Ford Motor Co. is hoping NASCAR's biggest race--the Daytona 500--will catapult sales of the Ford Fusion to new levels. Eight of the cars debuted in the race on Sunday, and one of them, driven by
Elliott Sadler, finished fourth. The automaker also launched a new Fusion ad campaign Sunday to coincide with the car's appearance in the race. Ford is hoping that the NASCAR marketing helps emphasize
the brand's American appeal and also helps it connect with more women, Anne Stevens, COO of Ford's Americas division, said. "I believe that vehicles are very passionate, emotional extensions of
ourselves," said Stevens, a lifelong racing fan who also is involved in promoting female racecar drivers. "Some people choose to just get in a car, put in a key and drive. For me, racing is a very
passionate sport." Ford is hoping its efforts will drive awareness and excitement about the Fusion and drive potential buyers into showrooms. The Fusion was introduced last summer and is already doing
relatively well, experts say. Last month, consumers bought 9,999 Ford Fusions, a robust level that the company is hoping to grow even more.
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