Ford Racing News
Updated: 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ford rolling out 2011 Ford Mustang NASCAR pace car: Ford Motor Co. is rolling out a second 2011 Ford Mustang NASCAR pace car, this one powered by a V-6 engine. The Detroit automaker unveiled its new 2011 Mustang GT with a 412-horsepower 5.0-liter V-8 at Daytona International Speedway, where it served as the pace car for the Daytona 500. Next week at Bristol Motor Speedway will see Ford’s new 2011 Mustang 3.7-liter V-6 serve as the pace car for the March 21 Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup event. The new Mustang engine produces a best-in-class 31 highway mpg and 305 horsepower V-6, nearly as much power as the V-8 2010 Mustang GT produced. “This is a Mustang that delivers the power and fuel efficiency customers want,” said Fritz Wilke, Mustang Brand Manager. “To get 305 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon has never been done before in a production vehicle, in fact this new Mustang could do (an) entire 500-mile race on one tank of gas.” (Speed TV)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
No Fords running new engine: There are no "FR9" engines being run this week in any of the 12 Fords that are entered and guaranteed starting spots in Sunday's Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(Ford Notes/RFR)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Kenseth, Sadler, Elliott to run Ford's new FR9 engine in Daytona 500: Ford Racing, along with Roush Yates Engines, officially decided this afternoon that three Ford Fusions will have the new FR9 engine for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler and Bill Elliott will all be racing with the FR9 while the other 10 Fords in the field with have the previous 452 model. "We’re pleased that we’ll be able to put the FR9 in a couple extra cars for the Daytona 500," said Dave Simon, the Ford Racing engine engineer who worked with Doug Yates on the development of the FR9. "Based on completing the mileage on one of the engines, looking at wear condition on some of the others, and based on the performance of the engine during the qualifying races, we felt that providing additional FR9 engines will help give us additional boost for the 500. " This will mark the second straight restrictor plate race that Kenseth and Sadler will run the FR9. Both drivers debuted Ford’s first purpose-built NASCAR engine at Talladega last fall in the Amp Energy 500. (Ford Racing PR)
Petty to lead Daytona 500 field in 2011 Mustang pace car: Richard Petty will find himself in a very familiar place on Sunday afternoon, leading the field in the Daytona 500. Petty, who holds the NASCAR record with seven Daytona 500 victories, has accepted the role as "Pace Car Driver" for the 52nd running of the Great American Race, and will pace all 43 cars to the green flag behind the wheel of a special edition 2011 Mustang GT, powered by Ford's all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine. "There's nothing like the Daytona 500. It's one of the biggest races in the world and to be a part of it in this way is the next-best thing to actually being able to race," Petty said. "Who knows, maybe I'll just stay out there for a few laps and see what those guys have got." Petty is back as a member of the Ford Racing family after Richard Petty Motorsports merged with Yates Racing during the recently concluded off-season. Petty previously drove for the blue oval in 1969 and won nine races that season in a Ford Torino. Ironically, the last and only other time Ford served as pace car for the Daytona 500 was one year later when a Ford Torino GT convertible started the 1970 event. (Ford PR)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Front Row Motorsports to run Fords in 2010: Front Row Motorsports will run under the Ford Motorsports banner in 2010 with Travis Kvapil driving the No. 34 with Steven Lane as his crew chief. Kevin Conway will pilot the No. 37 Ford with a crew chief to be named. Conway, 31, ran 12 races with the Extenze sponsorship in the Nationwide Series last season for three different owners -- Joe Nemechek, Robert Richardson and Dusty Whitney. His best finish was 15th at Kentucky in the No. 87 Chevy. The short list for Conway's crew chief candidates include Peter Sospenzo, who worked with Tony Raines on the No. 37 last season, as well as Larry Carter and Derrick Findley.