Like the more prosaic Mustangs, the GT500 is mechanically an evolution of the older model. Just as Ford used the current-gen Bullitt model as the starting point for the 2010 Mustang GT, the lessons learned from developing the limited edition GT500 KR fed directly into the latest Shelby-badged variant. Output of the supercharged 5.4L V8 has now been cranked up to 540 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, and the handling is claimed to be better than before.

Like the last GT500, this one gets more aggressive styling, particularly in the nose, and reprises many of the same detail elements. The horizontally mirrored trapezoidal shape of the grille in the upper and lower front fascia is meant to echo the oval shape of the Shelby Cobras of the ’60s. The upper grille is tilted forward at a steeper angle than the GT and the grille surround is separated entirely from the hood. The leading edge of the hood on other Mustangs forms the upper frame of the grille, while the new GT500 has an extra bit of bodywork there.

The hood of the GT500 still has a functional air extractor allowing some of the massive heat generated by the blown V8 to escape. The power dome of the V6 and GT is supplanted by a smoother bulge that now encompasses most of the hood. The driving lamps stay in the lower fascia reprising the last edition and leaving the grille area open for air flow.

Careful observers will note that the snake badge has moved from the right to the left side of the grille (when viewed from the front). This has nothing to do with the blowing of political winds, but is actually functional. Like the GT, the GT500 now has a cold air intake that sits directly behind the snake’s former residence.

A revised duck-tail spoiler sits at the back end along the trailing edge of the trunk-lid and incorporates a Gurney flap. The faux diffuser along the bottom of the GT500’s rump is now more prominent, although probably not any more functional. Regardless of the diffuser’s functionality, the new GT500 does have more down-force thanks to that spoiler and the front splitter. The center of pressure has also been moved further forward, which should help reduce understeer at higher speeds.

The diffuser is flanked by a pair of four-inch diameter tail-pipes that could be used to patch your local water main the next time it bursts. The Shelby badging along the trailing edge of the trunk-lid also now stretches the width of the distance between the tail-lights, just like the original 2005 concept.

Supporting the still excessive mass (we’ll get back to that) of the GT500 are new ten-spoke alloy wheels with a slimmer spoke design than before. Coupes and convertibles each get the same design but in different sizes and constructions. The rag-tops get a cast 18-inch version of the wheel, while closed-roof versions get a forged 19-inch construction. The forged version is both stronger and lighter than the smaller wheel compensating for the extra size. The sides of the spokes on the forged wheels are milled, helping to reduce the mass without sacrificing strength.

The leather seats inside the car now have pairs of longitudinal contrasting stripes that echo the stripes stretching the length of the body, as well as alcantara trim on the side bolsters, shift lever, parking braking boots and steering wheel. The traditional white cue-ball shift knob is now also adorned with a pair of black stripes parallel to the shaft of the short throw shifter. All of this is neither here nor there, as none one of these interior niceties makes the GT500 faster, turn better or stop better.

For that we have to look in the engine compartment. The powerplant remains a twin cam 5.4L V8 with a supercharger. New additions to the power plant include knock sensors, the aforementioned cold-air intake and a lower restriction exhaust system. The updates bump output from from 500 hp at 6,000 rpm to 540 hp at 6,200 rpm. Twisting force also goes from 480 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm to 510 lb-ft at the same peak speed.

Unfortunately, one aspect that didn’t change is the cast iron engine block. The aluminum block that was used in the Ford GT supercar had a dry sump system that can’t be packaged in the Mustang. Thus, the iron block from the F-150 was used with the top end of the GT engine, which pushed the car’s weight up over 3,900 lbs. That makes the GT500 both the heaviest and most powerful Mustang.

The top two ratios in the new GT500’s gearbox have been made numerically lower to help reduce fuel consumption. As before, getting all the drive torque from the engine to the gears is the job of a dual plate clutch. The clutch plates have been increased in diameter from 215 mm to 250 mm. This allowed Ford to reduce the clutch pedal effort while improving the torque transmission capability.

All that torque flows from the Tremec 6-speed gearbox through a limited slip differential with a 3.55:1 final drive ratio. The 2010 GT500 gets 17% stiffer springs at the front axle and 7% stiffer at the rear axle. The forged alloys on the coupe are wrapped in Goodyear F1 Supercar rubber sized 255/40R19 front and 285/25R19 rear. The Brembo four-pot calipers are retained at the front and the GT500 also get the same standard electronic stability control that lesser Mustangs get for 2010.

