Ford is partnering with the state of Kentucky to promote the new Super Duty in a unique way.

The state will embrace a new nickname “KenTRUCKy” for a September 27th debut of the new truck, coming to a climax during the live reveal of the new pickups at Churchill Downs Racetrack at 7:15 PM. The reveal will be livestreamed on Ford’s official YouTube channel.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Super Duty, another key component of the celebration.The event is to be led by Jim Farley, Ford CEO; Ted Cannis, Ford Pro CEO; and Kentucky State Governor Andy Beshear.

Gov. Andy Beshear signing the KenTRUCKy proclamation.

For those not in the know, this may feel like a bit of a stretch– selecting Kentucky for the convenient injection of the word “truck” into its name– but this partnership between the Bluegrass State and the Blue Oval runs far deeper. The Louisville Assembly Plant has operated since 1955, though early Ford operations in the city can be traced back to the early 20th century (like in this 1915 Model T brochure from 1915 which mentions the Louisville branch and service station). The new Super Duty is slated for production at Ford’s Kentucky Truck plant, operating since 1969.

“To honor Ford’s investment and this great Team Kentucky partner, I have officially proclaimed, September 27, 2022, KenTRUCKy Day in the commonwealth,” Gov. Beshear said. “Kentuckians have been building Ford trucks since the Model T, and we are thrilled this tradition is going to continue with the all-new Ford F-Series Super Duty.”

In the official proclamation, Governor Beshear cited that Ford currently employs more than 12,000 people in the state, 8,500 of which operate at Ford’s Kentucky plant. He also noted Ford’s intention of investing $5.8 billion to build the BlueOval SK Battery Park to further support the automaker’s electric vehicle expansion.

We’re excited to share what Ford has planned for the next Super Duty, so stay tuned!