Blaney, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Savoring Their Success As They Prepare For Martinsville

October 25, 2017

As Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to Martinsville Speedway for the first race of the Round of Eight in the Monster Energy Cup playoffs, they’re hoping the good times continue to roll.

Not only have Blaney and his Wood Brothers team excelled on the track this year – from winning a pole at Kansas, a race at Pocono and making it into the third round of the playoffs – they’ve had fun getting there.

Blaney said he and his team have a good working relationship, and that extends to their personal dealings as well. Continue reading Blaney, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Savoring Their Success As They Prepare For Martinsville →

David Pearson-Like Drive At Kansas Earns Blaney A Berth In The Round Of Eight

October 22, 2017

With their playoff hopes seemingly on the ropes due to a penalty after qualifying, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Omnicraft Auto Parts team turned in a near-perfect performance in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Blaney started 40th, drove his way to fourth place by the end of the first 80-lap Stage, finished eighth in the second then third in the race to secure a berth in the Round of Eight in the Monster Energy Cup playoffs.

Team co-owner Eddie Wood had great praise for the entire Omnicraft Auto Parts team and was especially impressed by Blaney’s poise under the pressure that comes with a cut-off race in the playoffs. Continue reading David Pearson-Like Drive At Kansas Earns Blaney A Berth In The Round Of Eight →

Inspection Issue Sends Blaney To The Rear At Kansas

October 20, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Omnicraft Auto Parts team will have to come from the rear of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway after their third-place qualifying time was disallowed because the No. 21 Fusion failed a post-qualifying inspection.

Blaney, who enters the final race of the Monster Energy Cup playoff’s Round of 12 in seventh place, had been among the fastest drivers in practice and qualifying on Friday at Kansas.
Continue reading Inspection Issue Sends Blaney To The Rear At Kansas →

Blaney, Omnicraft Team Head To Their Best Track For Round Of 12 Finale
October 18, 2017

If Ryan Blaney and his No. 21 Omnicraft team had their pick of race tracks to run the elimination race of the Round of 12 of the Monster Energy Cup playoffs, they’d likely pick Kansas Speedway, the site of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400.

Blaney made his Cup debut at Kansas in 2014, driving a Team Penske Ford. Since moving to the Wood Brothers No. 21 the next season, Kansas has statistically been his best track.

He has three finishes of seventh or better in four Kansas starts in the No. 21 Fusion with an average finish of 7.5. He won his first Cup pole there in May, and set a career record for points earned in a single race with 51. Continue reading Blaney, Omnicraft Team Head To Their Best Track For Round Of 12 Finale →

Stage Points Help Blaney Move Up In Playoff Standings Despite Talladega Crash
October 15, 2017

Stage points turned out to be the silver lining for Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Quick Lane team in a Talladega race that didn’t end as they hoped it might. Continue reading Stage Points Help Blaney Move Up In Playoff Standings Despite Talladega Crash →

Blaney Qualifies Ninth At Talladega
October 14, 2017

With a strong ninth-place qualifying result on Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center team set themselves up to earn some valuable stage points in Sunday’s Alabama 500.

Blaney, one of the drivers in the Round of 12 in the Monster Energy Cup playoffs, knows that earning stage points will be important if he hopes to advance to the Round of Eight, which begins after next week’s race at Kansas Speedway. Continue reading Blaney Qualifies Ninth At Talladega →

Quick Lane Sponsorship A Good Fit For The No. 21 Fusion At Talladega

October 12, 2017

Back in the day, when the Wood Brothers were en route to winning five races at Talladega Superspeedway from 1971 to 1980, horsepower, some slick sheet metal and a calculating driver were the most important factors in team’s performance.

But when the green flag drops Sunday to start the Alabama 500 at Talladega, Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Fusion will need all of the above, plus some Quick Lane-type service on pit road if they hope to score stage points, contend for victory and keep their playoff hopes alive. Continue reading Quick Lane Sponsorship A Good Fit For The No. 21 Fusion At Talladega →

Talladega Stage Points Are Key To Blaney’s Playoff Hopes

October 11, 2017

Stage racing, instituted by NASCAR officials at the beginning of the season to inject drama into the early portions of races, has had a major impact on how race teams plan strategy.

For drivers and teams in the Round of 12 in the playoffs, this weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway could see stage racing take on even greater importance.