(FOXSports.com)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Jamie Allison named Ford's new North America Motorsports director: Jamie Allison, a 22-year Ford veteran with experience in engineering, product planning and marketing, has been named director, Ford North America Motorsports, effective January 1, 2010. Allison, who most recently has been Ford Performance Group Manager, will replace current director Brian Wolfe, who has been named to a new position in global product development by Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development and Tony Brown, group vice president, Ford Global Purchasing. "I'm excited about the challenge of helping take Ford's racing program forward," said Allison, who has been part of the Ford Racing management team for just over six years. "For a kid who wanted to work for Ford Motor Company, to help carry forward a tradition that Henry Ford himself started is something special. Brian Wolfe really made a great difference in the program in his time as director, opening up so many opportunities to reach out, not just the professional racers, but to the grassroots and sportsman racers as well. He installed a philosophy that we were going to be 'racer-friendly' in all that we do, and we as a team will carry that forward." Allison joined Ford Motor Company in 1987, after graduating from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with an electrical engineering degree. For more information regarding Ford Racing's activities, please visit www.fordracing.com.(Ford PR)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Regan Smith to run Ford's FR9 engine at Homestead: Ford will run its new FR9 engine next week at Homestead, said Doug Hervey, who oversees Ford's North American racing operations. The plan is for David Ragan to run the car at Homestead, Hervey said. It will be the second race for the engine. The restrictor-plate version was run at Talladega with Ragan and Matt Kenseth. This will be the first time the unrestricted version has run in competition.(Roanoke Times)
Tuesday, Novemeber 3, 2009
Allmendinger to compete in Fords remainder of season: AJ Allmendinger makes his Ford Racing debut this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver will race the remaining three races of the 2009 season in a Ford Fusion. Race fans will recognize the familiar "Petty Blue" and red paint scheme on No. 44 for the rest of the season. Last week at Talladega, Elliott Sadler drove a Ford to a ninth-place finish. Allmendinger will be the only Petty driver in a Ford in any of the remaining 2009 races. "This is exciting stuff. It's like a new beginning for Richard Petty Motorsports. Whenever you do something new you are a little bit excited and a little bit nervous because you haven't done it before. Elliott drove a Ford for us at Talladega last week and everyone was really positive about the experience. It's our turn this week tire testing a Ford in Daytona and we'll drive one at Phoenix and Homestead as well."(Richard Petty Motorsports)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ford's new F9 engine won't be full time 'til 2010: Although Ford is getting its new FR9 engine ready for Sprint Cup competition this weekend, it's unlikely all Ford teams will be using the new engine full time until the middle of the 2010, engine builder Doug Yates said Tuesday. The engine will make its debut this weekend in the restrictor-plate race at Talladega Superspeedway in the Roush Fenway Racing cars of David Ragan and Matt Kenseth. It likely will also be used at a race track where the air running through the engine is unrestricted by the end of the season. But a full rollout, if Roush Yates Engines has the eight full-time teams it expects to have, won't even be done for the start of the 2010 season. One of the reasons the engine is being introduced at Talladega is so that it could be used with confidence next year at the Daytona 500. Yates said their unrestricted engines can generate 900 horsepower; a restricted engine generates about 450 horsepower. Ford officials had predicted earlier this year that the new engine would roll out sometime in the second half of the season, although Talladega is a little later than anticipated. The new engine could impact the handling of the car as it should give it a slightly lower center of gravity. Yates said all the teams that test at the Goodyear tire test Monday and Tuesday at Daytona will have the current engine and not the new engine.(SceneDaily)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sadler in a Ford at Talladega: Elliott Sadler’s No. 19 Stanley car will race as a Ford for the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Sadler is racing the Ford Fusion in preparation for Richard Petty Motorsports switch to Ford beginning in 2010. Sadler will return to his familiar No. 19 Dodge entry for the final three races of 2009. ON DRIVING A FORD AT TALLADEGA: “Richard Petty Motorsports is working with Ford Racing as we get ready to make the full-time switch at Daytona in 2010. Since this is the final restrictor plate race of the season, we made the decision to run a Ford to get some work done in advance. This will be our first time to practice and work on a Fusion under real race conditions. It should help us get ready to make a strong showing at Daytona and put us in the best position to start next season. I’ll be back in a Dodge at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead, but since it’s important to start a season off on the right foot we thought we’d try to get a head start.”