The News
First Look at NASCAR Mustang
There have been rumblings for quite some time about NASCAR trying to move its Nationwide Series out from underneath the shadows of the Sprint Cup Series by making the cars at least look different. Well, it looks like that is finally going to happen, and Ford is leading the way.
The Nationwide Series will welcome sportier-styled cars beginning with the 2010 season, and Ford has answered the call by developing a Mustang body for use in competition. It has just released preliminary renderings of the car today and promises more information and a full reveal of the car in the fall. Hopefully, this means we will also see Dodge Challengers and Chevy Camaros joining the Mustang on the track as well.
You can read the full release from Ford after the break. Also, please take a moment to post in the forums whether you think this will help improve interested in the Nationwide Series, or is it simply destined to remain the weak sister to the Sprint Cup Series?
| MUSTANG ENTERS NNS FOR 1ST TIME IN ‘10 7/28/2009 |
| Dearborn, Mich. — Mustang is already the most successful single nameplate in Ford Racing’s professional racing history, but it hasn’t competed in NASCAR—until now.
Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports, made the announcement today that Mustang will debut as part of NASCAR’s new car limited rollout in the 2010 Nationwide Series.“We’re excited about Mustang coming to NASCAR,” said Wolfe. “It’s the most successful product nameplate in racing history, and it seems only right that it should be coming to the most popular form of racing in North America.
“We had been talking with NASCAR for some time about Mustang as part of its vision for a ‘muscle car’ rollout for the Nationwide Series. We both saw it as a way of differentiating the series from Sprint Cup,” said Wolfe. “We loved the idea, so we jumped on the chance to extend Mustang’s racing legacy to a new series reaching a huge and loyal audience. Mustang has dominated other forms of racing, including NHRA drag racing, Grand-Am Cup road racing, and Formula D drifting, and now it’s coming to NASCAR Nationwide.
“I think race fans—and Mustang loyalists—will be very pleased when we publicly roll out the first car later this fall.”
Ford Racing has gone through the official NASCAR submission and approval process for the new car, and, once templates are finalized, production of Mustang parts will start so teams can build the first cars for testing later this fall. “We’re excited about the new car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and particularly the new body styles such as the Ford Mustang,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “It’s going to be one good-looking race car.” The 2010 Ford Mustang will join the 2010 Fusion (Sprint Cup) and the 2009 Ford F-Series (Camping World Truck Series) as Ford’s competitive entries in NASCAR’s three major professional series. “We’re excited about being able to race Mustang in front of our loyal NASCAR fan base and know it’s going to win races and championships just like it has in every other series it has competed,” said Wolfe. “The Mustang created the pony car movement when it debuted in 1964. Now, the NASCAR Mustang has the opportunity to create a whole new look to stock car racing at its highest levels.” MUSTANG IN RACING From the time the very first Mustang rolled off the assembly line in 1964, it was destined to race. Whether it be from the ‘60s drag racing cars and the Shelby GT350-R SCCA racers, to the Trans-Am Boss 302 Mustangs of the seventies, to the IMSA and Trans-Am cars of the ‘80s and ‘90s, to the drag race and sports car racing Mustangs of today, Mustang has been a winner.Mustang currently competes professionally in the NHRA Funny Car and Pro Stock divisions and places like the Grand-Am Koni Challenge, SCCA World Challenge, and the Mustang Challenge Series. In addition, thousands of Mustangs see action by grassroots racers at road courses and drag strips all across America.
Since its debut in 1964, Mustang has compiled more than 2,000 professional racing victories in NHRA, Grand-Am, IMSA, SCCA, NMRA and NMCA, as well as other racing series.
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