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ESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval

10K views 29 replies 14 participants last post by  transam396 
#1 ·
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ford, Racing

Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Race Car - Click above for high-res image gallery

Forget the Fusion, Ford is making a move to bring the Mustang to Nascar's Sprint Cup Series. Ford has informed NASCAR decisionmakers that it wishes to begin racing the Mustang in the highest level of left-turning motorsports.

Replacing the Fusion is a process that could take all year, and Ford is required to show that the Mustang is a competitive equal to the cars it will race against. The reason behind the move is that Ford wants to show fans they can buy a car right off the showroom floor that mimics the one they watch every weekend on TV.

As fans of the roundy round are already aware, the Blue Oval already races a Mustang stock car in NASCAR - in the Nationwide Series. The pony car shown above made its competition debut last July during the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

We understand you can't purchase the same exact Mustang that will be hunting down rival racers around the county. In fact, we already know that you won't be able to purchase anything like a Sprint Cup Mustang for street use. But Ford knows that millions of people tune-in and show up to support their favorite drivers and brands. At least on some level, adding the Mustang to the mix makes more sense since the production car provides real driving thrills for its owners. Besides, unlike the Fusion, it's actually available in a coupe bodystyle like those used in NASCAR.

Now... if we can get Chevrolet to bring in the Camaro and Dodge to show up with the Challenger, we could be on the cusp of something special. Thanks for the tip, JR!


Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang NASCAR Nationwide Series race car


[Source: ESPN]ESPN: Ford submits Mustang for 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup approval originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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#6 ·
Why not just run the Miata?
Last time I checked, the Mustang is not a Mid-sized car, so how does NASCAR rationalize the Mustang?

So next year is NASCAR going to let INDY cars run too? IMHO the only difference between NASCAR and INDY is open wheel and INDY doesn't allow wrecking.
 
#12 · (Edited)
They need to bring back full size coupes in Nascar, that would force carmakers to actually start making fullsize coupes again and prompting the likely return of the Thunderbird and the Monte Carlo. I think the cars can use spaceframes but should use exact sheet metal and engines from the production cars...

Bring back this:

MN12 NASCAR



 
#13 ·
......I think the cars can use spaceframes but should use exact sheet metal and engines from the production cars...
I agree with this.

I read part of the report on NASCAR Mustangs and remember it stating that NASCAR was losing some of its appeal due to the fact that all the cars look alike. You can't tell what they are unless you have time to read the stickers! So as long as they used the exact shape of the real car, I'd be ok with it. I don't even care if its stock sheetmetal (I mean lets face it, even back in 69 when they were racing Mustans in TransAm series they were acid dipping the bodies.) But make them recognizable. That will help the "win on Sunday sell on Monday" idea come back.

I don't even care if Ford wants to race Mustangs in NASCAR (IF NASCAR approves it... that has yet to be seen yet). I'd rather they brought back the full/midsize coupes but at this point.....

Also seem to remember them saying that NASCAR had finally approved Fuel Injection!.. Now if only they'd say "go ahead and use the factory style engines.. (would love to see what the race teams could do with a DOHC Mod motor in a NASCAR racer)
 
#14 ·
Hate to brake it to ya but the MN-12 is MidSized, yeah its a technicality to get into NASCAR but still is officially a mid-size. So were all the cars from the past (well since 66).

NASCAR offers no real innovation since it uses a 30y/o fuel system (out of use), and providing the teams with a car so that the manufacture has to do nothing plus the use of non production engines.

The pony car is not compact class but the small class.
 
#21 ·
Hate to brake it to ya but the MN-12 is MidSized, yeah its a technicality to get into NASCAR but still is officially a mid-size. So were all the cars from the past (well since 66).NASCAR offers no real innovation since it uses a 30y/o fuel system (out of use), and providing the teams with a car so that the manufacture has to do nothing plus the use of non production engines.

The pony car is not compact class but the small class.
i don't think i would call my 73 bird a mid size car.....I would hate to see what a full size would look like then!

 
#18 ·
No on both counts. There's a difference between a ******* and a Good Ol'Boy!

You, my friends, are the latter in the best sense of the term. :zbeer:

No offense intended. If so, I do apologize.

I'm just a damn Yankee from Ohio myself, what do I know about NASCAR? ...

I like those pictures Paul. How long ago was that??
 
#20 ·
years??

Hi All

Well the second picture was taken in 05:cool:

First was taken in 09.
I kept it to show the awful rear tire cant.:thumbsd:

Was fixed with some of DLF's lower control arm bushings, I hope.
The car was way better.:rofl:

Bent most everything on the RF after BIG Contact with the wall.
Another car put me into the wall.:zbash:


Car was not the same after the crash.:zraped:

Keep in mind this is the same car. Been running it for 7 years.
Hope to use this year until I finish my 96 to replace it.:headbang:
Not the same body!!:gapteeth:

Scheduled to run in the 08 season! oops lol:zdunno:
 
#24 ·
Its funny that even the mn12s were called midsize, my friend has a 2002 BMW 745i and my car is 7/10 of an inch longer than his, and his is a "full size" four door.

I never thought my Thunderbird was a "big car" until I saw that.
 
#23 ·
I gave up on NASCAR a few years back when everyone started complaining about things having to be equal and companies complaining about other companies having an advantage. Yeah That's how racing should be. NASCAR may as well just be another IROC series.

I've got a butt-ton of NASCAR collectibles I need to try to start selling off.
 
#25 ·
Well the kicker is the FN-10 (MK8) has the same will base but over all is 3inches longer than the MN-12.
 
#26 ·
Atleast the Mustang is a RWD that is sold to the public and is raced and not like the FWD cars today that is in Nascar!!!
 
#27 ·
Ford's run the Mustang in NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup/Nextel Cup/Sprint Cup racing before ...Bobby Allison drove one to a win in '71

It seems funny that NASCAR is saying "Ford is required to show that the Mustang is a competitive equal to the cars it will race against. The reason behind the move is that Ford wants to show fans they can buy a car right off the showroom floor that mimics the one they watch every weekend on TV." With the new race cars, the only thing different are the decals. Even when they ran the Fusion, Camry, Charger, and Monte Carlo bodies, they were so twisted they lost the connections.

Now, through the '80s and '90s, they had to use a factory supplied nose, hood, roof, trunk, and rear end piece. If they were to go BACK to something like that, I'd dig it.
 
#28 ·
Now, through the '80s and '90s, they had to use a factory supplied nose, hood, roof, trunk, and rear end piece. If they were to go BACK to something like that, I'd dig it.
See post 12. :)
 
#30 ·
I work a souvenior stand at ATL motor speedway every year and i gotta tell you that some of the people that come to the track could be there on momma's and daddy's!!!! but there are some freakin hotties that come to the race too!

But the economic boom that the local communties get are pretty darn great too.

and its a pretty da@n awesome feeling when they have a good flyby or when you have all 43 cars bunched up and they go by at full speed and you can feel your chest shake from all that power.

But with all that being said I really wish they would get back to there roots with cars that you can acutally tell what it is with out reading the darn stickers!!
 
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