Archive for the ‘2020 Press Releases’ Category

FORD PERFORMANCE SWEEPS KENTUCKY

Posted on: July 13th, 2020
Location: post

SPARTA, KY – July 13, 2020 – Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines sweep Kentucky with Cole Custer winning his first NASCAR Cup Series race as a rookie and Austin Cindric capturing back-to-back wins on Thursday and Friday in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“Congratulations to Cole and Austin on their wins,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “The Ford Mustangs ran strong at Kentucky and to see Cole win his first Cup race as a rookie and Austin win his first two races of the year is special. Ford Performance and our Ford Performance race teams have been working really hard to deliver fast race cars to the track every week and to see the guys in Victory Lane is a testament to everyone’s dedication and teamwork.”
On a late race restart with two laps to go, in Sunday’s Quaker State 400, Stewart-Haas Racing driver, Custer in the No. 41 Ford Mustang started from the third row. With a strong push from Ford teammate, Matt DiBenedetto, during the restart he was able to make a monster move from the outside on the white flag lap to take it four wide and pass the race leader and veteran drivers Martin Truex Jr, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney for the lead. Custer took the checkered flag .271 seconds ahead of second place driver Truex, punching his ticket to the All-Star race on Wednesday night and into the Playoffs.
“I knew I just had to get to the top,” said Custer. “The top rolled pretty good and once I got past and I was like in third I was like I’ve just got to take a shot and do whatever I can here. And it ended up the 4 and the 19 got together a little bit and I was able to take advantage of it. It was just an unbelievable car and I was able to take advantage of it. I just can’t thank all my guys and everybody at SHR enough, and everybody at Roush Yates Engines – just an absolutely amazing car.”
Six Fords finished in the top-10, led by Custer, DiBenedetto P3, Harvick P4, Blaney P6, Stage 1 winner and leader of 128-laps Aric Almirola P8 and Stage 2 winner Brad Keselowski P9.
Ford leads all manufacturers with 10 race wins while Stewart-Haas and Kevin Harvick lead the owner and driver points standings.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Austin Cindric battled hard against Ford Performance teammate Chase Briscoe to bring home his first two wins of the 2020 season for Team Penske. This marked three NXS wins in a row at Kentucky for Ford Performance and 4th consecutive win in 2020.

Thursday night, Cindric took the lead with 40 laps to go and it appeared he would take the checkered flag, but late race cautions set the stage for a thrilling over-time finish as he battled with Ford Performance teammate Briscoe.

The two Ford Mustangs lined up side-by-side on the front row for a green-white-checkered finish. Cindric took the outside lane and Briscoe the inside. Briscoe was able to get a slight jump on Cindric at the restart, but the No. 22 would not be denied and got a huge run off the corner to rocket right by the No. 98 to take the lead and the checkered flag in Kentucky. Briscoe finished P4.
“I don’t care what shape the track is, if it’s dirt, oval, I don’t care I’m just so happy this Snap-On Ford Mustang is in Victory Lane,” said Cindric. “We’ve come so close all year. These guys have given me so many awesome race-winning cars. This is awesome. All the credit to my guys for getting me here.”
In a double-header at Kentucky Speedway the Xfinity series returned Friday night, where the No. 22 Ford Mustang dominated the Alsco 300. Cindric led a career high 130 laps out of the 200-lap race and took the checkered flag 2.262 seconds ahead of No. 98 Briscoe, making it a 1-2 finish for Ford Performance.

“I’m just so excited. This is all a credit to my team,” commented Cindric. “I’m the lucky one that gets to drive this Snap-On Ford Mustang. Thank you to everyone – Ford Performance. A one-two between me and Chase. That was a lot of fun.”

Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing continue to lead the driver and owner points standings and with back-to-back wins Ford leads manufacturers with seven wins and a 10-point lead. Cindric and Team Penske are in a strong third place position.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads into All-Star week with the All-Star Open and All-Star Race being held in Bristol, TN on Wednesday, July 15th.