In years past, some teams often chose to ride around in the rear of the pack at Talladega, hoping to avoid being collected in one of the points-killing, multi-car crashes that seem to occur on a frequent basis at the giant Alabama track. Continue reading Talladega Stage Points Are Key To Blaney’s Playoff Hopes →

Blaney Rebounds From Slow Start To Finish Eighth At Charlotte

October 8, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team took a car that wasn’t handling very well early on in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and tuned it to the point that it finished eighth. The team now heads to Talladega Superspeedway just five points back of a spot among the top eight that will advance to the third round of the Monster Energy Cup playoffs.

Blaney started the 500 from 15th place but was running outside the top 20 when the planned competition caution flag flew at Lap 35.

From that point on, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team worked on the No. 21 Fusion on each pit stop, and by the end of Stage Two, Blaney was running in the ninth position, which earned him two valuable stage points. Continue reading Blaney Rebounds From Slow Start To Finish Eighth At Charlotte →

Wood Brothers Considered Robert Yates A Member Of Their Racing Family

October 4, 2017

As Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to Charlotte Motor Speedway to continue their participation in the Monster Energy Cup playoffs, their thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the late Robert Yates.

Yates, known throughout the sport as the King of Horsepower, died Monday at the age of 74 after a battle with cancer. Continue reading Wood Brothers Considered Robert Yates A Member Of Their Racing Family →

Blaney Qualifies 11th At Dover

September 29, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team advanced through the three rounds of knockout qualifying at Dover International Speedway on Friday to earn the 11th starting spot for Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400.

It was the 21st time in 29 qualifying sessions this season that Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion earned a spot among the top-12 starters.

Blaney was 15th fastest in Friday’s opening practice and posted best lap at 160.356 miles per hour in a session that saw him and his team deal with a failed brake rotor. Continue reading Blaney Qualifies 11th At Dover →

Round Of 12 Playoff Berth On The Line For Blaney At Dover

September 27, 2017

A recovery from a slow start in the playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway, coupled with a strong run from the start at New Hampshire have Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team in position to advance to the second round of the Monster Energy Cup playoffs.

Blaney enters Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway, the final race in Round One, in eighth place in the standings and with a 26-point gap between him and 13th-place Austin Dillon. Continue reading Round Of 12 Playoff Berth On The Line For Blaney At Dover →

Blaney’s Playoff Hopes Enhanced By Ninth-Place Finish At New Hampshire

September 24, 2017

With a solid performance on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team remain in contention to advance to the second round of the Monster Energy Cup playoffs, which begin after next week’s race at Dover International Speedway.

At New Hampshire, Blaney earned valuable points in the first two stages of the 300-mile race then came home ninth at the finish to gain two spots in the championship standings. Continue reading Blaney’s Playoff Hopes Enhanced By Ninth-Place Finish At New Hampshire →

Blaney Qualifies Fourth At New Hampshire

September 22, 2017

In one of the most important qualifying sessions of their 2017 season, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team rose to the occasion and earned the fourth starting spot for Sunday’s 300-miler at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The flat, one-mile oval at New Hampshire makes passing difficult. That combined with the relative shortness of the race puts track position at a premium, and the No. 21 will be on the outside row for the start of the race. That puts the team in a better position to earn stage points in the first half of the race, and it sets them up for better track position later on as well due to the opportunity to pick a more advantageous pit stall.

Every point is of the utmost importance as Blaney and the team work to make the cut for the second round of the playoffs, which begin after next weekend’s race at Dover International Speedway. Blaney enters this weekend 10th in the standings but just eight points ahead of 13th-place Kurt Busch. The bottom four of the 16 playoff drivers will be eliminated after Dover.

On Friday, the near future looked promising. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Fusion was fast from the start of practice at New Hampshire. Blaney was fifth fastest with a best lap at 135.030 miles per hour.

In the three rounds of knock-out qualifying, he was 11th in the first round with a speed of 133.212 mph then won the second round with a lap at 134.753 mph. In the final round he posted a speed of 134.720 mph to earn the fourth starting spot.

“I thought we made good gains through the rounds and that’s something to be proud of for sure,” said Blaney, who led the way all day for the Ford contingent. “We just didn’t pick up speed in the last round.

“We had good speed in the second one and some other guys went faster the last round, and we kind of stayed the same.”

Still, Friday’s performance showed a significant improvement over the team’s recent appearances at New Hampshire.

“We made some good adjustments,” Blaney said. “I think that’s the best we’ve ever qualified here, so that’s something to look forward to and we have a good spot for Sunday.”

