Kentucky Speedway, located about 50 miles southwest of Cincinnati in Sparta, KY, has been undergoing some changes in preparation for the upcoming Quaker State 400 NASCAR race weekend in July. New 19,000 seat towers were built on either side of the main grandstand tower, bringing the facility’s capacity to near 106,000.

Now, Ford has announced a three year extension, through 2013, as the Official Vehicle of Kentucky Speedway. The company has held that role for the past eleven consecutive years. The Ford Mustang GT will continue its role as the Official Pace Car as well.

In addition, the two organizations announced that a special edition Mustang GT 5.0 convertible has been built to help commemorate the inaugural Sprint Cup NASCAR race on July 9. The special edition Mustang is limited to only 43 vehicles, matching the number of drivers in the Quaker State 400 NSCS race. The Mustangs will go on sale at local Ford dealers starting today.

All of the special edition Mustang GT 5.0 convertibles are white, with feature unique badging that includes the Official Pace Car designation, NASCAR and Kentucky Speedway logos. Each unit will be numbered for collectible purposes.

Buyers of the 2012 Pace Car Mustang will also have the chance to participate in portions of the July race weekend. Each will receive four tickets to the event, have the opportunity for a Ford team driver to sign their car, and drive a Ford driver around Kentucky Speedway during the parade lap before the race start. AJ Allmendinger, driver of the number 43 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, was on hand for the announcement.

According to Ford, select individuals will also get a chance to wave the green flag during qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on July 8.