27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 396 WINS – 357 POLES!
*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images
About Roush Yates Engines 
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

3 Series – 22 Teams – 81 Races

Shaping the Regions’ Automotive Industry with a Regional Pipeline of CNC Machinists

Posted on: October 5th, 2020
Location: post

How Universal Technical Institute, Roush Yates Engines and Mitsubishi Materials USA shaped the regions’ automotive industry with their CNC Machining Program and partnerships

MOORESVILLE, NC – October 5, 2020 – In 2016, Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the leading provider for post-secondary education for students seeking careers as automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians, partnered with Roush Yates Engines to create and offer a Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Machining program in Mooresville, North Carolina. Nicknamed “Race City USA,” Mooresville is home to UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech) and Roush Yates Engines, a leading manufacturer of performance engines in the motorsports industry. Their vision for a CNC program came to fruition and was launched the following year in 2017.
UTI has over 50 years of experience training professional technicians. UTI’s NASCAR Tech is the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR and is the country’s first technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motorsports program. The campus also offers automotive programs and manufacturer-specific advanced training programs for students seeking a career with NASCAR or with international automotive manufacturers such as Ford, MOPAR, and Nissan.
The Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining and Manufacturing Technology program offered at UTI’s NASCAR Tech prepares students to succeed as entry-level CNC machinists while allowing UTI to meet a growing industry demand for skilled machinists and technicians. CNC machinists produce precision parts used in high-performance engines for a wide variety of trucks, motorcycles, cars, and boats, as well as in industrial applications, aerospace components, and medical and surgical equipment.
Over the years, Roush Yates Engines has hired over 120 of UTI’s CNC and Automotive graduates. Shortly after the launch of the CNC Machining program, Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. Corporation announced a partnership with NASCAR Tech to provide cutting tools for students in the CNC Machining program. This partnership allows students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with professional cutting tools. Mitsubishi Materials has hired three graduates of the CNC Machining program so far. Additionally, both Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions (a division of Roush Yates Engines) and Mitsubishi Materials offer internships for CNC Machining students, giving them an opportunity to gain hands-on, real-world experience while continuing their education.
“UTI has provided highly skilled graduates since 2003. We firmly believe that the education and training these students receive at UTI prepare them for a successful career at Roush Yates Engines or other employers. UTI has been a long-standing partner of Roush Yates Engines, providing elite technicians that drive our success on and off the track,” said Todd English, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Marketing at Roush Yates Engines. “Mitsubishi Materials has provided training, technical assistance, and premier tooling to expedite our machining of race engine components and diversification of our manufacturing facility into the aerospace, defense, and medical industries.”
To further educate the community about the automotive industry and the opportunities in the region, NASCAR Tech and Roush Yates Engines are working with Iredell County middle schools and high schools to provide education surrounding automotive and CNC Machining programs. This alliance exposes young students to the idea of a career in the automotive industry and the educational opportunities available in the region.
The growing demand for trained CNC Machinists and the launch of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program has sparked a pipeline of development and has inspired universities and colleges in the region to offer similar programs. There are 17 schools across the region that offer CNC Machining or automotive programs, allowing students an abundance of opportunities to enter the automotive industry or manufacturing industry. Colleges offering motorsports programs across North Carolina include Belmont Abbey College, NC State University, NC A&T University, Winston-Salem State University and UNC Charlotte. Community colleges offering motorsports courses include: Catawba Valley, Forsyth Technical, Mitchell, Rowan-Cabarrus, Surry, Western Piedmont, Central Piedmont, Cleveland, Gaston, Stanly, Northeastern Technical, and York Technical.
Currently, there are about 1,500 employed CNC Tool Operators and Programmers in the region. Since the launch of the program in 2017, there have been a total of 220 graduates of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program. After graduating from a UTI program, 4 out 5 graduates successfully move into full-time roles in the automotive industry or manufacturing industry. Students come from across the United States to study at NASCAR Tech and most graduates remain in the region due to the opportunities available to them. In fact, 37 graduates of NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program have stayed in Iredell County thanks to the abundance of career opportunities.
Due to its location in Mooresville and proximity to NASCAR, NASCAR Tech is one of UTI’s premier campuses and the biggest hub for fostering partnerships and business alliances. Over 40 companies in the region have hired graduates of NASCAR Tech and the CNC Machining program. UTI has quickly become the “go-to” educator for all motorsport companies in the region as well as many companies in the U.S. These regional companies include Carolina Precision Technologies, JTG Daugherty Motorsports, Structure Medical, Stewart-HAAS Racing, and Team Penske, to name a few.
CNC manufacturers can serve most industries that require precision manufacturing and machining, with some of the most common industries in the region being automotive, aerospace, and industrial. NASCAR Tech’s CNC Machining program has been so successful in the region due in large part to many partnerships with various motorsports, automotive, aerospace, and industrial companies. Every year, UTI facilitates a Program Advisory Council meeting where employers are invited to review UTI’s courses and facilities, which is extremely impactful to keep the programs up to date with latest trends and technologies. This also allows the employers to advise UTI on future needs and skills they are looking for in candidates, allowing UTI to provide the proper training and skillset needed to excel in these positions.
There are over 35 motorsports companies in Iredell County and the surrounding area, and over 90 companies in the region that use CNC machines. Some of the top motorsports companies in the area include NASCAR Research & Development Center, Roush Yates Engines, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and Chip Ganassi Racing. In North Carolina, more than 25,000 jobs are related to the motorsports industry and the industry has a $6 billion economic impact to the state. Transportation is the fourth largest sector in the nation and today comprises over 16 million jobs in total, with the demand projected to increase as more vehicles hit the roads.
Iredell County continues to provide an abundance of opportunities for economic development, business recruitment and talent attraction for local, regional, and national businesses located in the area. The opportunities and possibilities for partnerships and collaborations with the local and regional community are endless.
*Courtesy Iredell Economic Development Corp.

