(By Greg Engle CupScene.com Editor,NASCAR Examiner)
Posted: Wednesday,January 25th, 2012
CHARLOTTE NC. - Ford Motor Company unveiled their 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup entry Tuesday during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour.
The Ford Fusion made its debut only days after the production model made its debut. The car is an attempt by Ford and the other manufacturers to bring back a brand identity that was once common in NASCAR.
”We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return ‘stock car’ to NASCAR.” Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing said. “I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways.”
Most of those attending the debut Tuesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway agreed that Ford had accomplished that goal with a car that looks closer to the production model than any racecar has in several years. Unlike NASCAR race cars from the recent past Ford Racing worked with their designers to come up with a car that can appeal to fans and racers alike.
“Back in the day, designers influenced race cars because they were essentially stock cars,” said Allison. “The more we went away from ‘stock car’ racing, the more the role of design diminished. However, the role of the aerodynamicist and the motorsports engineer increased because we were designing purpose-built race cars.” MORE>>>
The 2013 NASCAR Ford Fusion made its debut in Charlotte Tuesday. (Photo:Greg Engle)
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