Red for the Factory entered XW-XA GT's?

[Nikked]

This has often intrigued me, was there a reason for the cars being red...Sponsorship, corporate decision?

Globally, it seems that ford had no real factory identity until the 80's when the blue diagonal stripes over white was used. (Aside from the white/blue stripe Shelby mustangs...but also back then, colours symbolized nation as well)

Allan Mann racing used red in the 60's...

Locally, it wasn't until the Ford Credit team that Blue really started to be a big part of the factory racing effort, as far as i can tell.