Ford ponies up with Mustang for Nationwide Series

CONCORD - The name is familiar to motorsports but its newest location for competition is not.

The Ford Mustang, the iconic pony car that has been raced in various forms of motorsports since its inception in 1964, will join NASCAR competition in 2010.

A final version of the car that will see action in four Nationwide Series races next season was rolled out with much fanfare Tuesday at Roush Fenway Racing.

More so than any of the manufacturer entries in the Sprint Cup Series, the Mustang Nationwide car - particularly the nose - has physical characteristics that identify with the production model.

"It's been a long project that we've worked on, changing the identity of the Nationwide Series, giving us our own look and our own unique competition out on the race track," said series director Joe Balash.

"We take a big step in that direction with the launch of the Mustang car for the Nationwide series."

Ford officials also hope the debut of the Mustang will help race fans better connect - or re-connect - to the manufacturers' involvement in NASCAR.

"Mustang is a proud and historic brand for Ford," said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports. "This is a car born to race and NASCAR is the next logical step for its racing pedigree."

Ford and Dodge both plan to field pony cars as entries for new car in Nationwide. Dodge is using the Challenger while Chevrolet and Toyota plan to continue to use the same models as in Cup (Impala and Camry, respectively).

Even the graphic decal design of the Mustang distinguishes it from current cars in NASCAR.

There are door outlines, decals for door handles, license plates and the GT logo on the rear of the car. It uses a rear spoiler and a front "lip" rather than a splitter currently on Cup cars.

"I would have started with Mustang (in NASCAR) way back," said Edsel Ford II, a member of the Ford Board of Directors. "It is our performance car.

"Wouldn't it be great if Nationwide was where we all got down and dirty like we did in the Trans Am days? The Mustangs, the Camaros and Dodges were all there. That's all-American racing to me."

Colin Braun, who will drive Mustang for Roush Fenway next season, said he looks forward to being one of the first to introduce the car to NASCAR competition.

"There is a big following of the Mustang brand and it will be neat to have those people come and get behind the program," he said. "I think this car, with the identity it has from the front especially, really is pretty distinct."

Notes

Crew chief changes coming?

Roush Fenway Racing owner Jack Roush said Tuesday he is considering making some crew chief changes on the four Cup teams he will field next season.

"We're looking at some crew chief reassignments for next year but certainly no wholesale changes are going to occur," Roush said.

Two of Roush's five Cup teams this season - Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards - made the Chase but Matt Kenseth is the only driver to register any Cup wins (he has two).

Roush also plans to field three fulltime Nationwide teams next year with Braun, Ricky Stenhouse and Edwards.

Crew member suspended

Robert Good, a crew member for the No. 26 team in the Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body's substance abuse policy.

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