DAYTONA, Fla., Feb. 20, 2014 – Wood Brothers Racing has qualified for the Daytona 500 for the 53rd time in 55 attempts, thanks to a sixth-place finish in the second of the two Budweiser Duels Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway.
Driver Trevor Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 champion, needed to finish the Duel in 15th position or better to put the famed No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion into the Great American Race.
The No. 21 spent most of the 150-mile contest between 14th and 16th position before making a move to 10th with two laps to go. Bayne ended up sixth when he managed to avoid a final-lap multi-car incident.
“We did it the right way,” said team co-owner Len Wood. “He missed that wreck with some fantastic driving which put us in the show.”
Bayne said, “It was more than nerve-wracking. I was waiting on what happened off of four to happen a lot earlier. Fortunately, we just happened to go to the bottom. I can’t take credit for any of that, that’s just being at the right place at the right time.”
Wood said the pit stop was critical to success in the race that was caution free until the last-lap accident.
“The pit stop was the key,” Wood said. “Like everyone else, we only took fuel on that pit stop. We came out in 13th and there were 16 of us in the two packs and from there all we had to do is not wreck and not make a mistake.”
“I’m just so thankful for this team,” Bayne said. “I’m really proud of these guys. They’ve worked hard on this car and deserve to be in the 500.”
Coverage of Sunday’s Daytona 500 begins at 1:00 p.m. (ET) on Fox.
About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood 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. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. Quick Lane’s nationwide network of more than 600 facilities, each providing the convenience of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait, evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained technicians). Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.quicklane.com.
