Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team Strives to Tame Monster Mile

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team will be out to tame the Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway this weekend during the AAA 400 Drive for Autism.

Last season, the Wood Brothers’ team batted .500 in Monster Mile taming, finishing eighth in the spring and 38th in the fall due to a tire failure.

One reason for optimism rolling into Dover this year is the team’s improved qualifying effort. A year ago after 12 races, Blaney’s average starting position was 19.6. In 2017, after the same number of races, his average place on the grid is 9.5. He has qualified in the top 10 in eight of the first 12 events this season and in six of the last seven, including a pole win in Kansas.

Another reason is consistent speed as evidenced by three stage wins and 93 stage points, sixth most on the circuit. The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford has been competitive and in contention all season. Only unfortunate circumstances like a malfunctioning track bar at Phoenix, a power steering failure at Bristol, wrecks at Martinsville, Richmond and Talladega and a broken axle last week in Charlotte have kept the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 from solid finishes every week.

RYAN BLANEY

On Dover International Speedway:

“I enjoy racing at Dover in both the Cup and XFINITY series. Both of our Cup races there last year were good, even the second one before we blew a tire. I don’t really change up my driving style from track to track. I just try to run each how they should be run. At Dover, that means having to worry about when track rubbers up. That changes everything on how the car handles.”

Ford Performance PR