CONCORD, N.C. -- As part of its new Ford Technical Support Center, Ford Racing boasts a state-of-the-art racing simulator, a complex machine that allows drivers and engineers to turn laps on NASCAR tracks in virtual reality. The simulator is the centerpiece of the new 33,000-square-foot center, located a stone's throw from the NASCAR Research and Development Center and in the same neighborhood as Roush Fenway Racing and Charlotte Motor Speedway. The center will serve both the Ford Racing community (drivers, crew chiefs, engineers) and engineers working in product development for Ford street vehicles. The Ford investment in the new center is substantial, particularly for the huge simulator, but Ford Racing director Jamie Allison said it's part of the process to develop better race cars -- and better passenger vehicles. More...