DEARBORN, Mich., June 1, 2016 – Even after a 20th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 during which not much went right for driver Ryan Blaney and the Wood Brothers Racing team, the rookie driver still is 15th in the driver standings as the crew heads to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania for the Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400.
Although this will be Blaney’s first trip to the Keystone State as a Sprint Cup wheel man, he has won there and finished fifth there in the 2013 and 2014 Camping World Truck Series races, respectively.
Wood Brothers Racing has 57 starts at Pocono Raceway, winning twice (1975 and 1980) and leading a total of 433 laps. The last time the venerable No. 21 Ford competed at Pocono was in 2008 with Bill Elliott in the cockpit.
“It was pretty neat winning at a track when you’ve never been there. There was a lot of hard work put into that race. I don’t think it’s out of the question to make it happen again this weekend. I like Pocono. All three corners are different so you have to make compromises to be good in some areas.”
— Ryan Blaney
RYAN BLANEY POCONO FAST FACTS:
This is his first race in a Sprint Cup car at Pocono.
Won the first race he ran at Pocono in the 2013 Camping World Truck Series.
Started eighth and finished fifth in the 2014 Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono.
WOOD BROTHERS POCONO FAST FACTS:
Has won twice at Pocono: in 1975 with David Pearson and in 1980 with Neil Bonnett.
Has 57 starts at Pocono and 433 laps led.
Last ran Pocono with Bill Elliott behind the wheel in 2008.
CREW CHIEF JEREMY BULLINS’ FAN GUIDE TO AXALTA ‘WE PAINT WINNERS’ 400:
“Two things seem to always be a factor at Pocono. First is the weather. It’s an area that seems to get a lot of rain, especially when we are in town. This weekend’s long-range forecast doesn’t look any different with rain predicted for Sunday and Monday. I’ve been through many races there where we wondered if we were racing ‘til halfway and if rain would end the race early. If there are showers on Sunday, I’d pay attention to how that affects the strategies.”
“The second factor is fuel mileage. Because Pocono is such a long track, you can pit without getting lapped, so your strategy is very similar to a road course. You generally try to pit as soon as the window opens to make it to the end of the race on fuel. Pay attention to which cars pit first, because if a caution comes out before the rest of the cars pit they will cycle to the lead and gain track position. The risk is that you pit too early and don’t have enough fuel to make it to the end.”
WEEKEND TV SCHEDULE:
Friday June 3, 11 a.m.-12:25 p.m. – Practice on FS1
June 3, 4:15 p.m. – Qualifying on FS1
Saturday June 4, 11:30 a.m.-12:25 p.m. – Practice on FS1
Sunday June 5, 1 p.m. – Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400 on FS1
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Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With nearly 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.
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 98 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 117 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 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by Ryan Blaney in the famous number 21 racecar.
