Ford Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Racing

2012 Ford Focus NASCAR pace car - Click above for high-res image gallery​

Most pace cars (commonly known as safety cars overseas) are pretty fast road cars. F1 uses a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The American Le Mans Series, a Porsche Panamera. DTM alternates between an Audi R8 and a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. MotoGP uses BMW M vehicles. Indy has used a Chevy Camaro SS the last couple of years. Noticing a pattern here?

Of course, as is true in many other areas, NASCAR does things differently. While other racing disciplines pit the latest technologies against each other on challenging road courses, NASCAR still uses old-school pushrod V8s on big ol' speedways. So it should come as little surprise that the American stock-car racing series goes a different route with its pace cars, too.

This weekend's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 (we don't name the races) at the Michigan International Speedway saw the Ford Focus make its debut appearance as the official pace car, complete with race livery and light bar but little in the way of other modifications over stock. Which means, as Ford is quick to point out, that while the stock cars behind it would have to pit a number of times over the 400-mile race distance, the Focus could go the whole way if it needed to... and if the driver - Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas - were milking the throttle, undaunted by the grid of rip-roarin' race cars filling his mirrors.

For what it's worth, the Focus is hardly the slowest vehicle to pace a NASCAR race. Ford alone has provided Fusion Hybrids and Explorer SUVs to set the pace at previous races as well. Follow the jump for the full press release, including information on Ford's latest online sweepstakes that will hand out 40 Foci to contest participants if it wins the NASCAR, NHRA or World Rally Championship titles this year.Continue reading Ford Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway

Ford Focus sets the pace for NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Email this | Comments