Pretoria, - Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa was honoured for its ‘Outstanding Achievement in Motorsport 2009’ by Motorsport South Africa (MSA), the sport’s governing body, at a gala award ceremony on Saturday 5 December.
Team Ford Racing excelled in this year’s Bridgestone Production Car Championship as well as the ABSA Off Road championship.
Gary Formato claimed the 2009 Bridgestone Production Car Class T championship in his Ford Focus ST, making him the first track championship for Ford since Sarel van der Merwe in 1993.
Ford became the first South African team to enter a diesel powered derivative in the premier SP class of the ABSA Off Road Championship this year. Off Road Racing stalwarts Neil Woolridge and Kenny Skjoldhammer spearheaded the challenge with the newly introduced Ford Ranger 3,2 TDCi.
Introducing a new vehicle to the fray brings with it many challenges but introducing a technology that had never utilised before, as Ford did with the diesel Ranger, was no small feat.
“We are extremely proud to receive this award from MSA, and I would like to thank everyone involved with Team Ford Racing for an outstanding effort this season,” said Ben Pillay, Marketing Manager, Ford.
Ford has a long and illustrious history in motorsport. Henry Ford first introduced the marque to the fray over a century ago at Grosse Pointe in Michigan in “the race that changed the world”.
The car, with Henry Ford at the wheel, won first time out, beating highly fancied competitors. Since that day, when Henry Ford won his one and only motor race, Ford has been ever-present at the heart of motorsport.
The brands involvement in the sport is staggering having competed in all the leading Formulae including: the Formula 1 World Championship; the World Rally Championship; NASCAR, Indy Car, various Touring Car Championships around the globe, the Le Mans 24-Hour Endurance Race, Formula Junior, Formula 3, Formula 2 and of course Formula Ford, to name just a few
Closer to home, Ford has successfully been involved in numerous disciplines of racing in South Africa and is honoured to continue to be recognised as a leader in the game.
“The Production Car team had a trying year but they fought tooth and nail to clinch the title at the final outing. The Off Road team also did an exceptional job taking the bull by the horns and introducing a diesel contender to the top echelons of Off Road racing. Their progress with the Ford Ranger 3,2 TDCi will pave the way for others to follow as diesel powered cars become a formidable contender in the motorsport arena,” concluded Pillay.