Brooklyn, Michigan (August 22, 2021) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Chris Buescher battled his way to a 15th-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at at Michigan International Speedway – picking up the final position on the last lap of the 200-lap event. Buescher spent much of the day patiently working his No. 17 Castrol Ford Mustang through the field, ultimately earning his second top-15 finish in the past two weeks.

“We had good speed in our Castrol Ford Mustang,” said Buescher after the race. “Clean air was pretty much the key, but we survived a couple of close calls at the end there and ended up with a pretty descent finish. We wanted more, but not a bad run today.”

Buescher started the race 11th, but after struggling with the Ford’s handling early he dropped back to 25th by the end of the race’s first stage. Buescher would run as low as 29th by lap 70, but moved back inside the top 20 just after the start of the race’s third and final stage. Working an alternate pit strategy, Buescher moved all the way to second position before pitting for the final time on lap 169.

The strategy proved successful, with the No. 17 Castrol Ford never running outside the top 16 again, and Buescher survived a pair of late cautions to bring home the 15th-place finish.

The team returns to action next week at Daytona International Speedway, for the regular-season finale.

BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 22, 2021) – Ryan Newman navigated a chaotic race at Michigan International Speedway for the majority of Sunday’s 400-mile race at the track with an eye on a top-ten result, but a large pileup with just 13 laps to go collected the veteran driver and relegated him to a 24th-place finish.

Newman began the day from the 16th position in his ITsavvy Ford Mustang, and maintained that position through the early laps even with two cautions in the first 30 laps of the day. With changing track conditions as weather threatened the area, he would ease into a 23rd-place finish in the opening stage.

Restarts were a strength for the No. 6 team throughout the afternoon, and Newman jumped up ten positions on the start of the second stage. With a long green flag run bracketing the stage, crew chief Scott Graves played the long game strategy to set the team up for the end of the race by pitting just before the end of the segment – which Newman finished 22nd.

The strategy paid off for the team, as Newman restarted for the third and final stage in the 10th position. He again showed great short run speed, jumping as high as fifth in the opening laps of the segment. Fresher tires back in the field eventually evened out, with Newman fading to just inside the top-15 by the time a caution came out for rain with just 20 laps to go in the event.

Restarting with just under 15 laps to go, Newman once again surged forward on the green flag. The ITsavvy Mustang looked poised to secure a second consecutive top ten finish, but a large pileup triggered just ahead of the No. 6 and collected the Indiana native. The team was able to repair much of the damage, but Newman had to start from the rear of the field with only a handful of laps remaining. He would pick off several positions in the closing laps, netting a 24th-place finish.

The team returns to action next week at Daytona International Speedway for the regular-season finale. Race coverage is set for 7 p.m. ET on NBC and MRN, and can also be heard on SiriusXM Channel 90.

BROOKLYN, MI – August 23, 2021 – Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines won their seventh straight NASCAR Cup race at Michigan International Speedway with Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in the FireKeepers Casino 400. This was Blaney’s second win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Season and Ford retained the Michigan Heritage Trophy, presented to the winning manufacturer at the 2-mile track.

“This is such a big deal for our company, for our employees,” said Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance. “To come here and race in front of all of our employees and their friends and families and have Ryan go get that win with Team Penske and Roush Yates power. We are taking the Heritage Trophy back to Dearborn.”

“Congratulations to Ford, Ryan, Todd, Roger, and the entire No. 12 crew for the strong finish and making it 7 wins in a row at Michigan,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “We have always strived to finish strong at Michigan and this year was no exception. We are thankful for the continued leadership and commitment from Ford Motor Company and honored to power these Mustangs.”

Blaney started the race in third position but was quickly shuffled to mid-pack at the start of the race. Blaney and the No. 12 team continued to make adjustments and finished stage 1 & 2 just outside of the top 10. There were 20 lead changes throughout the race and the last half of the race came down to pit strategy and race execution. With 20 laps remaining, there was a brief caution for rain and another following a 7-car incident with 14 to go. With 8 laps remaining, Blaney was able to take the lead and hold off the hard charging second position by 0.077 seconds.

“We come up here every year and know it is important to the Blue Oval and the Ford family and Mr. Penske as well. It is a really big race for all of our group including the Penske side. To have Edsel here, I haven’t seen Edsel in over a year so it was great to have him out. I am excited to get him in victory lane. Everyone from Ford does so much for us. It really is a big family and I am just happy to be a part of it.” commented Blaney.

Matt DiBenedetto with Wood Brothers Racing finished P6, Brad Keselowski with Team Penske in P9, and Chase Briscoe with Stewart-Haas Racing finished P11.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series raced on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway while Ford Performance teammates finished in the top 12 as Riley Herbst with Stewart-Haas Racing finished in P7 and Ryan Sieg with RSS Racing finished P12.

NASCAR Cup and Xfinity series will race at Daytona International Speedway this upcoming weekend. This race will be the last regular season race for the Cup series while the Xfinity series has 4 remaining prior to the playoffs. Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Michael McDowell, Aric Almirola, and Kevin Harvick have clinched a spot in the playoffs.

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

Erik Jones and the No. 43 Medallion Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE team finished in the 18th-place in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) FireKeepers Casino 400 at the Michigan International Speedway, located in Brooklyn, on Sunday, August 22.

The lineup for the 200-lap event was determined by using NASCAR’s competition-based formula, which takes into account finishing positions from the previous race (weighted 25% owner and 25% driver, seventh-place, Indy), the ranking in team owner points (35%, 25th-place) and the fastest lap from the previous race(15%). Jones started the event at the Michigan International Speedway, nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, from the 13th-place on Row 7.