(RPM)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Latest on Petty's switch to Ford: AJ Allmendinger will run the last three races of the Sprint Cup season in a Ford Fusion, a team source told FOXSports.com. According to a Dodge source, Elliott Sadler will drive a Ford beginning next week at Talladega and finish the season driving for the make. Their Richard Petty Motorsports teammates, Kasey Kahne and Reed Sorenson, will continue to drive Dodges for the rest of the year. RPM is currently in talks to merge with Yates Racing in 2010. Whether or not the deal goes through, RPM's majority owner George Gillett has said his organization will run Fords next year. Unlike the other RPM teams, Allmendinger's No. 44 car is not under contract with Dodge so the switch is able to be made early. Sadler's No. 19 team was let out of its contract. Additionally, RPM General Manager Roobie Loomis confirmed Friday that Allmendinger will drive a Ford at Daytona International Speedway during the Goodyear tire test on Nov. 2-3. That Ford will be equipped with the new FR9 engine, allowing the team to work on the balance of the car as the engine is located differently than the current Dodge engine.(FOXSports.com)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Ford's new engine to debut at Talladega: Doug Yates confirmed that the new FR9 Ford engine will debut at Talladega Superspeedway in two weeks. "We had our sights on Charlotte, to run it here," Yates said. "We just wanted to take our time and make sure everything was right. We're fortunate to have the luxury to do that. We're looking forward to Talladega but you know how much I love restrictor plate racing anyway."(FOXSports.com)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Ford to delay introduction of new engine: Ford will delay the debut of its new Sprint Cup engine, Doug Hervey, who oversees Ford’s North American racing operations, said Saturday. The engine was scheduled to have debuted next week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Instead, Ford will debut the restrictor-plate version of the engine at Talladega in three weeks. As for the non-restrictor-plate engine, it likely will debut at Texas or Homestead.(Virginian Pilot)
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009
Richard Petty Motorsports to Ford: Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing announced today they have signed a letter of intent to merge operations in time for the 2010 season. The four-car team will race Fords under the Richard Petty Motorsports banner.
Richard Petty: "This is a pretty big deal for us. We're thrilled to partner with Ford. We've talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down to the success the Gilletts and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing. Right now this deal is real new. There are lots of details still left to be ironed out so we don't have a lot of answers for anyone right now. We'll be working on all that in the coming days, weeks and months, but we do intend to have everything in place before the start of next season. I've won races with Ford and plan to again."
Team Managing Partner Foster Gillett: "Richard and Kasey (Kahne) showed us Sunday night in Atlanta that they like winning quite a bit and Ford is going to provide the support that we need to go to victory lane more often. If you are going to compete with the other teams in this sport you need a lot of support. We bring a lot to this relationship as well. We've won twice this season and the power of Richard Petty is hard to beat, plus we have the support of some of the biggest names in corporate America." Yates Racing Co-owner Max Jones: "This is certainly a great opportunity for both Yates Racing as well as Ford Racing. I have had a long-term relationship with Ford and look forward to continuing that relationship at Richard Petty Motorsports. Over the coming weeks we will continue to work with Ford and Richard Petty to lay out the best plan for Paul Menard and all of the employees at Yates Racing. We will continue to field both the No. 98 and No. 96 Ford Fusions for the remainder of the season and look forward to continued success on the track with Paul, Bobby Labonte and Erik Darnell." Yates Racing Co-owner Doug Yates: "This plan is clearly in the best interest of the Ford Racing community. On a personal level, I am excited about the opportunity to focus my full energy on building Ford horsepower. We look forward to working with Richard Petty Motorsports to produce power second to none. There are many details to be worked out with Richard Petty Motorsports and as we finalize those details we will keep everyone informed." Director of Ford North America Motorsports Brian Wolfe: "I am very pleased that Richard Petty Motorsports has made the decision to switch to Ford for the 2010 season. They had choices to consider other than Ford and it's gratifying to us that they have enough faith in the Ford Motor Company and what we're doing to make the switch. We believe we can provide them with superior analytical tools and powertrain, and we will work with them closely on the technical front to help them become even more competitive than they are. What's also really cool to me is the chance to have someone with the class and the legacy of Richard Petty involved with Ford. Combine that with the chance to work with the Gillett family, who we have great respect for, and add some great drivers to the Ford camp, well, it's hard not to be excited about this opportunity." (RPM PR)
