By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor
After eight seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Ford is finally electing to bring their Mustang model to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
The manufacturer announced Tuesday their intent to replace the current Ford Fusion utilized by Cup teams with the Mustang beginning in 2019, marking the first time the popular model will be used in NASCAR’s premier series. Mustang will be the fourth Ford model utilized on the tour, following the Thunderbird, Taurus and Fusion.
“Mustang is a car that is woven into the fabric of our country, and it’s only right that we put it on the track in NASCAR’s most visible series, Edsel B. Ford II, a member of Ford Motor
Company’s board of directors said in a release. “I can’t wait.”
Mustang has been utilized in the Xfinity Series since 2011, delivering Ford a host of owner’s championships – most notably in four of the past five seasons with Team Penske – as well as three driver’s championships with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2011, ’12) and Chris Buescher (2015). The company currently has six organizations competing at the Cup level
“We’re combining America’s favorite sports car with America’s top stock car racing series,” Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports said. “Mustang always has been about affordable performance, which can be traced to innovations we’ve made competing in racing, like NASCAR. Mustang is a perfect fit for our racing heritage today and tomorrow.”
The announcement comes after public feedback from Ford teams and drivers urging the manufacturer to make a new car that can compete with rival brands Toyota and Chevrolet, which have each unveiled new cars in the past two seasons.
Team Penske driver and 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski was the most vocal about the need for change, saying that the Blue Ovals would “take a drubbing” in 2018 and beyond if they didn’t design a new car at Homestead-Miami Speedway last season. However, in the time since Stewart-Haas Racing have delivered Ford four wins in the opening eight races, the most wins for any manufacturer in the young 2018 season.
Mustang is currently going through initial testing, with intent to be formally submitted to NASCAR and subsequently unveiled this summer. The first planned points race for the machines will be the season-opening Daytona 500 on February 17, 2019.
The company currently has six teams competing at the Cup level – Wood Brothers Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Team Penske, Stewart-Haas Racing, Front Row Motorsports and Go Fas Racing. The NASCAR announcement comes just one day after Ford unveiled plans to re-enter the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship in 2019 with DJR Team Penske.