Online Voting Begins for Ford Customer Service Division's Second Annual Funny Car Design Contest to Support Juvenile Diabetes Research ...( DEARBORN Mich. July 2 /-...),Health

DEARBORN, Mich., July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- It's okay to vote early and vote often ... at least when the voting helps out a good cause.

Starting today, and running through August 14, the public is invited to visit www.jdrf.org/ford, view more than 200 paint scheme designs and vote for their favorite children's design by making a monetary donation to JDRF, all as part of Ford Customer Service Division's second annual Funny Car Design Contest.

The top five donation-earning designs will go in front of a panel of judges and narrowed down to one. The winning design will be featured on Motorcraft/Quick Lane sponsored Mustang Shelby driven by Bob Tasca III during the NHRA Carolinas Nationals in Concord, NC, on Sept. 18-20.

For the past month, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) children have taken their crayons, markers and paintbrushes to a blank canvas in the shape of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang Funny Car. Their goal - see their design come to life on Tasca's Shelby Mustang Nitro funny car in September.

"We had some amazing designs last year and I think the JDRF children have really raised the bar for this year's contest," said Darryl Hazel, Ford Customer Service Division president. "All of us at Ford are really excited for this year's program and are ready to go online to vote. We are honored to have this partnership with JDRF to help them raise awareness and a cure for Type 1 diabetes."

The winning designer will be selected on August 17, 2009. They will be invited to the NHRA Carolinas Nationals in Concord, NC, with his or her parents for an official unveiling of their paint scheme, and a chance to spend time with the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team and see their design run during qualifying sessions for the race.

Last year's winner was Samuel Millard
'/>"/>