Motorcraft to be sponsor for Elliott in the No. 21 Ford

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Three longtime Ford Motor Co. icons are teaming up again in 2008: Bill Elliott, the Wood Brothers and Motorcraft.

Motorcraft, a Ford Motor Co. brand of automotive parts ranging from filters and spark plugs to engines and transmissions, will be the primary sponsor on the famed Wood Brothers' No. 21 Sprint Cup Ford Fusion for eight races to be driven by Bill Elliott.

The Motorcraft brand will also be an associate sponsor for all other 2008 NASCAR events.

"We're very pleased and proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Wood Brothers Racing. The Woods are synonymous with Ford, and we are delighted to be associated with such a tremendous group of people," said Geoff Smith, Motorcraft Motorsports manager. "And, we're really excited that Bill Elliott is back with the Motorcraft team. He's a legend. We see NASCAR as a perfect venue to serve as a reward and recognition opportunity for our customers."

Elliott, the 1988 Cup champion driving a Coors/Motorcraft Thunderbird, is scheduled to be the driver for all of Motorcraft's races. Elliott, Motorcraft and the Wood Brothers first joined forces last season.

"Motorcraft has always been great to me," Elliott said. "It's a great brand, and they're a great bunch of people, and I'm just excited to be back in the Motorcraft program. My association with them began in the middle-to-late '80s and they were on my car when we won a championship, so the opportunity to represent them again near the end of my career means a lot."

Motorcraft first sponsored Wood Brothers Racing in 2001.

"It's great to have Motorcraft back with us again this year," said Wood Brothers Racing co-owner Eddie Wood. "This will be the eighth consecutive year that Motorcraft has been involved with our program, and I'm really proud of that. They have been loyal to us, we have always been loyal to them and Ford Motor Company. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel like family."

The Wood Brothers are acknowledged pioneers in the sport of stock-car racing, and have earned 96 wins in more than 50 years of NASCAR competition -- second most in Ford Racing history.

This sponsorship complements the Motorcraft and Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers sponsorship in NHRA Funny Car competition announced last week.

FCSD and its associated brands have won a place in the hearts and minds of racing fans everywhere since the mid-1980s, including sponsorship of Elliott and Dale Jarrett.

Its brands have visited Victory Lane and won championships in NASCAR, HDRA, SCORE, IMSA GT and GTO and SCCA Trans-Am throughout the years.