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009
President Obama: NASCAR can help with American Automakers' recovery: President Obama said it was important for the Big 3 American automakers to remain in NASCAR but said it is "understandable" that they would cut back their sponsorships during tough economic times. "It's about as good advertising as you can get," Obama said of the auto companies' NASCAR sponsorship. "If somebody's excited about NASCAR, that means their excited about cars. We want to make sure people know what great American cars are." The president was optimistic about the future of the American auto industry and the role NASCAR can play. "Over the long term if you look 5, 10 years out I think they're going to come back stronger than ever and I think their association with NASCAR makes a great difference," he said. (ABC News)
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009
Ford to introduce new engine during Chase with non-Chase cars: It was rumored that Ford will introduce its new engine this weekend at Michigan. Not true, says Brian Wolfe, Ford's director of North American Motorsports. Instead, it will be introduced during the 10-race Chase that begins in September. "If it's this weekend nobody told me," Wolfe said "It's definitely not before the Chase." The plan before the season was to introduce the new engine by now. There were talks about letting the Wood Brothers, who are running a partial schedule with Bill Elliott, be the guinea pig. But that isn't likely now, Wolfe said. The first to use it will be non-Chase drivers at Roush Fenway or Yates Racing. Makes sense, considering the engine was developed by the Roush-Yates engine program. Still, don't look for a widespread rollout of the engine. And don't look for it to be used by one of the Chase teams unless the initial results are so extraordinary it is worth the risk.(ESPN.com Insider)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Ford has kept support at same level this year: Last week there was a call placed to Ford Motor Company's Brian Wolfe in Dearborn, Mich., to get an idea where those boys at the Blue Oval were going with their stock-car racing program. Ford, he says, drafted a slimmed down business plan under the company's new CEO Alan Mulally, and yes, cuts were made to the racing budget -- last year. "For our part at Ford, our story hasn't changed a whole lot since the start of the season, other than we haven't won enough races," Wolfe howled. "We're in a little different position than two of the other players in the sport." Those players are GM and Chrysler, which competes in NASCAR with its Dodge brand. Wolfe said Ford had to make some "tough cuts" at the end of the 2008 season, which included an end to direct financial support to Nationwide and Truck Series race teams. "But we have kept our engineering support," he said. "That is really critical; that hasn't changed. The Cup teams, that we have long-term contracts with, have stayed the same. We're pushing along with our plan."(Daytona Beach News Journal)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Latest on FR9.. Wood Brothers likely to be first to use new engine: Ford team owner/engine-builder Doug Yates expects Ford’s new FR9 engine to be ready by August, just in time for the season-ending, 10-race Chase for the Championship playoff. Yates, David Simon and Mose Nowland have been working on it all year, and Yates sees light at the end of the tunnel. Once it’s ready, though, which members of Team Ford Racing will get it? It likely won’t go to Roush Fenway stars Carl Edwards (fifth in points), Greg Biffle (eighth) and Matt Kenseth (10th) because they’ll almost certainly make the 12-driver championship playoff. With so much on the line, there’s some reluctance to run an engine that hasn’t been tested in competition. Edwards has already said he’d rather wait. “I told them I don’t want it right off the bat,” he said recently. “We’ll see who’s not in the Chase and maybe start testing it that way.” Kenseth takes a “whatever” approach. “I’m under the understanding we probably won’t have it full-time this year,” he said. “I’m not sure, but it doesn’t matter to me. I have a ton of confidence in Doug Yates and the engine guys, and whatever they think is best, I’m good with that.” The Wood Brothers with Bill Elliott are running a limited schedule, so they might get it first. (Logic dictates that an engine-related DNF for Elliott won’t be as costly as one for a Chase-eligible team). Paul Menard and Bobby Labonte of Yates Racing will focus on making the Chase, as will Roush Fenway drivers David Ragan and Jamie McMurray [vert slim chances for any of those four to make the Chase]. The new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR engine to come from Ford Motor Company. The three key differences between FR9 and the current engine: the cooling system has been improved to allow teams to use more tape on the grille, thus improving downforce; the valve train has been improved; and the production and assembly of FR9 will be easier than the current model.