Dearborn’s Ford Unveils 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang Racecar, Will Debut at Daytona

Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is unveiling the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang racecar, which marks the fifth all-new motorsports Mustang unveiled in the past year. It joins the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the National Hot Rod Association Funny Car division, Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, and grassroots Cobra Jet.
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2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang racecar
Ford has unveiled its 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang racecar, expected to debut at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15, 2020. // Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Co.

Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is unveiling the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang racecar, which marks the fifth all-new motorsports Mustang unveiled in the past year. It joins the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the National Hot Rod Association Funny Car division, Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, and grassroots Cobra Jet.

The new NASCAR Xfinity Series Mustang will debut at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15, 2020.

The racing Mustangs were developed by Ford’s engineering and aerodynamics teams from the Ford Performance Technical Center in North Carolina. The facility has evolved from a racing-only facility to a test bed of development for production vehicles and motorsports, including the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500.

“We’ve always talked about Mustang being a car that was born to race, and it’s been gratifying to see it performing so well in multiple series around the world,” says Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “It’s a credit to all of our engineers and teams that have worked so hard to make Mustang a championship contender right out of the box.”

In the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, the new Mustang won 17 of the first 20 races of the season and won the Supercars Manufacturer’s Championship halfway through the season. DJR Penske won 16 of the events, including defending champion Scott McLaughlin’s 14 victories.

Ford also competes with the Mustang GT4 in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Series in North America and the FIA British GT4 Championship in Europe.

In 2019, team Penske captured five of the first 15 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events with drivers Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick has also won two cup events, including a recent event at Michigan International Speedway.

“Ford and NASCAR have enjoyed a long and storied partnership, and the iconic Mustang has solidified its place within that legacy with an impressive performance in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” says Ben Kennedy, managing director of racing operations and international development for NASCAR. “We’re looking forward to seeing what the newest generation of the Mustang will do on the track.”

In the NHRA Funny Car drag racing competition, Bob Tasca III won back-to-back events in Tennessee and Ohio.

The previous Xfinity Mustang started racing full time in 2011, winning the driver’s championship three times and the owner’s title on six occasions.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won back-to-back driver’s championships in 2011 and 2012, with car owner Jack Roush taking the manufacturer’s crown in 2011. Chris Buescher followed with the driver’s title in 2015 while fellow Ford owner Roger Penske capped off a run that saw him win three straight owner’s championships.  Penske added a fourth owner’s title in 2017 before Tony Stewart and Gene Haas won their first with driver Cole Custer last season.