RPM's No. 19 goes Petty blue for Michigan

THE No. 19 RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS FORD FUSION GOES PETTY BLUE IN SUPPORT OF THE HENRY FORD

Concord, N.C. (August 10, 2010) -- The No. 19 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Fusion, driven by Elliott Sadler in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will go Petty Blue at Michigan International Speedway this weekend to help highlight awareness of Racing in America, a planned American racing exhibition set for permanent display in the Dearborn, Mich.-based Henry Ford Museum.

The one-of-a-kind exhibition will cover all forms of American auto racing through the lens of innovation, powered by highly interactive displays and frontier-stretching technologies. Racing in America will bring auto racing to life with history's greatest and most significant vehicles, the personal stories and collections from the most legendary leaders and drivers in the industry, as well as on-site demonstrations of today's technological advancements.

"This is such a unique opportunity," said Sadler. "To feature such a special paint scheme and have Racing in America on the No. 19 Ford Fusion this weekend in Ford Motor Company and The Henry Ford's own backyard is a perfect fit. Ford has been such a great partner this year and it's an honor for us to have the chance to carry the Petty Blue colors and showcase The Henry Ford."

"We can't thank the Gillett family and Richard Petty enough for letting our new logo be a significant part of their race car this weekend," said Edsel B. Ford II, one of the honorary chairmen of the new exhibition. "Racing in America will be an exhibit for all ages to learn about the history of racing in this country, but doing it in a unique way that will tell the stories of the people and the innovations behind the sport. There's nothing like it anywhere in this country.

"We hope that by exposing the new logo on Elliott's car this weekend, millions of NASCAR fans watching in person and on television will have the chance to learn about plans for the new exhibit, and how they can be a part of it."

"We're very grateful for this collaboration between The Henry Ford and Richard Petty Motorsports and we're honored to have our Racing in America logo featured on the No. 19 Ford Fusion," said Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford. "This opportunity will help us raise awareness for an exhibition that will cover all forms of auto racing and tell those amazing stories of innovation and collaboration that have helped evolve the sport into such an important part of our culture today."

Fans can get a first look at plans for the exhibit, see parts of the collection, and help donate to the exhibit by visiting Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, or by going to www.racinginamerica.com.

-source: rpm