(Ford Racing)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Ford to debut new Cup engine this year: Ford executive Doug Hervey says the company will debut its new engine this season. The engine is expected to first be used by Ford teams not in Chase contention, said Hervey, who oversees Ford's North American Racing Operations. (The Virginian-Pilot)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Ford to introduce new "FR9" at Daytona: Ford and Roush Yates Engines latest NASCAR-approved engine will debut this season. Code-named "FR9," this new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR racing engine to ever come out of Ford Motor Company. Its design has been spearheaded and developed by Ford Racing engineer David Simon, and famed engine builder Doug Yates, along with input from legendary Ford Racing engine engineer Mose Nowland. “This is an exciting time for us to say the least, especially with the way our two companies have worked so well together on this project,” said Yates. “I’ve never had the opportunity to work on a NASCAR engine with a clean sheet of paper, but that’s basically what we’ve done and I’ve enjoyed every second. We feel we’ve got a piece that will not only be better than what we’ve got now, but will give us room to grow. With the exception of a few cylinder head changes through the years, we’ve had the same engine since 1991 and have been able to squeeze out every ounce of power and speed possible. What’s got me so excited is we’ve won races and championships with an engine many consider old, and this new piece is definitely a notch above, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to for years to come.” There are three key differences between “FR9” and the current engine. First, the cooling system has been re-worked and will allow teams to optimize the amount of tape they can put on the front grille and improve downforce. Second, the valve train has been improved, and, third, the production and assembly of “FR9” will be much easier than today’s model. Just when “FR9” is ready for competition remains to be seen, but a tentative target date is the second-half of the 2009 season. “We’re not going to rush this engine into competition until we’re 100% sure it’s going to meet our strict standards,” said Yates. “We don’t feel a need to rush because our current engine is still strong and that gives us the luxury to take our time and make sure we do “FR9” right. I know we’ve got a winner here, and I can’t wait to see it on the track.”(Ford Racing)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Owners show support for Detroit's Big Three: "The Big Three are the backbone of our country," Rick Hendrick said in a news release sent out by Chevrolet. "With nearly 7,000 people working at Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group alone, I see their impact firsthand. The manufacturers play an irreplaceable role in the global economy and support millions of Main Street, American jobs. I feel a responsibility to those people and their families, and our leaders in Washington should, too.” Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, expressed similar concerns and said NASCAR wouldn't be where it is today without involvement from Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford. "The Big Three have also played an important role in NASCAR for decades," Childress said. "I can’t imagine racing anything but Chevrolets," Childress said. (More at SceneDaily.com)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Ford discussing new engine: Ford officials have discussed a new engine with NASCAR officials, according to Doug Hervey, North American Operations Manager, Ford Racing Technology. "We've presented our plans to them for a new engine," Hervey said. "We've got prototype engines that we're evaluating right now." (Roanoke.com)
June 16, 2006:
Jack Roush honored by Ford Motor Company: Jack Roush received the highest honor Ford Motor Company can bestow on anyone in racing when he was presented with the Spirit of Ford Award in front of approximately 450 employees at Ford World Headquarters Thursday. Edsel B. Ford II made the presentation during a pep rally involving many of Ford's NASCAR drivers who will be competing in the Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series races at Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Roush was hired as an engineer at Ford in 1964, but got the racing bug when he joined a group called 'The Fastbacks' two years later. The group was made up of Ford employees who competed in drag racing on weekends. Since then, Roush has won championships in all three of NASCAR's top divisions, including back-to-back Nextel Cup titles in 2003 and 2004. In addition, he has three Pro Stock drag racing championships, 24 road racing titles and 10 consecutive victories in the prestigious Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. The Spirit of Ford Award goes to a person who has made significant contributions on and off the track to the sport of auto racing. Other stock car recipients of the Spirit of Ford Award include: Bud Moore, the Wood Brothers, Junie Donlavey, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty, the France family, and Ned Jarrett. (Ford Racing)
May 19, 2006:
Ford looking to add teams supported by manufacturer: A Ford official said Thursday that the manufacturer would like to add "a couple more cars'' to its Nextel Cup roster, although he wouldn't give a timetable. A couple more teams could help Ford keep its young drivers, something Ford and its teams haven't been able to always do. Dale Jarrett's departure to Toyota after this season opens one ride, but several Ford drivers are signed through at least 2008. That could create limited opportunities for the nearly 10 drivers being groomed by Ford's Cup teams. Ford, whose drivers have won two of the past three titles, has the fewest Cup teams competing with eight -- five with Roush Racing, two with Robert Yates Racing and one with the Wood Brothers. Toyota is scheduled to have six teams next year when it enters the Cup series. Greg Specht, manager of racing operations for Ford, says the manufacturer has a goal of more teams. "Ideally, we'd like to have 10-12,'' he said. "We're really looking at our current teams to see how can we expand and grow at a rate that is going to maintain quality.'' Specht wouldn't say if Ford would have additional teams for next season. (Roanoke.com)
May 13, 2006:
Ford upset with lose of Jarrett: Ford officials are none too pleased with the apparent loss of Dale Jarrett, who will announce his decision to join Michael Waltrip Racing later this weekend (check it out live on SPEED, Saturday morning at Noon ET). All but two of Jarrett's 32 career Cup wins have come behind the wheel of a blue-ovaled automobile, as did his 1999 Winston Cup title. In addition, Jarrett's father, Ned, won both of his Cup titles as a Ford factory driver, and Dale Jarrett Ford is one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country, located in Monroe, N.C. about one hour north of Darlington. (FOXSports.com)
Nov. 2, 2005:
Ford sues over device: Ford Motor Co. sued a North Carolina equipment supplier Tuesday, accusing the company of stealing trade secrets, breach of contract and trademark infringement. The case centers on the Ford Racing Kinematics Rig - a device Ford says it developed to collect, process and display data from the chassis systems of NASCAR race cars. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Detroit Tuesday, Ford's racing division contracted with L&H Technologies of Charlotte, N.C., last year to produce the device for Ford's exclusive use. As part of that contract, Ford says it provided L&H with technical details for the device and worked with the supplier to develop the device. Ford also says it provided L&H with components for the rigs and loaned the supplier Ford Racing cars to test the equipment. In its lawsuit, Ford says L&H produced the units for Ford as requested, but then began offering the same device to other NASCAR teams, using Ford's logo in its marketing materials. (Detroit News) markets is down 7.1% from 4.2 last year. (NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)
Oct. 9, 2005:
Ford Fusion debuts as pace car: Ford's new Fusion, which will replace the Taurus as the company's Nextel Cup entry next year, will debut as the pace car today. Setting a different pace: If the pace car looks a little different this weekend, that's because it is. The Ford Fusion, which will replace the Taurus next year as the manufacturer's racing entry for Nextel Cup and Busch events, made its on-track debut before Saturday's United Way 300 in the Busch Series and will also be the pace car for Sunday's Nextel Cup race, the Banquet 400. "We got a great response from the public when we unveiled our NASCAR Fusion race car in Charlotte earlier this year," said Burt Diamond, the global marketing manager for Ford Racing Technology. "We've got high hopes that this car will be a winner on the track and in dealer showrooms." The new Fusion also will serve as the pace car next month at Homestead - in the Ford 400, naturally. (Ford Racing PR)
Aug 25, 2005