At the end of Stage 1 on Lap 60, Jones was in the 19th-place. By the end of Stage 2 on Lap 120, he was scored in the 32nd place. The 25-year-old Byron, Michigan, native was scored as high as the 13th-place at the Michigan International Speedway.

QUOTE:

“It ended up being an okay day for our Richard Petty Motorsports team. It was just up and down. We got caught a lap down early with a loose wheel. In the middle part of the race, there just was not much going on. We were tight all day and could not really get it to do much other than that. It was good to get back on the lead lap and at least salvage a top-20 finish out of our No. 43 Medallion Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. We will go on and see what we can learn from it.

“Hopefully, we will go to Daytona (International Speedway) and get a win.” On Sunday afternoon, Jones announced a contract extension with Richard Petty Motorsports, meaning he will continue to drive the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022.

QUOTE:

“I can officially announce that we have put pen to paper, and that I’ll be back in the No. 43 next year. That was literally done yesterday while I was out doing some stuff. It’s cool to have it done. I’m just happy to have it done at this point in the season, and to be able to focus not only on the rest of this year, but also to be able to work on getting next year settled in with a new car and everything going on there. So yeah, I’m happy we can finally say it and get it out there. We’ve been really close on everything the last couple of weeks and just finished everything up.”

Matt DiBenedetto and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team ran their string of strong runs to six with an impressive sixth-place finish in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

It was their sixth-straight finish of eleventh or better, a streak that started with a 10th-place finish at Road America on the Fourth of July.

On Sunday at Michigan, DiBenedetto lined up fourth for the drop of the green flag and bettered that immediately. He led the third lap and was running third when the Competition Caution flag flew at Lap 21.

He remained in the top 10 for the remainder of the first Stage and ended that 60-lap segment in seventh place, earning four bonus points.

The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang was fast again in Stage Two, running in the top five for much of that segment before ending the Stage in 10th place, earning one more point.

In the third and final segment of the race, DiBenedetto continued to run in the lead pack, but lost some spots on a green flag pit stop with just over 30 laps left to run, coupled with a loose-handling condition, put him outside the top 20.

Then, he and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team put on a show.

He began his march to the front, an effort that was bolstered by crew chief Jonathan Hassler’s decision to pit under the next-to-last caution for four fresh tires. DiBenedetto, with his handling issues resolved, dodged wrecks, made bold moves, and was able to race his way into the top five, losing one spot on the final lap to finish sixth.

“We had a rocket for a while,” DiBenedetto told reporters after the race. “Then, something went sideways. We didn’t change anything, but we lost the handle on it. I am not sure what exactly happened.

“Either way, we made good calls, and the team did a good job. We got the day going really good and were really fast and then had some things go wrong.”

But he and the team fought back and as he said, he was able to “outcrazy” many of his competitors to finish sixth and back up his fifth-place finish from Indianapolis the week before.

“We were super aggressive and made it back up,” he said. “It was a proud team effort.”

DiBenedetto remains 16th in the Cup Series standings, but will need to win on Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway to earn a spot in the season-ending, championship-deciding Playoffs.

“We will study up and be prepared for it, and go try and make it happen,” he said.

Eddie Wood said it was a good day for his team and for Ford Motor Company at Michigan.

“We were really glad to have a good run with the Master Tech paint scheme on the No. 21,” he said. “The work those technicians do is important to all of us.

“And we were happy to see our former driver Ryan Blaney and our friends at Team Penske deliver Ford its seventh-straight Cup Series victory at Michigan.”

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, visit www.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.

Austin Dillon’s Strong Run in the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Stalled by On-Track Incident at Michigan International Speedway

Finish: 36th
Start: 26th
Points: 13th

“We came to Michigan International Speedway with the mentality that this would be a make-or-break race for the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol team, and boy did we bring a rocket. I am so proud of everyone at RCR and ECR for everything they put into this Chevy. We came close to winning Stage 1. In Stage 2, I was trying to get as many Stage points as I could get and did a good job of side-drafting and came down to the apron. After the Start/Finish Line, I was starting to come up off the apron because it’s so rough down there. Since the stage was over, I figured by that point the No. 2 car would have given me a little room. He didn’t and it ruined our race. I don’t know why it happened, really. He just held me down there a bit too long. I’m thankful that the good Lord kept me safe today because that was a heck of a wreck. I hate it for BREZTRI and my guys, most of all. They built a rocket ship. They really wanted this one, and I did too. I think we would have had a shot to do something at the end with our race car. It’s the best race car we’ve brought to the track at RCR this year, I feel like. It’s a bummer but we’ve got Daytona left to try and win to secure a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs.”

-Austin Dillon

NASCAR Playoff Hopes Still Alive For Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Chevy Accessories Team After Up-And-Down Day at Michigan International Speedway

Finish: 29th
Start: 14th
Points: 11th

“Today was an up and down race for our Chevy Accessories team. I thought our car had good speed early and would have easily finished inside the top-10 with the lap times I was posting. During the beginning portion of the race, we lost track position and fought most of the race to get back. The car was a bit too tight in traffic, but Randall Burnett and the guys kept making it better. In the closing laps, I made it four-wide on the bottom, but I lost momentum, slid up on the track and lost a ton of positions. We avoided damage there, but unfortunately with less than 10 laps to go, my right rear tire was cut down and I spun. We were forced to pit under green for four tires and that cost us a solid finish. There is one race left at Daytona and we will give it everything we have as a team to get our No. 8 Chevrolet into the NASCAR Playoffs.”

-Tyler Reddick