are – part of our Wood Brothers racing family.”
Wood also congratulated team owner Roger Penske,Team Penske and all the people at Ford Performance for their second-straight title in NASCAR’s elite division.
“It’s a victory for all of us in the Ford camp,” he said.
Burton and the No. 21 team will return to the track on Feb. 4 for the non-points Clash at the Coliseum in Los Angeles. The points-paying, season-opening Daytona 500 gets the green flag on Feb. 18.
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.
