Ford still using NASCAR to launch new products

Ford Racing cut its budget for 2009, but the manufacturer is using money from other programs to launch some new marketing initiatives aimed at NASCAR race fans, including a new display at Daytona International Speedway in the days leading up to Sunday’s Daytona 500. The 10,000-square-foot display includes 2010 Ford brands such as the Taurus, Mustang, Raptor and a Fusion hybrid. It is being paid for from a budget to promote new brands, including some that are not even on the road yet and have not been introduced at a major car show. The display is one of the ways the manufacturer hopes to get the most out of NASCAR while having a budget that is smaller than in the past. “My Ford Racing expenditures are considerably less this year than last year," said Ford Racing NASCAR Marketing Manager Tim Duerr. “The midway display at Daytona is being funded by the Ford brand team utilizing what we call new-product launch funding. … It’s part of the budget that Ford has to launch new vehicles." The display is Ford’s second biggest at-track activation for the year. The biggest will come at Homestead-Miami Speedway as part of the Ford-sponsored final weekend of the season. Ford is a sponsor of the Kentucky Truck race, and Ford’s dealers also made a deal with Bristol Motor Speedway, and there will be displays there. Ford has the same number of full-time cars this year as the Wood Brothers went from a full schedule to a part-time schedule, but Yates Racing added Bobby Labonte as part of a partnership with Hall of Fame Racing. SceneDaily