Ford to use Mustang when Nationwide Series goes to car of tomorrow
Ford said it will use the Mustang when the NASCAR Nationwide Series goes to its new model car in 2010. // Courtesy, Ford Racing
Ford will use its Mustang brand in the Nationwide Series next season when NASCAR begins its limited rollout of the series’ new car, Ford officials announced Tuesday.
The exact rollout of the new car hasn’t been announced, but NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said Tuesday it likely will be used in five races in 2010.
“We’re excited about Mustang coming to NASCAR,” Ford North America Motorsports Director Brian Wolfe said in a news release. “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. 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.”
Ford currently uses the Fusion model in Sprint Cup and Nationwide competition.
Ford is the first manufacturer to officially announce its model of the new car for the Nationwide Series, though Toyota officials have long said it will use the Camry when the new car hits the track.
Chevrolet will likely use the Impala and Dodge the Challenger in the Nationwide Series.
NASCAR held two meetings Tuesday, one with owners to talk about the car’s rollout and the other with car builders and crew chiefs. The car’s rules have been finalized, and teams can begin building them once templates are given out within the next two weeks.
“We’re excited about the new car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and particularly the new body styles such as the Ford Mustang,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “It’s going to be one good-looking race car.”
