It is the first all-new nameplate for Ford to debut on the racetrack and in the showroom in the same model year since the Ford Torino in 1968.

Ford scored three top ten finishes at the Dayton 500. Elliott Sadler finished fourth, Ken Schrader finished ninth and Dale Jarrett finished tenth.

"Man, this is a great finish," said Sadler. "It's a great way to get the season started off. We wanted to win, but to come back from all the adversity today and finish fourth, it's a great day for our M&M'S Team. My guys never gave up, awesome pit stops all day, they're the ones that kept me pumped up, kept me in the ballgame and Tommy (Baldwin, crew chief) made some great calls. Good, good finish for us."

"It ain't bad and we'll take it, for sure -- a top 10 at Daytona," Kenny Schrader said, "It's a good way to start '06."

Dale Jarrett, Sadler's Robert Yates Racing teammate, is the last Ford driver to win the prestigious Daytona 500, which he did in 2000. Jarrett also thinks the Fusion has what it takes to reach Victory Lane in the highest-profile event in stock-car racing.

The next race on NASCAR's schedule is the Auto Club 500 at the California Speedway February 26, 2006.

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