DEARBORN, Mich, April 18, 2024 – Fresh off a memorable 60th anniversary Mustang event in Charlotte on April 17, the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse will make its NASCAR pace car debut this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.
In honor of Mustang’s birthday, the pace car will sport a special 60th anniversary decal recognizing the milestone as will all Ford cars racing in the event.
“This has been a great week of recognizing all that Mustang has brought to us at Ford and Ford Performance over the last 60 years, and we’re excited to keep that momentum going this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway,” said Jeannee Kirkaldy, global motorsports marketing manager, Ford Performance Motorsports. “We’ve made it clear how important Mustang is to us by racing it all around the world, including here in the United States, where drivers, fans and media have embraced the Ford Mustang Dark Horse model in NASCAR.”
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse swept the front row in three of the first five races this season, which included Team Penske driver Joey Logano winning the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500 with a speed of 181.947 mph.
“There’s no question that our Ford Mustang Dark Horse has speed and is the best-looking car on the track,” said defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney. “I think the Ford Performance group has done a great job getting the car ready for this season, and hopefully we can end Mustang Week on a good note by winning on Sunday.”
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse is the most track-capable 5.0-liter V8 street legal Mustang ever thanks to a special team of engineers that worked for more than three years on creating the new model.
This marks the first of six races in which the world’s best-selling sports car will take its place in front of the field with races at Dover Motor Speedway (Apr. 26-28), Darlington Raceway (May 10-12), Nashville Superspeedway (June 28-30), Chicago Street Race (July 5-7) and Martinsville Speedway (Nov. 1-3) scheduled as well.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse will pace the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday before taking center stage at the front of the NASCAR Cup Series field for Sunday’s 500-mile race, which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok and YouTube.
