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*Photography courtesy of NASCAR Media & Ford Performance
MOORESVILLE, NC – April 28, 2020 – “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.”
Those words from Henry Ford came in 1909 shortly after he decided the Ford Motor Company would only make the Model T, which was produced from 1908-1927 and became the most popular vehicle of the time with more than 15 million units sold.
Nobody can know for sure if Joey Logano and Mr. Ford would have agreed on every issue that faced the company during its formative years, but they would have definitely been on the same page with that specific statement.
All one needs to do is look at some of the cars Logano has accumulated in recent years to realize he has a love affair with the color.
“Everything I own is black. I like black,” said Logano, who counts a 1924 Model T and 2017 Ford GT among the personal favorites in his growing collection. “I guess I fell in love when I bought the Ford GT with the heritage scheme on it, the matte black exterior, silver stripe and the number on the door. I kind of fell in love with that.”
He even went so far as to put the two Ford icons nose-to-nose in his driveway a couple of weeks ago as a way of showing to himself that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
“Driving them is obviously different, and so is the way they’re built with the technology and the geometry of looking at it, but you still have four tires and there’s still air in those tires,” reasoned Logano, who counts the F-350 Tremor as his preferred daily driver. “Yeah, your suspension pieces are all different, but it still has a steering wheel, it’s still got a motor. There’s just a lot of similarities that are still being used today even though the cars couldn’t be more different.”
To illustrate that point, he took wife Brittany and two-year-old son Hudson for a drive through their neighborhood, starting first with what Hudson calls the “T-ride”.
“We drive the Model T around like it’s a golf cart. It puts a smile on everyone’s face and we love it,” said Logano, who gave the Godfather of Ford Performance, Edsel B. Ford II, a ride in it through the streets of Concord, NC, a few years ago. “And then after that I was cleaning my GT and I was like, ‘I’ll take this around the neighborhood real quick’ and it was like, ‘Whoa. Different worlds.’ But it was fun and it’s cool.
“People look at you funny when you’re trying to crank start your Model T. You get some funny looks, but it’s fun for me,” continued Logano. “I think the reason why I love it so much is that it’s challenging to drive. If you drive a race car every day, driving a street car is really, really simple and boring – like really boring. If you drive a GT around, it’s just tempting you to go to jail. I still want a challenge, but I don’t want to go to jail, which makes the Model T the best car I have.”
It may be the best one, but it’s far from the only one.
For instance, he owns a 1961 Ford Econoline truck that he bought from a security guard at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He restored it by lowering the height, painting the outside matte white and then trimming the dash, steering wheel and tires out in lime green. The final touch was installing lime green shag carpet in the truck’s bed.
“I went camping with Hudson in our backyard the other night because I put a pop-up camper that’s all screened in on the back of it,” said Logano, who has two wins in four starts in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. “We had a little TV and watched the Little Rascals in there, and we camped out at least until 11:40. That’s as far as we got, but it was fun. That stuff is cool to me.”
Next, is a 1991 Foxbody Mustang that has everything Logano loves in a car, except for the color.
“It’s royal blue and it’s way too blue for me, but outside of that this car is amazing,” he said. “It’s totally re-done. It’s got a big old supercharger on it. Honestly, it can give the GT a run for its money. It’s a real car – roll cage, the whole nine yards. It’s awesome. Bang for the buck, that’s the best car I’ve got.”
And then he’s got his toys, like the Factory Five drift truck he helped build last year and the recently completed Mach 1, or Mach 22 as it was dubbed by Car Kings on Discovery Channel earlier this month, that have the same matte black paint scheme as his GT.
But when one project ends in Logano’s world another begins and, thanks to NASCAR on NBC reporter Rutledge Wood, it’s now sitting right in front of him.
“He’s been hounding me to buy this thing for two years. For two years he’s been trying to sell this truck, and I finally got him down enough to where he just caved,” laughed Logano. “So now I have this truck and it needs a lot of work, but I just think it would be cool going to a car show or something with it one day.”
