Ford's New "Face for the Chase:" Fusion Will Be Ford's NASCAR Race Car in 2006

CHARLOTTE, NC – Ford has a new “face for the Chase.”

The 2006 NASCAR Ford Fusion

The 2006 Ford Fusion race car, based on the production model that will hit showrooms this fall, was officially named Ford Racing’s new race car for NASCAR competition in a magical unveiling today featuring Ford’s NASCAR stars at the Booth Playhouse in Charlotte, N.C.

The 2006 NASCAR Ford Fusion will make its competition debut at the 2006 Daytona 500 in February, and Ford teams will use it in next year’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship, as well as Busch Series competition.

“We’re thrilled to be unveiling the new Fusion,” said Dan Davis, director, Ford Racing Technology. “The Fusion production car represents a fresh, new attitude for Ford in the mid-size sedan lineup. This Fusion race car has the same bold look, and it represents an all-new era in our Ford NASCAR racing program.”

The 2006 Fusion will become Ford’s first all-new nameplate car for NASCAR racing in 38 years, since the 1968 Ford Torino made its debut in both the showroom and on the race track.

“The Fusion represents the new face of Ford cars,” said Marty Collins, General Marketing Manager, Ford Division. “And racing it in NASCAR competition allows us to get that new face in front of the millions of race fans who follow NASCAR racing in person and on television.

“Racing involvement will play a key role in the launch and the marketing of the Fusion throughout the rest of this year and into 2006. The great interest in NASCAR racing will help us tie the Fusion name to the Ford brand, and it’s only right that we race Ford’s newest car in America’s flagship racing series.”

The first of nine Ford Racing Innovation Drives for consumers nationwide kicks off July 16 at Kentucky Speedway, with the production Fusion headlining the Ford lineup of vehicles available to drive, and the NASCAR Fusion making its public debut for race fans.

The NASCAR Fusion will replace the Ford Taurus race car, which has captured four NASCAR championships (three Nextel Cup, one Busch), and 100 Nextel Cup victories since it made its competition debut in 1998.

“We’d like to send Taurus out with one more championship,” said Davis, noting six Ford drivers are currently in contention to qualify for the final, 10-race Nextel Chase for the Championship. “But the time is right to move on to Fusion.”

Ford submitted the Fusion to NASCAR officials several weeks ago, and is awaiting a final, on-track test before the car is officially certified for competition.

“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 Davis.

Ford took a different approach with the development of this race car than it had done with previous models in the past. This time, Ford engineers – led by Ford NASCAR field manager Ben Leslie and Ford aerodynamicist Bernie Marcus – did the early development with a scale model testing program that in previous new model efforts had been done by race teams.

Leslie and Marcus consulted with Ford race teams and took input on the new Fusion race car, but the duo did most of the development work over the past eight months while Ford teams competed week-in and week-out in NASCAR competition.

“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,” said Davis. “The goal of any new car is to take the lessons learned from the previous model and, working within the NASCAR guidelines, bring forth a slightly better product.

“I think we accomplished that, and with the Fusion’s dynamic new look, I think we have a car that NASCAR fans will easily recognize out on the track, in victory lane, and in their own driveway.

“We’re excited, and I know our teams are as well.”