Sprint Cup Can-Am 500 at Phoenix: Takeaways and observations
By Ted Fleming
3. Could Wood Brothers Racing benefit with two cars instead of one?
When it comes to one car teams, they are generally fighting an uphill battle against powerhouses like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and others. For years Front Row Racing fielded just one entry until they forged an alliance with JGR after switching from Chevrolet to Toyota and they will now spread their wings and run two in 2017.
For the Wood Brothers, one of the most storied teams in NASCAR history, this year is the first time they have run a full schedule since 2006 when Ken Schrader piloted the famed No. 21 Ford. Like everything in the sport, sponsorship is a key to keeping cars on the track. They got it and with rookie hotshoe Ryan Blaney behind the wheel, it is arguably their best season since 2003 with Ricky Rudd when he had four top-5 and five top-10 finishes.
Blaney has posted three top-5s and nine top-10s this year and is fresh off an eighth at Phoenix.
“It was a great day all around, and we’re really happy to finish in the top 10 in a tough race,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said, in a release. “Ryan drove a great race. [Crew chief] Jeremy [Bullins] made some great calls, and the crew did an outstanding job.”
The Wood Brothers have never run anything but the No. 21 since their humble beginnings in 1953 and maybe that is the way they like it. Oddly, after 35 races, WBR is 21st in owner points.