Wed, 13 Dec 2006, 06:41 AM Roush Flexes Muscles in NMRA Drag Racing with Modular Muscle Sponsorship

Courtesy of John Clark

LIVONIA, Mich. --

Jack Roush watching his daughter.

ROUSH Performance used the NMRA Drag Racing Series this past season as a way to test a new line of Competition Parts and develop the street legal ROUSH Drag Pack Mustang, the first factory-level, purpose built drag racing car since 1970. The positive experiences the company had while working with the NMRA staff and fellow competitors led them to further expand their relationship in 2007 with the sponsorship of the entire Modular Muscle class.

"The NMRA offered all that we wanted and more," said Ryan Bunn, ROUSH Performance parts marketing manager. "They race strictly Ford products and high performance Mustangs which is a target market for our ROUSH products, and the staff has done all we have asked and more which made them one of the easiest organizations we have ever worked with. When we were approached about sponsoring the Modular Muscle class it took no thought before we said 'yes.'"

The class will be renamed ROUSH Modular Muscle and is typically one of the largest in NMRA competition, regularly drawing 40 to 50 cars. All cars qualify for eliminations based on reaction time so to win an event it is not uncommon to have to defeat five or more opponents making it a challenging division. The ROUSH Modular Muscle class is designed for any year, make, and model Ford vehicles & Ford trucks using 4.6L, 5.4L, & V10. Ford Modular engines only. Dragsters and roadsters prohibited. The class will run on an Open Comp format with a one-tenth (1/10th) breakout.

"I greatly enjoyed my time spent with the NMRA while at Joliet this past year," said Jack Roush. "As ROUSH Performance expands their Competition Parts lineup for the drag racing market the NMRA is an excellent avenue to help spread the word. I am pleased that we are taking the step of sponsoring the Modular Muscle category."

Roush has a personal interest in the Modular Muscle category as well. His daughter Susan Roush-McCleneghan and son-in-law Dale McCleneghan have been regular participants in the Open Comp class and are planning on running the full NMRA season in 2007 and moving up to the ROUSH Modular Muscle division.

"Having ROUSH Performance intimately involved with the NMRA is an honor," said Charlie Harmon, president of ProMedia Events. "The NMRA has become the number one Ford drag racing series and the addition of ROUSH Performance as a major sponsor helps make the NMRA even stronger. We look forward to the technology that ROUSH Performance will develop for the Ford performance market through their participation with the NMRA."