Ford Escape to pace Kentucky NASCAR race

Ed Green | Business First

The Ford Escape will be the pace car for the 2012 Quaker State 400 NASCAR race at Kentucky Speedway.

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Officials with the Sparta, Ky., racetrack, where the Quaker State 400 Sprint Series race will be held next month, made that announcement Tuesday at Ford?s (NYSE: F) Louisville Assembly Plant.

Also on hand for the announcement was Roush Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth, who races the No. 17 Ford Fusion on the NASCAR circuit.

After a $600 million retooling of the Louisville Assembly Plant, Ford began production of the newly designed Escape compact SUV late last year.

John Savona, plant manager, said the company has begun shipments of the vehicles to dealers and has expanded employment to about 3,200 workers on two shifts. A third shift will be added later this year, he said, adding more than 1,000 more jobs at the plant.

Total employment there is expected to reach about 4,600 this year.

Savona said he is excited the Escape model is getting attention through marketing events such as the NASCAR race.

The Escape will retail for $22,000 to about $32,400.

?The way we are approaching vehicle rollouts is kind of in an evolution,? Savona said, referring to the use of social media and television programs to promote the vehicle?s new design.

?We are really proud to be a sponsor of the pace car,? he said. ?This year, obviously, the vehicle being made right here in Kentucky is really important to the city of Louisville and the state of Kentucky.?

Ed Green manages day-to-day operations of Business First's Web site.

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