Racing's Heritage: Winning Both On And Off The Track

Aus Salespoint

The adage is possibly as old as surplice talk stock-auto racing itself: Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday. But, is that axiom as pertinent today as it was, say, in the 1960s?

Ford, which for the first time in almost four decades, candlelight service candles has introduced an all-new model and gone NASCAR racing with it at the very same time, is confident that the answer is yes, if not on Monday, then the guide to chasuble at least as soon as you're searching for a new car.

Fusion replaces Taurus as the Ford entry into NASCAR's Nextel Cup and Busch series, becoming the manufacturer's initial all-new nameplate to debut simultaneously on the racetrack and in the showroom considering that Torino in 1968. Torino's debut 38 years earlier resulted in a driver's championship for NASCAR Hall-of-Famer David Pearson, and far more than 2.6 million units sold for the duration of its eight-year (1968-75) run.

"The great interest in NASCAR racing will aid us tie the Fusion name to the Ford brand, and it really is only correct that we race Ford's newest auto in America's flagship racing series," said Marty Collins, General Advertising and marketing Manager, Ford Division.

Racing has made very good business sense for Ford, dating back much more than a century, when company founder Henry Ford raced to prove out his new product, and to gain favorable publicity for his efforts. His victory in his one particular and only race, in 1901, proved to be the turning point in attracting the investors who helped him commence the Ford Motor Company in 1903.

"My wonderful-grandfather understood the value of racing, and what it could do for a firm," mentioned Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors and a long-time supporter of Ford's racing programs. "He knew what racing could do, both in terms of technological innovation and marketing. I feel he'd be pleased that these are essential factors we still race nowadays."

The NASCAR Fusion replaces the venerable Taurus race car, which captured 4 NASCAR championships (three in Nextel Cup and 1 in Busch) and 100 Nextel Cup points victories from 1998-2005. It concluded its storied run with a 1-2-3-4 finish at the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2005, as Greg Biffle scored his series. "We genuinely wanted to send Taurus out with one particular a lot more championship," noted Dan Davis, director, Ford Racing Technologies. "But the time is correct to move on to Fusion."

The production Fusion aims to emulate Taurus' off-the-track good results, too: It was the best-promoting automobile in America for 5 consecutive years (1992-96), and sold a lot more than 6.five million units in between 1985-2005.

Existing Ford Racing driver Dale Jarrett, who won a NASCAR championship with the Taurus in 1999 and also is a Ford dealer in North Carolina, is optimistic about the production Fusion.

"It really is got a quite great driving and handling package, plus the inside is extremely roomy and the interior is nicely carried out as well," mentioned Jarrett. "I feel this is just what we've been searching for to increase sales."

Begin Your Engines-Fusion, an all-new nameplate, debuts on the racetrack and in the showroom.