Ford Fusion named the Pace Vehicle for Championship Weekend: Ford's new "Face for the Chase" is now pacing the race. The all-new 2006 Ford Fusion - set to make its NASCAR racing debut at Daytona in Feb. 2006 - will serve as the official pace car for Ford Championship Weekend, November 18-20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which includes the season finales of both the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, the Ford 300 and Ford 400, respectively. The Ford Fusion, which will be available in dealer showrooms this fall, breathes a fresh attitude into the mid-size car market. It distinguishes itself with its standout exterior design and engaging driving dynamics, and brings to the segment good fuel economy, advanced safety, clean emissions and roomy interior space - all at an attractive value. Today's announcement was highlighted by a special unveiling of the 2006 Ford Fusion pace car in South Florida involving Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors, and Curtis Gray, President of Homestead Miami Speedway. Ford Championship Weekend, November 18-20, is Ford's keystone racing event, comprising the final races in NASCAR's top national series, the NEXTEL Cup Series (Ford 400), the Busch Series (Ford 300), and the Craftsman Truck series (Ford 200) on the same weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway. (Homestead/Miami PR)
Aug 3, 2005
Ford's Fusion Step towards "Car of Tomorrow": A couple of weeks ago, Ford Motor Company announced to the world that the Fusion would be its replacement for the venerable Taurus in NASCAR competition. That was step one in the process toward getting the new car to be noticed by the public. Step two took place on Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was the first track test for the new mount, and Dale Jarrett handled the driving duties, while Wood Brothers Racing supplied the car. Ford's test Tuesday took place in front of NASCAR officials, and it was a critical part of the approvals process for NASCAR and Ford. Following the test, which took place at around 1:15 p.m., the car was scheduled to go to the Lockheed wind tunnel in nearby Marietta, where it underwent the third and final step of the approvals process. Jarrett, who is also a car dealer of fairly major proportions (those of you in Charlotte have heard commercials for Dale Jarrett Ford, the "88th Wonder of the World") had this to say after his maiden run in the new racer: "I think what we've done with the Fusion is that we built a car that's going to be very nice on the race track, but it's going to be one that the public will go to a dealership and want to buy," he said. "That's what we want to achieve --something we can win with on Sunday and the public will buy on Monday." (More at NASCAR.com)
July 21, 2005
Ford Fusion Prototype looks to hit the track at Atlanta: NASCAR and Team Ford Racing will get their first on-track look at the new Fusion in two weeks in a team effort. Wood Brothers Racing will run a prototype with former Nextel Cup champion Dale Jarrett of Robert Yates Racing testing at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Aug. 2. The 1.5-mile track south of Atlanta is available despite almost $40 million in property damage from a recent tornado. “As of right now [the Sunday morning of the recent New England 300 at Loudon, N. H.], we’re still planning to test the new Ford and the new Chevrolet that day,” said Robin Pemberton, a former crew chief and Ford Racing official, and now NASCAR’s vice-president for competition. “They were hit pretty hard, but they’re cleaning up and making progress.” With small variations, it will go something like this: The Chevy and Ford haulers will arrive at AMS early in the morning. The team that tests first—that hasn’t been determined—will wait for the other team to leave the premises before unloading and testing. Once its test is done, NASCAR officials will accompany the car to the Lockheed wind tunnel in Marietta. The second car won’t be unloaded and tested until the other car is off the premises. Once its on-track test is completed, officials will accompany the second car to the wind tunnel at Marietta. (Ford Racing)
July 14, 2005
Ford Introduces the Fusion: Ford Motor Co. unveiled a prototype Thursday of the model that will replace its Taurus on the NASCAR circuit. The Fusion, a model debuting for Ford in 2006, will make its first start in next season's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Ford plans to phase out production of the Taurus over the next few years. Driver Dale Jarrett is expected to test the Fusion at Atlanta Motor Speedway next month as NASCAR completes its approval process for the car. "We've worked hand-in-hand with NASCAR on the development of this car, and we can't thank them enough for helping us bring the Fusion forward," said Dan Davis, director of Ford Racing Technology. "Our guys did a terrific job of getting the NASCAR Fusion to where it needed to be, and we actually were ahead of schedule in getting it to NASCAR." The Fusion is Ford's first all-new nameplate car for NASCAR racing in 38 years. The last was the 1968 Ford Torino. The Taurus already was in production when it debuted in NASCAR competition in 1998. (Detroit Free Press)
July 11, 2005
