New Ford Commercial Featuring Carl Edwards Airs Tonight During NCAA Men’s Championship

• The 2013 Ford Taurus ad campaign television spots debut this week, aiming to surprise car buyers in the same way participating engineers were surprised
• The spots center around Taurus engineers sharing hot laps on a curvy, hilly California racetrack with NASCAR driver Carl Edwards
• The series of commercials aims to demonstrate Taurus capability under extreme closed-course conditions, showing how the car has evolved from practical transportation to an authentic, athletic sport sedan

Nine Ford engineers received the surprise of a lifetime when they arrived at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. in January to shoot what they thought was a straightforward television commercialfor the 2013 Ford Taurus.  Instead, they got a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how Ford’s flagship sedan performs under very extreme driving conditions with none other than famed NASCAR driver Carl Edwards behind the wheel. 

All of the action and excitement was captured on tape and will air in the form of 30-second national television commercials beginning April 2. Longer digital versions of the spots and additionalcontent will be featured at www.ford.com/Taurus. 

Edwards was gunning a 2013 Taurus SHO – equipped with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine – to speeds up to 120 mph, smoking thetires around tight curves and tearing up the straightaway.  All of the engineers arrived thinking they would be asked to talk about Taurus technologies, but instead took hot lap turns in the passenger’s seat.

For a sneak preview of the new Taurus television spot, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY0_4Pogd1s.

Carl Edwards to Co-Host “LIVE! with Kelly” on January 10

CONCORD, N.C. (Jan. 3, 2012) – Carl Edwards will take a turn co-hosting the syndicated morning program “LIVE! with Kelly” on Tuesday, January 10, during  a special themed week of sports co-hosts with Kelly Ripa.

Edwards was selected along with Reggie Bush, Boomer Esiason, Jesse Palmer and Apolo Anton Ohno. Actress Kate Beckinsale will be a guest on the show when Edwards co-hosts with Ripa.

Edwards was a guest on the popular show last June after his win in the Sprint All-Star race, and has appeared in the past with the NASCAR Chase contenders.  This will be his first stint as co-host.

“LIVE! with Kelly” is distributed in national syndication by Disney-ABC Domestic Television.  Produced by WABC-TV in New York and executive produced by Michael Gelman, “LIVE! with Kelly” airs in more than 200 markets across the U.S.

Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating in both the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series with drivers Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne. Celebrating 25 winning years in 2012, Roush Fenway is the leader in NASCAR marketing solutions with its exclusive Roush Fenway OnTrack sponsorship measurement services, motorsport’s only team-focused TV show, and its social marketing channel RickyvsTrevor.com bringing unmatched brand opportunities to sponsors. Visit www.RoushFenway.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roushfenway and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway. 

More Than 50 NASCAR Drivers To Appear At NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented By Sprint

Drivers To Sign Autographs And Interact With Fans At Inaugural Fan Event

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 16, 2011) – More than 50 drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are now confirmed to appear at the inaugural NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint, scheduled for Jan. 21 in Charlotte, N.C. Race fans will have the chance to meet top competitors of the sport during the all-day fan event located inside the Charlotte Convention Center.

NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint will offer a festival-like experience for fans that features driver autograph and question-and-answer sessions, show car appearances, simulators, games and more. The fan event is one of several events that comprise NASCAR Acceleration Weekend, which begins Friday, Jan. 20 with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Class of 2012 inductees Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough. Following Saturday’s NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint event will be the unveiling of the Class of 2012 exhibits in the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Sunday, Jan. 22.

“I’m really excited about this event coming back because I was sad it went away in the first place,” said Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet. “There are going to be plenty of chances for race fans to see their favorite drivers and get excited for another great season. It’s also a great opportunity to raise awareness of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the Induction Ceremony that is taking place on that Friday.”

2011 champions Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Dillon plus other drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will sign autographs in the Ballroom and the Exhibit Hall at the Charlotte Convention Center starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Driver Appearance Times (Ballroom)

9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson

11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski

12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. – Greg Biffle

12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman

2:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya

3:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. – Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart

*Please note, Kevin Harvick will now be appearing from 11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Driver Appearance Times (Exhibit Hall)

9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, David Ragan, Justin Allgaier, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Timmy Hill, Blake Koch, Travis Pastrana, Timothy Peters

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Marcos Ambrose, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Regan Smith, Brian Vickers, Aric Almirola, Trevor Bayne, Brian Scott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Sweet, Cale Gale, Justin Lofton, Todd Peck

12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Michael Annett, Elliott Sadler, Mike Wallace, Dakoda Armstrong, Johnny Sauter, Parker Kligerman

2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr., Austin Dillon, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Wallace, Joey Coulter, Ty Dillon, Brendan Gaughan, Tim George Jr.

Beginning Saturday at 7 a.m. in the Charlotte Convention Center Ballroom, wristbands will be distributed to a limited number of fans to get into the Ballroom where several of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will be signing autographs. Recipients must have an event ticket to be eligible to receive a wristband.

Additional driver appearances from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, plus all four living 2012 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, will be announced at a later date. Appearance times are subject to change.

Fans will have the opportunity to purchase new 2012 NASCAR merchandise at the NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint. New items for 2012 include NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee merchandise, new 1:24 and 1:64 scale die cast cars, 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule t-shirts and new driver merchandise featuring Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and more.

Tickets to NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint are available now starting at just $10 for individual event admission at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available the day of the event for $15. A discounted $20 combo ticket includes admission to both the Preview event and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, while a $299 VIP weekend package includes all NASCAR Acceleration Weekend events, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

For additional information and updates on driver appearances, visit www.NASCARAcceleration2012.com.

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About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is Grand-Am Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway will air Feb. 26 on FOX. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About NASCAR Hall of Fame
Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened May 11, 2010 and includes artifacts, hands-on exhibits, 278-person state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop and NASCAR Media Group-operated broadcast studio. The venue is opened 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week and has an attached parking garage on Brevard Street. The five-acre site also includes a privately developed 19-story office tower and 102,000 square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center, highlighted by a 40,000 square-foot ballroom. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is owned by the City of Charlotte, licensed by NASCAR and operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. www.NASCARHall.com and Twitter: @NascarHall.