Michael Kranefuss

Michael "Mike" Kranefuss (born July 3, 1938) is a German-born American[1][2] former head of Ford Motor Company's International Motorsports division for 12 years.

Kranefuss led Ford Motor Company's worldwide racing efforts from 1980 to 1993 as their Director of Special Vehicle Operations.

Kranefuss-Haas Racing debuted in 1994 at Michigan International Speedway with driver Robby Gordon, finishing 38th; Geoff Brabham drove for the team in the inaugural Brickyard 400 that year as well.

Kranefuss's original full-time NASCAR driver was John Andretti, who drove the #37 Ford for the team in 1995 and most of 1996.

At the end of the year, Penske bought out Kranefuss's interest in the #12 team and put Ryan Newman in the #12 car full-time for 2002.

Before the season ended, Kranefuss decided change was needed, and replaced Andretti with the relatively unknown Jeremy Mayfield.

In 1998, Kranefuss announced his team would merge with Penske Racing, and would also change to the #12 with Mobil Oil sponsoring the car.

Later, Kranefuss founded Falcon Cars with Ken Anderson in 2002,[4] with the plan of entering a chassis into the IndyCar Series in 2003.