Dearborn, Mich. — Okay, it’s time for a little history lesson here. And, it’s not ancient history, so there will be no references to Dan Gurney, David Pearson or even Ricky Rudd. For now. Because, for now, this is about Ford Racing and 2008, and what it means to Ford Racing and 2009.

Ford had a grand total of three victories through 15 races at this time last year. Carl Edwards won the second and third races—at Fontana and at Las Vegas—and then he won the seventh race, at Texas. However, despite three wins in the first seven races, Edwards was only 10th in the standings. By the time the series left Michigan for Sonoma, Ford still had just those three wins, and only two drivers in the top 12: Edwards, who had improved to fourth, and Greg Biffle, who was eighth.

What happened after that? Well, what always happens. Ol’ Steady Matty Kenseth worked his way into the Chase, which he has done every year the Chase has been around. Of course, The Biff and Edwards also made it. The Biff became the first driver ever to win the first two races in the Chase, and Edwards won three of the last four en route to leadin’ the series with nine victories as Ford, with the fewest cars in the field, finished with 11 wins in the 36 races.

Where Ford really got goin’ was later in the summer, at the second Pocono race, which was won by Edwards. The next week was Watkins Glen, and then Edwards won the next two, then a two-week break, then the two consecutive wins by The Biff.

So, the two wins by Ford at this point in ’09 doesn’t look as dire now, does it?

Last year, Matt Kenseth did not win a race all season for the first time 2001. But, he started quickly this year by winnin’ the first two races. So, without The Biff or Edwards winnin’ at all, Ford is at pretty much the same pace it was at last year. And, the pace would’ve been exactly the same had The Biff not been less than a lap short on fuel at Michigan last weekend.

Expectations are high at Michigan for Roush Fenway Racing. Jack Roush has 11 Cup wins there in his career, and just missed out on the 12th. For the record, one of his teams has won at Michigan every year goin’ back to 2002, so just imagine who ready the 6, 16, 17, 26 and 99 teams will be in August when the series returns to MIS. And, yes, Edwards won at Michigan last August.

This weekend’s race marks the first of just two road-course races in the series. The Biff was leadin’ at Sonoma, but after a late re-start, spun his tires, visited a part of the track that wasn’t part of the pre-race plan, and eventually ended up 11th. But, Kenseth finished eighth, his best-ever showin’ at Sonoma, and Edwards was ninth, but the Sparkster could’ve told you that Edwards can handle road courses, ever since goin’ on that run around the road course at Homestead durin’ the offseason with Carl in a Ford GT.

So, the Sparkster is not goin’ all Kevin Bacon-in-Animal House here—“All is well!—but just remindin’ everybody that a lot can happen over the course of a 36-race schedule, and everybody is still tryin’ to find their level.

The NHRA will be idle this weekend after back-to-back-to-back races at Topeka, Joliet and Englishtown. Ashley Force Hood took her Ford Mustang Funny Car to the final round in each of those races, and now is in second place in the series.

The Funny Cars will be back on track next weekend at Norwalk.

PITTING THIS TIME AROUND, NO CHANGES, THE CAR IS PERFECT
Now, prior to the race weekend at Michigan, the Ford Racing drivers and owners who compete in NASCAR and NHRA met with Ford executives at World Headquarters in Dearborn. That’s not unusual; that has happened many times over the years.

Afterward, the drivers and owners went to the Dearborn Development Center, or, as it was previously known, the Proving Grounds. There, the drivers and owners got a chance to drive a number of different Ford products on the test track under trying conditions. Now, the engineers at the DDC had nothing to do with the less-than-ideal conditions; it just happened to rain all day. And, as it turned out, the wet conditions probably enhanced how well all of the vehicles handled.

Without goin’ into too much detail, the vehicles were all lined up, and the drivers just went down the line, takin’ each one out for a run with a certified test driver sittin’ in the passenger seat. Of course, everyone liked the way the Shelby ran—particularly those who are relatively new to Ford Racing and probably hadn’t had a previous opportunity to drive one.

But, the biggest “surprise” of the afternoon—and that was the term used, “surprise”—was turned in by the European Fiesta, a vehicle that won’t be available in U.S. showrooms until next year, but will attempt to better 10 minutes at Pike’s Peak later this summer. The early report was that the car was extremely stable at high speeds in less-than-ideal conditions.

It also gave the Sparkster a chance to meet one of the newest Ford Racing drivers, Tim Wilkerson, who this year has a technical alliance with Bob Tasca III, and last year almost won the NHRA Funny Car championship. Wilkerson, it can be said, is very happy to be with Ford and racin’ a Mustang Funny Car.

While wonderin’ how many wins Ford will have at this time next year (six more months until 2010?), Ol’ Sparky went through this week’s mailbag.

Hey, Spark:

How are the Ford Racing teams going to do this weekend at Sears Point? I know that it’s now known as Infineon Raceway, but “Sears Point” reminds me of the days when Ford dominated there. I still remember when Davey Allison won there in 1991.

Tracy,
California

Well, Tracy, the Sparkster still occasionally refers to that 1.99-mile road course as Sears Point, but more often than not, Ol’ Spark will call it Sonoma, because it just seems easier that way. But, you’re right, Ford did well at Sears Point in the ’90s. Five different drivers won for Ford there between 1991 and 1997, includin’ Ernie Irvan, of whom you don’t often first think as a road racer, Geoffrey Bodine and Mark Martin, who may or may not have been on a retirement tour when he won there in ’97. But Ford has been good there in recent years, too. Ricky Rudd, one of the Sparkster’s all-time personal faves, won in a Robert Yates Ford in 2002. And, Ford put four in the top 11 last year, three in the top 11 the year before that, four in the top nine in 2006 (includin’ fourth- and sixth-place finishes by The Biff and Edwards, respectively) and four in the top six, highlighted by a second-place showin’ by Ricky Rudd in the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Ford, in 2005. David Ragan was out at Sonoma last week runnin’ a Late Model. He was just lookin’ to learn the track. He said drivin’ a rental car around that track would’ve been helpful. Plus, all of the drivers got a chance to drive at the Dearborn Development Center last week, too, so those right-hand turns shouldn’t prove to be too much trouble. So, ’09 looks just fine. And, it doesn’t hurt that Boris Said will be there, too.