Fun, Fun, Fun at T-Bird Drive-In, and Community Youth Programs at Homestead-Miami Speedway

WHAT:

Ford Racing hosts "Champions of the Community" media briefing and T-Bird owners will party like it's 1955 in a drive-in movie setting at the Homestead- Miami Speedway next Wednesday (Nov. 17) in conjunction with Ford Championship Weekend. Highlights:

* More than 1,700 Miami Mustang fans will test drive the '05 Mustang, Five Hundred and Freestyle on the raceway track.

* Winning paint scheme by fifth-grade artist from Opa Locka will be unveiled on Greg Biffle's F-150 NASCAR racer.

* A hundred Miami teens will learn safe driving skills from race car drivers and instructors.

* More than 30 Miami-area classic Thunderbird and Mustang owners and their classics will gather at the Speedway for a car show and a drive-in screening of "American Graffiti."

DETAILS:

10:30-11:30 a.m.: "Champions of the Community" media briefing by Ford Vice-President Cisco Codina, Ford Car Marketing Manager Ben Poore and Ford Fund's Raquel Egusquiza will cover Ford community initiatives and consumer- outreach programs in the South Florida area. Also on hand: Ford Racing drivers Greg Biffle, Mario Dominguez, and Terry Cook.

Fifth-grader Brien Henry from Opa Locka, winner of the Newspapers in Education Hispanic Heritage Art Contest, will help Biffle unveil his #44 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Ford F-150 that will carry Brien's drawing during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

9 a.m.-5 p.m.: More than 1,700 Miamians have already pre-registered to test drive the 2005 Mustang, Five Hundred, and Freestyle on the banks of the Homestead-Miami Speedway at the Ford Racing Innovation Drive, as well as participate in interactive presentations, and driver-autograph sessions with Ford NASCAR drivers Dale Jarrett and Rick Crawford. Admission is free. The public can still register by calling 800-647-7268 or online at http://www.fordinnovationdrive.com/racing .

9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Ford Racing drivers will assist instructors in teaching local students lessons on hazard recognition, vehicle handling, safety management and speed management on a course set up on the Homestead-Miami track in conjunction with the Ford Fund's "Driving Skills For Life" program. The program augments Graduated Driver Licensing Laws (GDLs), the first of which was passed in Florida in 1996 and has been adopted in 39 other states.

7-9 p.m.: Classic T-Bird and Mustang owners gather at the Speedway for celebration of T-Bird's 50th anniversary, car show and 7:15 p.m. viewing of "American Graffiti."

RSVP: Media coverage of all events is welcome. Interview and photo opportunities available. CONTACT: Bill Gray, +1-313-506-8929, or wgray@campbellco.com , for Ford Racing.

PRNewswire -- Nov. 11