Prior to the start of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season finale Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10Smithfield® Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing and his team owner, Tony Stewart, introduced Mr. Jerome Sanders, Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired, from Linwood, Pennsylvania, as the grand prize winner of the Smithfield Smoke Machine Ford Mustang in the company’s 2018 national sweepstakes.
“Our sweepstakes and project build celebrate the love we all share for ‘making smoke’ on the grill and on the racetrack,” said Chris Braselton, manager of Smithfield Foods’ NASCAR program. “We were thrilled to welcome Mr. Sanders as Smithfield’s guest for the Championship race weekend in and introduce him as our grand prize winner.”
Throughout the 2018 NASCAR season, tens of thousands of loyal Smithfield consumers, race fans, and automotive enthusiasts entered to win the high-performance Mustang at SmithfieldRacing.com. Grand prize winner Sanders was flown to Florida to see his new car in person, meet Stewart and Almirola, and attend the Ford EcoBoost 400 as a VIP guest of Smithfield.
“I feel lucky and blessed, and can’t wait to get my new Smithfield Smoke Machine Mustang back home, so I can give the keys and this magnificent car to my wife as her early Christmas present,” Sanders said. “And of course, I’m looking forward to riding with her as she cruises the roads in Pennsylvania.”
The Smithfield Smoke Machine Mustang Grand Prize was developed under the direction of Stewart, best known as “Smoke” for his ability to smoke the competition and burn up a set of tires when celebrating a victory. Stewart and Smithfield teamed up with vaunted car builder RTR Vehicles and the man behind it, drifting champion Vaughn Gittin Jr., to build this one-of-a-kind 2018 Ford Mustang RTR Spec 3.
“It was a really cool moment when I got to hand over the keys for the Smithfield Smoke Machine to our winner, Mr. Sanders, during Ford Championship Weekend,” Stewart said. “RTR, Vaughn Gittin Jr., Ford Performance and my crew back at Stewart-Haas Racing built an unbelievable, one-of-a-kind performance car.”
A video series documenting the entire Mustang build process was posted on the social media platforms of Smithfield, Stewart-Haas Racing and Gittin throughout the year, and the car has been on display at some of the country’s largest automotive enthusiast events, including select NASCAR races, the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour, Goodguys Rod & Custom shows, and the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit. Stewart’s Smithfield Smoke Machine Mustang features:
● 5.0-liter V8 engine with 6-speed manual transmission
● 2018 Ford Performance / ROUSH supercharger and intercooler kit, delivering 700 horsepower
● RTR adjustable shocks/struts, sway bars, lowering springs, and axle-back performance exhaust
● RTR complete aero package, LED grille lighting, and a custom leather interior
● Exclusive graphics, inspired by the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 Smithfield Ford Fusion driven by Almirola
● Custom set of RTR’s 20-inch Tech 5 wheels, and Goodyear® performance tires
● Unique, serialized “1 of 1” build plaque signed by Stewart and Gittin
In addition to winning the sweepstakes, Sanders had an opportunity of a lifetime by taking his new Mustang for a test drive on the Homestead-Miami Speedway with Almirola Sunday morning.
“It was an honor to take Mr. Sanders for a few hot laps on the racetrack in his new SmithfieldSmoke Machine Mustang here at the Speedway,” Almirola said. “I’m sure it was an experience he won’t soon forget!”
True Speed Communication on behalf of Stewart-Haas Racing
