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

The adage is most likely as old as stock-car 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 1st time in practically four decades, has introduced an all-new model and gone NASCAR racing with it at the same time, is confident that the answer is yes, if not on Monday, then at least as soon as finger rosary you are looking 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 research pectoral cross showroom since Torino in 1968. Torino's debut 38 years earlier resulted in a driver's championship for NASCAR Hall-of-Famer David Pearson, and a lot more than 2.6 million units sold for the duration of its eight-year (1968-75) run.

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

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

"My great-grandfather understood the value of racing, and what it could do for a business," said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors and a long-time supporter of Ford's racing applications. "He knew what racing could do, both in terms of technological innovation and marketing and advertising. I feel he'd be pleased that those are key factors we nevertheless race today."

The NASCAR Fusion replaces the venerable Taurus race arraignment hearing information auto, which captured 4 NASCAR championships (three in Nextel Cup and one particular in Busch) and 100 Nextel Cup points victories from 1998-2005. It concluded its storied run with a 1-2-3-four 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 right to move on to Fusion."

The production Fusion aims to emulate Taurus' off-the-track success, too: It was the finest-promoting auto in America for five consecutive years (1992-96), and sold more than 6.five million units among 1985-2005.

Current 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's got a extremely great driving and handling package, plus the inside is very roomy and the interior is nicely accomplished as properly," mentioned Jarrett. "I believe this is just what we've been hunting for to increase sales."

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