Among those closely following the events of the day at New Hampshire was the team’s long-time crew chief, NASCAR Hall of Famer Leonard Wood, who was back home in Stuart, Va., celebrating his 83rd birthday.

Wood was most impressed with Blaney’s dominance of the second round of qualifying.

“Wow!” he said, adding that the birthday weekend festivities will keep him at home instead of in the pit area at New Hampshire on Sunday.

Sunday’s race is set to get the green flag just after 2 p.m. Eastern Time with TV coverage on NBCSN.

Strategy Will Be The Key For Blaney, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team At New Hampshire

September 21, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the thick of a tight battle to advance to the second round of the Monster Energy Cup playoffs.

Blaney enters Sunday’s 300-mile race 10th in the standings, eight points ahead of 13th-place Kurt Busch. The bottom four of the 16 drivers in the playoffs will be eliminated from the title hunt after next week’s race at Dover International Speedway. Continue reading Strategy Will Be The Key For Blaney, Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team At New Hampshire →

Blaney Remains In Top 10 In Points After Finishing 11th at Chicagoland

September 17, 2017

Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team were able to bounce back from early misfortune in Sunday’s playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway and come home with an 11th-place finish that keeps them in the top 10 in points heading into the second playoff race at New Hampshire next Sunday.

Blaney started 12th at Chicagoland but dropped back early and fell off the lead lap due to contact with another car. Continue reading Blaney Remains In Top 10 In Points After Finishing 11th at Chicagoland →

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Honored To Be A Part Of NASCAR’s Playoffs

September 14, 2017

As Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team heads to Chicagoland Speedway to kick off their first-ever appearance in NASCAR’s playoffs, team co-owner Eddie Wood is hoping for a strong run over the final 10 races. But foremost on his mind at this point is that he’s simply glad to be among the elite 16 teams that will begin the run to the championship.

“It’s truly an honor to be a part of it,” he said. “I’m proud of our race team. I’m proud of all of our sponsors – Motorcraft and Quick Lane and the people at Ford Motor Company. Continue reading Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Honored To Be A Part Of NASCAR’s Playoffs →

Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Hoping To End Regular Season On A Positive Note

September 6, 2017

Thanks to a win in June at Pocono Raceway, Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team head to the regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway this weekend without the pressure of trying to secure a berth in the 10-race, championship-deciding playoffs.

Blaney is among the 13 drivers who secured one of 16 playoff berths via a race win during the regular season. The remaining three spots are in play at Richmond, with those going to either the three who have the most points of the winless driver or another driver who might score his or her first victory of the season at Richmond.

Without the pressure to make the playoffs, Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team can use the weekend to prepare for their first trip to the playoffs.

“We just need a good, steady performance at Richmond to get everything on a positive note heading into the playoffs,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said. “Ryan got the outside pole when we were there in April, so we have the potential to have a good finish on Saturday.”

Looking ahead to the playoffs, Wood likes the line-up of hosting tracks, as five of them are intermediate tracks with Talladega Superspeedway and Phoenix Raceway in there as well.

“We’ve had fast cars all year long at the mile-and-a-half tracks, so we’re excited to get back to them,” he said. “Talladega’s been good to us over the years, and Ryan has had success at Phoenix. We’ll just go run the races and see how it works out.

“We’re just happy to be one of the teams in the playoffs and happy to have a chance to represent Motorcraft/Quick Lane and Ford Performance in these upcoming races.”

Qualifying at Richmond is set for 5:45 p.m. on Friday, and the 400-lap, 300-mile race is scheduled to start just after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday with TV coverage on NBCSN. Continue reading Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team Hoping To End Regular Season On A Positive Note →

The Lady In Black and Lady Luck Are Unkind To Blaney And The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team

September 4, 2017
The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway turned out to be a long, frustrating experience for Ryan Blaney and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as they finished 31st, 11 laps behind the leaders. Continue reading The Lady In Black and Lady Luck Are Unkind To Blaney And The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Team →

Throwback Darlington Weekend Is A Special One For Kyle Petty, Ryan Blaney And The Wood Brothers

August 31, 2017

For people who appreciate the history and heritage of NASCAR, any trip to Darlington Raceway, the sport’s original superspeedway, is a memorable experience.

Since 2015, when NASCAR returned to Darlington to race on Labor Day weekend, the track’s traditional date, teams have celebrated the return with special throwback paint schemes, adding another nostalgic element to the Darlington experience. Continue reading Throwback Darlington Weekend Is A Special One For Kyle Petty, Ryan Blaney And The Wood Brothers →