Ford teamed up with Roush Fenway Racing and Con-way Freight to unveil the No. 16 Con-way Freight Mustang.
Truck Series 2008 Rookie of the Year Colin Braun Will Drive the No. 16 Con-way Freight Mustang
CONCORD, N.C., October 13, 2009 – A new era of Mustang racing rolled out here today, piloted by an All-American driver and with a returning sponsor familiar to loyal NASCAR fans.
Three major events were rolled into one today as Ford teamed up with Roush Fenway Racing and Con-way Freight to unveil the No. 16 Con-way Freight Mustang with driver Colin Braun at Roush Fenway Racing headquarters in Concord, N.C.
Ford announced in July that Mustang, the iconic pony car that has raced for all 45 years of its existence, would compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning in July 2010 when a limited rollout of NASCAR’s new car begins at Daytona International Speedway. Today marked the first time the NASCAR Mustang was seen in public.
Braun, 21, a native of Ovalo, Texas, will make the move from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he was the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, to a full-time Nationwide program next season, along with Con-way Freight, which has been his sponsor for the last two years. Roush Fenway and Con-way Freight recently agreed on a contract extension to remain as a primary sponsor for 18 Nationwide races within the organization.
“I’m so happy that Con-way Freight decided to move up with me to the Nationwide Series for 2010,” Braun said. “They have been a great sponsor for the past two years in the truck series so it means a lot to me that they will continue to support me in the future. I’m also looking forward to driving a Mustang next year. I’ve always thought they are such incredible cars, but have never owned one. Maybe when I win my first race the guys at Ford will want to give me one of my own.”
Mustang has a storied history in motorsports and can claim more than 2,000 professional race wins worldwide. Its iconic standing in the auto industry aside, Mustang brings a breath of fresh air and new sense of excitement to the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
“This truly marks the start of the next era of Mustang racing,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “We fully expect this Mustang, with drivers like Colin behind the wheel, to start to enjoy the kind of success so many other Mustang racing programs have enjoyed throughout the last four decades.
“Mustang is a proud and historic brand for Ford. This is a car born to race, and NASCAR is the next logical step for its racing pedigree.”
Braun and Con-way Freight have had good success together and are experiencing a breakout season in 2009. Braun started the season by capturing his first of his three poles to date in the season-opening race at Daytona, and followed that up with his first NASCAR win, which came at Michigan International Speedway in June. He finished 13th in the point standings last year and currently sits seventh with five races remaining this season.
“We’re excited to help unveil the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Mustang, and to announce Con-way Freight’s first-ever sponsorship in the Nationwide Series,” said John G. Labrie, president, Con-way Freight. “The opportunity to continue working with Ford, Roush Fenway Racing and Colin Braun is a great one for us. Colin’s talent on the track and competitive spirit remind us of our more than 20,000 employees and the commitment they bring to their jobs every day. All of us at Con-way Freight look forward to supporting Colin all the way to another Rookie of the Year win in 2010.”
Con-way Freight’s first venture into racing took place in 2005. In 2006, the company rebranded and changed its name, and a racing sponsorship provided an ideal opportunity to build awareness of the Con-way Freight brand in an entertaining and exciting way for both customers and employees.
“Through the first five years of Con-way Racing, we saw that the program was a huge win for Con-way Freight and our customers, so we made the decision to move forward with a new affiliation with Ford, Roush Fenway Racing and Colin Braun,” said Bill Wynne, vice president of marketing, Con-way Freight. “We’ve seen tremendous rewards from those relationships, and that’s why we’re here today to announce a new era of Con-way Racing action in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.”
Mustang currently competes professionally in the NHRA Funny Car and Pro Stock divisions and places like the Grand-Am KONI Challenge, SCCA World Challenge, and the Mustang Challenge Series. In addition, thousands of Mustangs see action by grassroots racers at road courses and drag strips all across America.
“I have been a Mustang owner and enthusiast for many years myself so this is an exciting day to see this car racing in NASCAR,” said car owner Jack Roush. “My teams have won several road racing championships over the years in Mustangs, and I look forward to winning more with Colin, Carl (Edwards) and Ricky (Stenhouse, Jr.). With the continued support of Ford and Con-way Freight we plan to give Colin the opportunity for his second Rookie of the Year title in NASCAR, and ultimately a Nationwide Series championship.”
Overall, Roush Fenway Racing has the most all-time victories in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with 107 and two driver championships, courtesy of Greg Biffle (2002) and Carl Edwards (2007).
About Ford North America Motorsports
Ford North America Motorsports, based in Dearborn, Mich., is responsible for major racing operations in North America, including NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck), Grand American sports car racing, NHRA drag racing, USAC midget car racing and the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Ford North America Motorsports 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.
About Roush-Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating nine motorsports teams. Five in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Ragan, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the Camping World Truck Series with Braun. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com. For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.
About Con-way Freight
Con-way Freight is the industry’s leading less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation company, providing guaranteed, day-definite regional and transcontinental service with exception-free delivery, on-time service performance and faster transit times through a single, unified network of more than 300 service centers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Con-way Freight offers LTL freight transportation across North America and through Global LTLTM delivery in the United States from around the world. Global solutions include international less-than-container (LCL) ocean shipments from Asia through its OceanGuaranteed® service; expedited U.S. delivery for inbound international cargoes from Europe through an exclusive alliance with TNT; direct service to more than 30 Bahamian and Caribbean ports through TropicalDirectSM; and domestic offshore transportation to Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Con-way Freight is a certified FAST highway carrier and is ISO 9001- and 14001-, C-TPAT/PIP, ACE- and CSA-certified.
Con-way Freight is a subsidiary of Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW), a $5 billion diversified freight transportation and logistics services company. For more information, visit www.con-way.com/en/freight.
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