Nov02
2008 Mustang FR500S race car
Mustang FR500S race car
By MAC MORRISON
Ford made several motorsports announcements at the SEMA show in Las Vegas today, topped by news of a new Mustang race car and dedicated "spec" racing series.The new Mustang FR500S will be built at Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan, Mustang assembly plant and be available directly from dealers. Priced at $75,000, the FR500S is intended to compete in the all-new Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup--that's "Miller," as in Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City.MMP will own and operate the series that begins in 2008 with an eight race schedule. Ford Racing boss Dan Davis did not announce venues but said the Mustang Challenge will serve as a support race to various other series, including Champ Car, the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am. Grand-Am will sanction the Mustang Challenge.The FR500S gives Ford a three-stage "ladder" racing system. The Mustang FR500C races in Grand-Am's Koni Challenge series, and the Mustang FR500GT--the so-called "Man Racer" we told you about more than a year ago--is finally undergoing homologation to be eligible for Grand-Am's Rolex Series GT class next year. European teams campaigned the FR500GT in the FIA's GT3 class this past summer.
Ford's new drag racing engine, developed with John Force Racing.
Davis also announced a new NHRA Funny Car drag racing engine. Ford's Boss Nitro 500 tested on-track for the first time on Oct. 18 and will initially be exclusive to John Force Racing, but Davis said it will then be available for sale to other Top Fuel teams."We wanted to be in NHRA Funny Car with an engine that we really could call our own [rather than an engine built by the team]," Davis said. The plan is for JFR driver Mike Neff to use the engine full-time in 2008, with John Force, Ashley Force and Robert Hight getting the new powerplant once it is sufficiently developed. The 500-cubic-inch engine features a strengthened block and new cylinder heads, and the block is anodized blue to make a visual statement that the engine is a true Ford creation.
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This story posted by LeaseTrader.com, the automotive service company that lets people transfer out of their Car Leases early. If you're looking to swap a lease or transfer out of your car lease, please visit www.leasetrader.com