Iconic Ford Race Vehicles Headline New Commercial

02-19-2007 | TruckSeries.com Report

Eight historic Ford race cars star alongside a 2007 Ford Fusion in Ford Division's new commercial spot that will debut during this Sunday's telecast of the 2007 Daytona 500.

Shot over three days just outside of Los Angeles, California, the commercial shows a 2007 Ford Fusion in a fantasy "race" with Ford race vehicles representing Ford's 106 years of racing.

Some of the cars highlighted are the No. 17 DeWalt Ford Fusion driven by NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth; the 1965 Mark IV GT40 that competed in the Le Mans 24-hour race; the 1955 "Purple Hog," which was Ford's first factory NASCAR stock car; the Ford F-150 driven in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series by Rick Crawford; and "Sweepstakes," which was driven to victory in 1901 by company founder Henry Ford in his first and only race.

"Ford is the most authentic brand in racing, and racing is a strong part of our DNA," said Bill Wynne, Ford Racing North American marketing manager.  "Our racing heritage is a competitive advantage for us in the marketplace. Racing has been, and will continue to be, an important part of everything we do.  Our future cars and trucks will continue to be influenced by our racing programs."

The theme of the 30-second spot represents the past, present and future of Ford, and all the historic race vehicles showcased are authentic racecars that have been restored to running condition.

The Daytona 500 is NASCAR's most-watched race and officially kicks off the 2007 Nextel Cup season.  Robert Yates Racing teammates David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd captured front row starting positions in their Ford Fusions, marking the fifth time that Ford has swept the front row during qualifying for the Daytona 500.