What color does he plan on painting it?
Any color he wants.
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CHARLOTTE, NC – October 8, 2020 – The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series will run their final races in the Round of 12 this weekend on the Charlotte Roval. Ford has recorded one Roval victory in each series since the course began hosting races in 2018. Here’s a look at where Ford’s playoff drivers stand in their respective series.
This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, Oct. 10 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 11 – NASCAR Cup Series, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
ROUND OF 12 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Charlotte)
2nd – Kevin Harvick (+68 ahead of cutoff)
4th – Brad Keselowski (+41)
7th – Joey Logano (+21)
11th – Clint Bowyer (-38 behind final transfer spot)
12th – Aric Almirola (-48)
FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT CMS
· Ford has 32 all-time series points wins at Charlotte
· Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer all have at least one series win at CMS.
· Blaney won the inaugural Cup Roval race in 2018.
ROUND OF 12 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 8 Advance After Charlotte)
1st – Chase Briscoe (Clinched: Las Vegas winner)
2nd – Austin Cindric (+50)
FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT CMS
· Ford has 22 series wins at CMS.
· Chase Briscoe won the first Roval race in 2018.
· Austin Cindric has finished 3rd in the two previous Roval races.
BLANEY WINS INAUGURAL CUP ROVAL RACE
The debut of the Charlotte Roval didn’t disappoint as Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. wrecked each other in the final chicane heading to the checkered flag, allowing Ryan Blaney to sneak past both and win the inaugural Bank of America Roval 400. Blaney put himself in position to win thanks to some sound strategy that enabled him to stretch his fuel mileage and win Stage 2. He round himself in 25th place with 38 laps to go after a trip to pit road, but cycled his way back up to the front before being in the right place at the right time. That capped a weekend in which Ford won the pole and race in the NASCAR XFINITY and NASCAR Cup Series.
BRISCOE WINS FIRST NXS RACE ON ROVAL
Chase Briscoe led the final 24 laps and became the first driver to win a race on the new Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval course by taking the checkered flag in the Drive for the Cure 200. The win was Briscoe’s first in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and he was able to do it thanks to a good restart with 11 laps to go. Briscoe, who had been locked in a tight battle with Daniel Hemric throughout the final stage, got the jump after the race’s fifth caution and when Hemric missed the frontstrech chicane, it gave Briscoe some extra breathing room to take the checkered flag.
KESELOWSKI GETS FIRST FORD VICTORY
When Brad Keselowski captured the Bank of America 500 five years ago it snapped a 37-race winless drought, and marked his first win with Ford after Team Penske switched from Dodge following the 2012 season. Keselowski won the race after a back-and-forth battle with Kasey Kahne. He took the lead with nine laps remaining and held on for his first NASCAR Cup Series win on the 1.5-mile track.
SPEEDY WINS INAUGURAL FALL RACE
The first time Ford went to victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway was on Oct. 16, 1960 when Speedy Thompson won the first NASCAR Cup Series fall race in track history. The race, which was the second event overall at CMS, was called the National 400 and featured Thompson making his first start for the Wood Brothers in the No. 21 Ford. He qualified third behind pole-winner Fireball Roberts, who quickly grabbed the lead and was the dominant car. Roberts led 197 of the first 232 laps, but blew a tire that took him out of the race and handed the lead over to Thompson. That was the break he needed and the result was Thompson winning the race by one lap over second-place Richard Petty. The win was the first on a superspeedway for the Wood Brothers and the first of two straight for Thompson, who also won a week later at Richmond.
LOGANO STARTS PLAYOFF STREAK
After a dominant day that saw him lead 227-of-334 laps, Joey Logano earned an automatic berth into the Round of 8 with a victory in the rain-delayed Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2015. The win was Logano’s first at the speedway and fourth of the season, but also started a streak that saw him win all three races in the segment. It also marked the second straight year Logano won the first race of the second round and while Kevin Harvick threatened, Logano dominated as the final 89 laps went green.
FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE
1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)
1962 – Nelson Stacy (1)
1963 – Fred Lorenzen (1)
1964 – Fred Lorenzen (2)
1965 – Fred Lorenzen (Sweep)
1969 – Donnie Allison (2)
1970 – Donnie Allison (1)
1978 – Bobby Allison (2)
1982 – Neil Bonnett (1)
1984 – Bill Elliott (2)
1985 – Cale Yarborough (2)
1987 – Kyle Petty and Bill Elliott
1990 – Davey Allison (2)
1991 – Davey Allison and Geoffrey Bodine
1992 – Mark Martin (2)
1993 – Ernie Irvan (2)
1995 – Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Dale Jarrett (1)
1997 – Dale Jarrett (2)
1998 – Mark Martin (2)
1999 – Jeff Burton (1)
2000 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2001 – Jeff Burton (1)
2002 – Mark Martin (1)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (2)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2015 – Joey Logano (2)
2018 – Ryan Blaney (2-Roval)
2020 – Brad Keselowski (1)
FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT CHARLOTTE
1992 – Jeff Gordon (Sweep)
1993 – Mark Martin (2)
1995 – Chad Little (1) and Mark Martin (2)
1996 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
1998 – Mark Martin (1)
1999 – Mark Martin (1)
2000 – Jeff Burton (1)
2001 – Jeff Green (1) and Greg Biffle (2)
2002 – Jeff Burton (2)
2003 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2006 – Carl Edwards (1)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1) and Carl Edwards (2)
2014 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2016 – Joey Logano (2)
2017 – Ryan Blaney (1)
2018 – Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe (Roval)
*Courtesy of Ford Performance
AVONDALE, AZ – March 9, 2020 – Brad Keselowski drove himself through the field late in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Phoenix Raceway, finishing fourth to lead Ford.
Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric was eighth and Chase Briscoe finished sixth to put all three Mustangs inside the top-10.
All three Ford drivers dealt with issues that forced them to work their way back into the top-10 late.
Keselowski recovered from an off-sequence pit stop and a brush with the outside wall. Briscoe recovered from a pit road miscommunication and Cindric with late race contact from Ross Chastain.
The NASCAR XFINITY Series continues next Saturday afternoon with the EchoPark 250 from Atlanta Motor Speedway. Green flag coverage begins at 4 pm (ET) on FS1.
FORD FINISHING ORDER
4th – Brad Keselowski
6th – Chase Briscoe
8th – Austin Cindric
BRAD KESELOWSKi, No. 12 XPEL Ford Mustang — Finished 4th
“We started off and we were really tight. We made some adjustments and got to that next to last restart and got wrecked. Recovered from that and drove through the field. I think we would have had a shot to win if we didn’t have to come from so far behind. The team on the XPEL Ford worked pretty hard and got us in position there at the end. We gave it our all. I gave it all I had, it just wasn’t enough.”
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang — Finished 6th
“I think we were definitely better than a sixth place race car. We just had a miscommunication when the whole field pitted. My crew chief told me to do what the 7 and the 9 do but the 9 pitted and the 7 stayed out, so I stayed out. Then we were at a disadvantage tire wise. I restarted last and was able to drive to sixth. Overall, it is a good learning weekend for November.”
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 MoneyLion Ford Mustang — Finished 8th
*Courtesy Ford Performance
MOORESVILLE, NC – May 5, 2020 – It seemed to be a rather odd question in the aftermath of just winning the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series, Sparks Energy 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
“What’s your favorite color?”
Huh?
“What’s your favorite color?”
Red.
That brief exchange between Aric Almirola, who had just led the final four laps to win the 2017 Sparks Energy 300 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Talladega Superspeedway, and co-owner Bill DenBeste was pretty much forgotten in the midst of high-fiving crew members, conducting interviews, and posing for pictures in victory lane.
