mtvU Starts Cross-Country Race Series with Ford

Two student teams are racing Fords cross-country in the mtvU College 500.

mtvU and Ford have launched a cross-country race between teams of students with a $15,000 prize.

The two teams of six students will follow a route from Rutgers University in New Jersey to California State Long Beach in a 2009 Ford Focus Coupe a the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid in the weekly series.

The 10-day journey, called the “mtvU College 500,” began Oct. 13 and is being documented through coverage on cable through mtvU, MTV’s college network and online. Along the route, each team will make pit stops at Pennsylvania State University, Indiana University, University of Missouri, University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Las Vegas where they must undertake disparate challenges before they proceed with the race.

“mtvU College 500 is a great way for us to let students experience Ford vehicles on the open road as they watch these teams’ journey to the West Coast,” said Crystal Greene, Ford manager—sponsorships and diverse markets.  

The challenges will include integrating local music acts into the campus scenarios and running safety relays.