- Carl Edwards was the top Ford driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Darlington, S.C., finishing second in the No. 99 Fusion after beginning the race from the 36th position. Edwards moved up three spots in the standings to seventh place.
- Greg Biffle took his first Sprint Cup pole position of the season, setting a new track record in the process.
- Marcos Ambrose was the top Ford driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Darlington, S.C., finishing 10th in the No. 59 Fusion. Ambrose moved up two spots in the standings to 14th place.
DEARBORN, Mich., May 11, 2008 - Greg Biffle captured his first pole position of the season, and Carl Edwards led a charge of four Ford Fusion finishers in the top eight spots at historic Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, topping this weekend's Ford Racing action.
Edwards scored a strong second-place finish in the Saturday night NASCAR Sprint Cup race, moving him up three spots in the standings to seventh place. Edwards began the race from the 36th position and was able to work his way all the way to the front, proving to have one of the more dominant cars. The result marked the fifth time in 11 races this season that Edwards has finished fifth or better.
David Ragan and Matt Kenseth weren't far behind, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Ragan, who has strung together two top-five finishes in the last three races, moved up two spots in the standings to 12th place, the final spot above the Chase line.
"Darlington is just something special. It's an awesome track," said Ragan. "You're running laps out there, and you think about the guys who made this place famous like Cale Yarborough, Bill Elliott, David Pearson and people like that. It just makes you realize how fortunate we are to come out here and race at such a cool track. It's definitely one of the best on the circuit. We had a lot fun."
Also finishing in the top 10 was Travis Kvapil in his No. 28 Fusion, who was eighth. Jamie McMurray just missed a top-10 finish, crossing the line in 11th place.
Biffle almost added to Ford's success as he began the race from the pole position and had one of the more dominant cars early on. Biffle held the lead seven times for a total of 95 laps before encountering mechanical issues while leading on lap 234. Biffle eventually finished 43rd.
Ford drivers had a difficult time in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Matt Kenseth was leading with only 26 laps remaining, but a loose wheel forced him into the pits early. Kelly Bires was poised for a top-10 finish when he was collected in a wreck on a late restart.
Marcos Ambrose did survive the night without any major issues in his No. 59 Fusion and came away with a 10th place finish.
"We just fought the track all night and got a top 10 out of it," said Ambrose. "I'm pretty pleased. We got lucky once or twice out there with caution flags and stuff, but we finished in the top 10 and for us, with where we're at right now, I think we can really use that as a way to move forward."
Next weekend, NASCAR will be in Charlotte, N.C., where the Sprint Cup Series will hold its annual All-Star Race, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return to action in a Friday night event. The NHRA will be in Bristol, Tenn., while Mustangs will be competing in races in three series: the Grand-Am Rolex Series race in Salinas, Calif., and the FIA GT3 European Championship and the GT4 European Cup races at Monza in Italy.
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Ford Racing Technology
Ford Racing Technology, based in Dearborn, MI, is responsible for major racing operations in North America, including NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Craftsman Truck), Grand American sports car racing, NHRA drag racing, USAC midget car racing and the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Ford Racing also oversees the development and marketing of Ford Racing Engines and Performance Parts, the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts, and the marketing of the Ford Racing brand through initiatives such as Team Ford Racing. For more information regarding Ford Racing's activities, please visit www.fordracing.com.