Ford names the Fusion to NASCAR Racing: Ford Motor Co. is putting a new face on its NASCAR Nextel Cup entry next year. The automaker is expected to announce as early as this week that the Ford Fusion will replace the venerable Taurus on North America's most popular racing circuit, said people familiar with the plan. After 20 years, Ford is pulling the plug on Taurus production early in 2006, and NASCAR rules require that race cars be based on showroom models. The Fusion arrives on dealer lots this fall. Fusion will enter the midsize car segment, where the competition dwarfs even the longtime rivalry between Ford and Chevy on the racetrack. In the midsize car market, it's Ford vs. Chevy vs. Toyota vs. Honda vs. Nissan. NASCAR fans are extremely loyal to brands that support the series, and Ford is banking on the affiliation to immediately establish Fusion in the marketplace. The 280,000 members of the Team Ford Racing club own, on average, 1.8 Ford vehicles per household, the automaker claims. Compared with other brand owners, they are nearly three times as likely to stick with Ford. (Detroit Free Press)
July 3, 2005
Ford wants women in Cup victory lane: Ford executives have put a new twist on the female side of the NASCAR diversity program, by declaring it a battle now to become the first Detroit automaker to put a woman into victory lane at a Nextel Cup race. That considerably ups the stakes in the Ford-vs.-Dodge-vs.-Chevrolet campaign among women drivers. Dodge's Erin Crocker, set to make her Busch tour debut at Richmond in September, appears to have the upper hand at the moment. (Salem-Journal)
June 27, 2005
Chevy and Ford submit prototypes: Ford and Chevrolet have submitted prototypes to NASCAR for the 2006 season. Ford's car is expected to be named the Fusion, and Chevrolet will retain the Monte Carlo brand. The big question surrounds Toyota. The NASCAR rulebook says "any new car model to be considered for approval for competition in the 2006 season must be submitted by the manufacturers to NASCAR for initial consideration not later than July 1." NASCAR officials will not confirm Toyota's intention to offer a stock car. There has been talk that Toyota will pull out of the Indy Racing League at the end of this season, which frightens the big three American automakers currently competing in NASCAR because of the generous budgets the Japanese company devotes to racing. An announcement regarding Toyota's intention could come as early as this weekend at Daytona--perfect timing for the July 1 deadline. (The Sporting News's Lee Spencer)
May 22, 2005
Ford Vs. Kahne in Court: A case in U.S. District Court in Michigan provides an inside look at NASCAR contracts between teams and drivers. Ford has sued Kasey Kahne for breach of contract for leaving a Ford-backed team to drive Dodges for Evernham Motorsports in 2004. Kahne had a five-year contract with car owner Robert Yates and a supplemental contract with Ford before joining Evernham. Kahne's lawyers argue that Ford could not provide a suitable ride for him, allowing him to seek a ride elsewhere. Kahne's contract with Yates was submitted May 12 by Kahne's attorneys, who seek a summary judgment. The case is scheduled to go to trial in August. Kahne's contract with Yates shows it was signed Feb. 4, 2002, and was for the 2002-04 seasons. Yates' team had the option to extend the contract through 2006. More at (News-Rocord)
May 16, 2005
Ford Fusion in 06? Ford was to test its 2006 Nextel Cup model this week at a wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga. The test will determine how close Ford is to submitting the car to NASCAR. A name has yet to be announced, but sources say the car could be the Fusion. (SportingNews)nk, should it start half an hour earlier or something, I'm not sure. (Roanoke.com)
April 25, 2005
Ford to Roll Off Last Taurus in 2006: The last Ford Taurus will roll off the assembly line in the first three months of 2006, ending a 21-year run that has racked up nearly 6.7 million total U.S. sales. The news was relayed to employees at Ford Motor Co.'s Atlanta plant in an April newsletter distributed by United Auto Workers Local 882. With its jellybean shape, the debut 1986 model helped revolutionize American car design and pull Ford out of a financial tailspin. By 1992, it was the country's best-selling car -- a title it held for five consecutive years. (Detroit News)
Feb. 26, 2005
Ford Confirms new Entry: Ford Motor Co. officials confirmed Friday the manufacturer is planning on a new entry in NASCAR competition and expects to meet the July 1 submission date. Chevrolet has already announced plans to submit a new version of its Monte Carlo for 2006 and Dodge introduced its new Charger model this season. Ford, however, will not return with the Taurus, which has been its NASCAR race car of choice since 1998. "We expect to have a new car in 2006. The decision on branding is being decided," said Ford spokesman Kevin Kennedy. The most often mentioned entries for Ford are its Ford 500 or the Ford Fusion. (Mercury News)
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