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 Sundays 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. “¦ Its part of the budget that Ford has to launch new vehicles.” The display is Fords 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 Fords 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)(2-11-2009)