Until…
“It was about a month later and I looked out in the driveway and there was this black Shelby Cobra with red racing stripes,” recalled Almirola, who is in his third season driving the No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. “Bill is really big into the restoration and re-creation of the Shelby Cobras. He’s got lots of them in a warehouse, so he went back to California and basically picked out one that was already restored.
“That’s kind of my date night car with Janice,” added Almirola, who says the 1965 two-seater resides in his garage, but is ominously surrounded by a variety of bikes, scooters, and other toys that children Alex and Abby play with on a daily basis. “When the weather is nice and it’s a beautiful day, we’ll go for an afternoon cruise or go get lunch, or I’ll take the kids to go get ice cream in it.”
It is also a major departure from what he normally drives, which has also changed over the years. At first, he had an Expedition, which was understandable with a young and growing family, but when it came time to get something new Almirola opted for an F-150 with one specific reason in mind.
“I decided to go with the F-150 because I enjoy doing projects around the house and when I’m cleaning up I just like being able to take things and throw it in the bed of the truck,” said Almirola. “Whether you go to get lumber from a home improvement store or you’re going to the dump it’s just nice having the bed of the truck. With the Expedition I just always felt bad throwing things in the back and messing up the carpet.”
One such project Almirola recently completed was totally rebuilding the deck on the back of his house. We’re talking everything from tearing the old one down to putting the new one up.
“I love working with wood, so that was something I really enjoyed,” said Almirola, who welcomes the many challenges that come along with the actual build more so than the relatively mindless task of taking something apart. “But over the course of rebuilding it there were many trips to get materials, and then when you demolish the old one there is plenty of stuff that needs to be hauled away, so my F-150 came in handy throughout the whole project.”
While he loves the enjoyment that his vintage sports car brings and appreciates the versatility his truck provides, Almirola talks like a fisherman who let the big one get away when it comes to one specific vehicle.
“I’m very envious of the people that have the Ford GT,” said Almirola. “I think that is an incredible vehicle and I wish I had one, but I just was not courageous enough to make that financial investment.”
Then again, you never know what could end up in his driveway the next time he wins a race or, even better, a NASCAR Cup Series championship.
MOORESVILLE, NC – July 29, 2020 – PF Racing is thrilled to be back in action at Road America this Saturday for the third round of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. This weekend, Ford Performance Development driver Chase Briscoe will be joining the Missouri outfit, replacing Chad McCumbee for this event.
“I am very excited to get back in IMSA racing,” said Chase Briscoe, who will be joining regular driver James Pesek in the #40 PF Racing Ford Mustang. “This will be a learning weekend as we will be back at Road America in two weeks for a NASCAR Xfinity race.”
The Stewart-Haas driver uses this Michelin Pilot Challenge opportunity to clock in seat time in preparation for the NASCAR race. Thanks to five wins this season, Briscoe is second in the Xfinity Championship, four points behind his main competitor, fellow Ford driver Austin Cindric.
“It is nice to get back on a road course,” explained Briscoe. “Road America is a beautiful track in a great part of the country. It is one of the best laid out road courses because there is a little bit of everything; 90-degree corners with a kink, a carrousel and long straightaways, heavy brake zones, and elevation. And the facility looks like a national park, which is great. I look forward to being on track, and I am looking at trying to win the race.”
“I am happy to be sharing the wheel with Chase,” revealed James Pesek. “He is an excellent driver, and I can’t wait to learn from him. Road America is a special track; it has an old-school feel and is very fun and challenging to drive. I have been practicing on the simulator to make sure I am on top of my game.”
PF Racing had a successful season thus far, with an 11th place finish at Daytona, placing the #40 PF Racing Ford Mustang as the best finishing Ford in the field. Sebring’s last event proved to be a little bit harder, with little practice time and challenging weather conditions, which prevented the team from a Top-10 finish.
The Road America 120 will air live on TrackPass Saturday, August 1st at 4:45 pm ET.
*Courtesy of Ford Performance
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