FORD PERFORMANCE WINS WITH A 1-2 FINISH AT PHOENIX

Posted on: March 9th, 2020
Location: post
AVONDALE, AZ – March 9, 2020 – Ford Performance wins at Phoenix Raceway with Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick coming in first and second. Logano drove the Team Penske Pennzoil Mustang to Team Penske’s 122nd NASCAR Cup Series race win while recording a milestone 200th win for the Ford FR9 engine, since it’s racing debut in 2009 with Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines.
“Congratulations to Joey, Paul, Roger, and the No. 22 crew,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Anytime a Ford wins is special, but today is even sweeter, winning our 200th with Ford Performance and the Ford FR9 engine. I’m so proud of our team at our shops, they put their hearts and souls into these engines. We are thankful to everyone at Ford Performance for their commitment and partnership as well as our Ford Performance racing teams.”
After several late-race cautions, it came down to an over-time, two-lap shootout between Ford Performance teammates, Logano and Harvick. Logano, in the P1 position, lined up on the inside of Harvick. Logano had a great restart and was able to take the lead over Harvick and control the race, holding the No. 4 off, taking the white flag .276 seconds ahead of Harvick.
“We learned that this No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford team is just stout and is not going to get beat if we have the opportunity,” commented Logano in Victory Lane. “We tried everything we could to regain our track position and get control back of the race. I knew that last restart was going to be crazy. I have to thank my partners, Moneyline, Auto Trader, AAA, Ford, Coca‑Cola, Snap‑on, everybody that helps this program at Team Penske. Roush Yates motors {Engines}. It was cool to see two Fords on the front row at the end of a race like that. This is a motor racetrack as much as we don’t think it is. Proud of the team effort today.”
The Ford teams led a combined 210 laps out of the 316-lap race. The Stage 2 winner, Brad Keselowski led for a total of 82 laps while the Stage 1 winner, Harvick led 67 laps. They were followed by race winner, Logano with 60 and Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher with one lap.
Five Ford Mustangs finished in the top-10, led by Logano, winning his 25th NASCAR Cup Series race, Harvick in P2 with Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Clint Bowyer in P5, Aric Almirola P8, and NASCAR Cup Series newcomer Cole Custer in P9.

Ford has won two of the first four Cup races of the 2020 season. The Ford teams will take this momentum into Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. Reference the full 2020 schedule on Roushyates.com.

27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 382 WINS – 357 POLES!
 

*Photography courtesy of NASCAR Media & Ford Performance

THE FORD MODEL T to GT, LOGANO HAS IT COVERED

Posted on: April 28th, 2020
Location: post

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.

*Courtesy Ford Performance

FORD FINISHES 1-2 IN TEXAS XFINITY RACE

Posted on: July 20th, 2020
Location: post

FORT WORTH, TX – July 20, 2020 – Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe brought home a 1-2 finish from Texas Motor Speedway. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang went to victory lane for the third time in three races and marked the fifth straight win for Ford Performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“Congratulations to Austin, Brian and the No. 22 crew,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Austin and Brian worked hard all day to put the No. 22 Ford Mustang in position to compete for the win and three wins in a row is impressive.”
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, My Bariatric Solutions 300, Kyle Busch finished P1 with the Ford Performance teammates of Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe finishing P2 and P3, respectively.  Busch’s car then failed post-race inspection, and the win was officially awarded to Cindric and Briscoe was moved up to P2.
“I just got out of the hauler from getting changed back into my street clothes and saw the 54 and everyone and their brother surrounding the scales, that’s never a good sign for those guys,” said Cindric, when asked about how he found out about the win ruling. “I know they race hard and word hard. I want to win it on the track. I felt like we had a shot to do that today and maybe didn’t execute as well as we should have and that’s what kept us out, but fast race cars and being in position that’s where it counts.”

Ford leads all manufacturers with eight total wins and Briscoe with Stewart-Haas Racing leads the driver and owners’ points standings with Cindric and Team Penske in P2.

