Ford announces new motorsport manager.

by Matthew Agius.

Ford Australia's former service engineering manager, Ray Price, has been announced as Ford Racing's motorsport manager and will oversee campaigns in V8 Supercars, the NEC Computers Australian Rally Championship and Formula Ford.

After seventeen years involved with Ford Australia - comprising of both technical and engineering service - Price has been elevated to the position to replace former racing head Ross Booth who has moved to Nissan.

"Ray worked very closely with Howard Marsden on Project Blueprint, developing the BA Falcon race car that has proved so successful on Australian race tracks," said Ford Australia's president, Tom Gorman.

"He has a long history of involvement and interest in motor racing and will bring a wealth of talent and energy to this important role.

"We have worked hard over the past few years to put Ford back where it belongs in Australian motor sport, and Ray Price is the right choice to keep Ford Racing at the top of the tree.

"We look forward to the 2006 V8 Supercar season with renewed optimism, aiming for a fourth successive V8 Supercar title and also looking for success in the Australian Rally Championship."

Price had worked with Ford legend Alan Moffat from 1979 to 1992, and assisted in the development of the four-time Australian Touring Car Champion's XT Falcon, Sierra Cosworth and EB Falcon GT, before joining Ford Australia's service department in 1992.

"I'm very excited about taking over as manager of Ford Racing in Australia. We have some challenges ahead, but I'm confident we can build on the success of recent years," said Price.

"We have a number of Ford teams ready to take the next step in the V8 Supercar series, and exciting new talent such as James Courtney and Will Davison keen to make their mark. I look forward to providing a technical interface between the race teams and Ford and giving my total support to keeping Ford at the top of local racing."

Ray Price will oversee Ford's defence of three V8 Supercar titles in 2006 with the BF specification Falcon replacing the immensely successful BA model. He will also be in charge of Ford's debut year in the Australian Rally Championship with the Group N(P) Focus which will be run by former WRC driver Michael Guest.