SUMMARY

• The Ford Performance Technical Center in Concord, NC, opened in 2014.  The facility serves as a center of excellence for Ford NASCAR and IMSA race teams to test theories and refine driving skills through use of the full-motion platform simulator.

• In addition to enhancing on-track preparation, the building also houses dedicated product engineers that help transfer knowledge from racing into Ford production vehicles.

• The growing facility also includes a sheetmetal warehouse and various machines to test vehicles.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/6uH23IbgQFU

CONTEXT / BACKGROUND
The Ford Performance Technical Center is a 33,000-square-foot facility located in Concord, NC, which is where many of Ford’s NASCAR teams are based.  The building opened in May of 2014 and was designed to house all of the program’s technical resources.  Since then, it has continued to grow and has seen Ford teams in NASCAR and IMSA utilize such components as the full-motion platform simulator to maximize performance on the track.  In addition to helping improve all aspects of the racing program, the center also provides space where product engineers can analyze data and incorporate racing technology into Ford performance vehicles.

DETAILS
Mark Rushbrook, Motorsports Engineering Manager, Ford Performance
Pat DiMarco, NASCAR Program Supervisor, Ford Performance
Ryan Briscoe, IMSA Driver, No. 67 Ford GT
Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion

Video is a full-packaged feature that includes comments from Mark Rushbrook, Pat DiMarco, Ryan Briscoe and Joey Logano.

QUOTES
“I think this facility is a showcase for what we’re doing because it’s combining all of our technical resources into one place.  It shows that we’re here with a real commitment, not just for today but continuing to grow into the future with NASCAR and all of our other motorsports programs.”

“Motorsports racing is a very fast-moving industry and the auto industry is very fast-moving.  In order to amplify what we’re doing by having this facility, we’re able to invest, we’re able to react, we’re able to plan for the future to keep up with everything and, with innovation, move ahead.”

Mark Rushbrook
Motorsports Engineering Manager
Ford Performance

“The facility is growing.  As we add more technology and more teams and more engineers, the engineers need things to do and tools to use and this is the enabler for us to do that.”

Pat DiMarco
NASCAR Program Manager
Ford Performance

“It’s great.  When you get in there and you turn the lights out and you’ve got the projector up and running it feels like you’re in your race car.”

Ryan Briscoe
IMSA Driver
No. 67 Ford GT

“I think the first reaction when you look at the simulator or jump in it to drive for the first time is the realism of it.  You sit inside the car and you strap in and you feel like you’re in a race car.  Everything is in the right spot.  The switches are where they typically are.  The shifter is located in the same spot.  The visuals are all the same.  I think that kind of gives you that feeling that you’re in a race car and you’re at the race track.”

Joey Logano
NASCAR Driver
No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion