Ford Re-ups NASCAR Commitment: Industry turmoil won't interrupt racing effort

Auto industry turmoil notwithstanding, Ford Motor Company has agreed to continue supporting Roush Fenway Racing in NASCAR's major series. The multi-year agreement also extends to two other Ford-backed NASCAR teams - Yates Racing and Wood Brothers Racing.

Although highly leveraged and facing a stagnant market focused on fuel efficient vehicles, Ford has nonetheless made the decision to maintain its high performance image by extending its motorsports support programs. "It's great to see Ford's continued commitment to not just Roush Fenway, but [to] the great sport of racing," said team principal Jack Roush.

How Ford's announcement plays at General Motors and Chrysler is a matter of speculation. Both of the latter support racing - oval track, road racing and drag racing. Both are also deep in mutual merger talks. Will racing be one of the combined-company redundancies to be reorganized? Assuming GM becomes the absorbing entity, would the Dodge brand continue and, if so, would its storied performance image continue to be marketed through motorsports?

Will Nissan's offer earlier today to purchase 20 percent of Chrysler and thus maintain the company's brands play into the merger equation? Whatever the case, Ford has made a marketing statement with today's announcement and, as such, has slipped yet another side issue into the GM-Chrysler talks.