The Ford Mustangs showed a lot of speed on Sunday during the NASCAR Cup Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, leading a race high 275 laps out of the 334-lap race. Ryan Blaney led 150 laps and won Stage 1 and 2.
Five of the Fords finished in the top-10 Joey Logano finished P3, Kevin Harvick P5, Blaney P7, Brad Keselowski P9 and Aric Almirola P10.

Ford leads all manufacturers with 10 race wins, while Stewart-Haas and Kevin Harvick continue to lead the owner and driver points standings.

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge was back in action for the first time since January. In the Grand Sport (GS) class of 35 entries at Sebring International Raceway, the No. 22 Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 with co-drivers Seb Priaulx and Scott Maxwell finished P8 and No. 40 PF Racing’s James Pesek and Chad McCumbee finished P11.

NASCAR will head to Kansas to run the Cup race this Thursday night and Xfinity race on Saturday evening at Kansas Speedway. In addition, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series will race next in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin at Road America on August 1st.

27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 397 WINS – 357 POLES!
*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images
About Roush Yates Engines 
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions, a world class ISO 9001 / AS9100 certified CNC manufacturing facility. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 engine, used in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series.

With an unparalleled culture of winning and steeped in rich racing history, Roush Yates Engines continues to follow the company’s vision to lead performance engine innovation and staying true to the company’s mission, provide race winning engines through demonstrated power and performance.

3 Series – 22 Teams – 81 Races

CHARLOTTE ROVAL, FINAL RACE IN ROUND OF 12

Posted on: October 8th, 2020
Location: post

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

NXS FORD MUSTANGS FINISH TOP-10 AT PHOENIX

Posted on: March 9th, 2020
Location: post

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

ARIC ALMIROLA ENJOYS SEEING RED IN HIS DRIVEWAY

Posted on: May 5th, 2020
Location: post

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.

*Courtesy of Ford Performance

CHASE BRISCOE SET TO JOIN PF RACING AT ROAD AMERICA

Posted on: July 29th, 2020
Location: post

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

LOGANO AND BRISCOE WIN AND ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP 4

Posted on: October 19th, 2020
Location: post

KANSAS CITY, KS – October 19, 2020 – Joey Logano, won the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday, securing a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 for Team Penske and Ford Performance. Chase Briscoe, from Stewart-Haas Racing, also secured a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 by winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway on Saturday.
“A great weekend for Ford Performance, Team Penske, and Stewart-Haas Racing. Congratulations to Joey, Paul, Chase and Richard for their wins at Kansas. To be locked into the Championship 4 for both series at the beginning of the Round of 8 is awesome,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Joey was able to take advantage of his experience and fast pit crew!  And to see Chase mature as driver, collect his ninth win in a single season, is a testament to his passion and character for our great sport.”
Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Ford Mustang led three times for a race high 85-laps, but a late race caution shuffled up the field. It was the quick work of the No. 22 Team Penske pit crew, that provided the lead for Logano during the restart on lap 223. Logano led a total of 47 laps and was able to hold off a hard charging Harvick to win by .312 of a second.
“What an amazing team this Shell Pennzoil team is,” Logano commented. “Pit stops put us in position and got us the lead. We are going to Phoenix and racing for a championship again. Heck Yeah!”
Harvick finished P2 while Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski finished P4 and Ryan Blaney P7 and Wood Brothers Racing’s, Matt DiBenedetto finished P12. With two races to go before the Championship, all three Ford Performance Playoff drivers are currently in the top four by wins or points.
Briscoe, driving the No. 98 Ford Performance Racing School Mustang, dominated the Xfinity Series race by sweeping both stages and leading 159 laps out of the 200-lap race. During a late race caution, Briscoe re-started mid-pack and muscled his way through the field to finish 1.199 seconds ahead of second place. Briscoe’s ninth win of the year is the highest numbers of wins for a Ford driver in the Xfinity Series.
During his victory lane interview, Briscoe commented, “I am super happy to be locked into Phoenix. It is going to be a lot less stressful the next two weeks. I can’t say enough to everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. This Ford Performance Racing School Mustang was lights out. It has been an unbelievable year, but we have three more to go.”
Both Chase and Ford Performance teammate, Austin Cindric are currently in position to advance to the final Championship 4.
The Ford Mustangs of Multimatic Motorsports and PF Racing raced at Road Atlanta on Friday in the Fox Factory 120 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series. PF Racing finished P8 while Multimatic finished P18 due to an early race incident.
The NASCAR Playoffs head to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the second race in the Round of 8. The next race for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenges Series is at Laguna Seca.

 27 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 411 WINS – 367 POLES!

*Photos courtesy of NASCAR Media & Getty Images