Like the GT with the Track Pack, the ESC in the new GT500 always defaults on when the car is started, but can be turned off or put into a Sport mode. In Sport mode, the ESC allows greater amounts of slip before intervening.

The 2010 GT500 now has more power and presumably better handling than before. When we drove the last iterations of the GT500 and Bullitt, the Shelby was undoubtedly faster but the Bullitt was a better all-around car and daily driver. The Bullitt’s lighter weight and better balance made it more fun to drive on the street while the blown Mustang was king at the Friday night drag races. Only time will tell if the GT500 can overcome.

The first Mustang became known as the 1964½ and was available in two models, the coupe and the convertible. Features of both models included a lengthened hood and shortened rear deck, chrome wrap-around bumpers, chrome grill with a running horse, full wheel covers and a sporty interior. The cost for a standard Mustang was around $2,400. The GT and the fastback model were introduced in 1965.

The Shelby GT350 was also introduced in 1965. Its design was a collaboration between Ford and performance car legend, Carroll Shelby. Its goal was to create competition for the Chevy Corvette.
The Shelby GT500 Mustang was first released in 1967. It was powered by a 428 V8 engine and sported numerous luxury options. It was produced until 1970. A new version of the Shelby GT500, considered to be the most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history, will be released in 2006. Shelby Cobra GT500-s supercharged 5.4-liter DOHC V-8 produces over 450 horsepower.

The 1967 Mustang sported simulated air-scoops and a larger grill and it was longer and appeared more aggressive. By 1969, the Mustang became bigger and heavier. New Mustangs were nearly four inches longer.

New models introduced in the 1969-1970 model year were the Grande, the Mach 1, the Boss 302 and the Boss 429. The Boss 351 model was introduced in 1971.

In 1974, the Mustang II was released. It was smaller and more fuel efficient than previous models. This was also the first year that a convertible was not sold, and the only year that a V8 engine wasn-t available.

In 1976, the Cobra II package, which added a big rear spoiler, a fake hood scoop and blue stripes across white paint to a V8-powered fastback, was made available. It wasn-t any faster than similarly powered Mustang II-s, but it sure looked cool. The King Cobra, which was very similar to the Cobra II, debuted in 1978. Also in 1978, Ford stopped production on the Mustang II.

In 1982, the Mustang lineup included the GT hatchback, as well as the more luxurious series: L, GL and GLX. Evolving from its humble beginnings in 1982 to the hard-charging street performer of 1993, the third generation Ford Mustang GT has gained respect as one of the most versatile and popular Mustangs of all time. More than 450,000 of these cars were produced between 1982 and 1993.
The fourth generation Mustang was introduced in December 1993 and was way more aerodynamic than its predecessors, while still embodying the same personality and style. The special edition SVT Cobra, made its appearance in 1993; and in 2001, the special “Bullitt” edition Mustang GT coupe was released.

For the 2005 model year, Ford redesigned the Mustang for the first time since 1994. Ford gave its iconic car a retro look with round headlights, chrome details inside and a throaty roar when accelerating, all hearkening back to its mid-60s roots. Fans have been enthralled. It-s 1964 all over again! Except for the price, that is – pricing for a new Ford Mustang starts at around $20,000.

Yet again raising the standards in the Mustang world, ROUSH Performance unveiled the new 427R model with a total of 427 horsepower under the hood and ready to unleash with the turn of a key. This is the most horsepower ever offered on any version of the ROUSH Mustang.

The number 427 has been intertwined in the Ford product line for many years, both as a car model and one of the most powerful and legendary engines in their line. It is only natural that ROUSH, as perhaps the best Ford engine builder in the country, is the company to reintroduce the number to the automotive lexicon using modern engine technology.

Based on the acclaimed ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang, this version is slightly less in content but includes 100 percent of the fun factor. The 427R horsepower package is highlighted by the intercooled ROUSHcharger system which adds 115 horsepower and 65 lb-ft of torque to the base Ford 4.6L, 3-valve V8 powertrain system. The additional power upgrade comes via a ROUSH-engineered ECM calibration which has been specially-tuned to work in harmony with the different exhaust system used on the vehicle.

Further adding to the style and performance of the 2007 ROUSH 427R is a four-piece aerobody kit which includes a stylized front fascia, front chin spoiler, hood scoop and rear wing and ROUSH 18-inch cast chrome wheels with high-performance tires and the special 427R striping kit.

The sports-tuned suspension includes all new front struts, rear shocks, front and rear springs and sway bars and the jounce

bumpers. Each component was designed for both comfort and performance by the industry-leading ROUSH automotive engineers.Authenticating the vehicle are special ROUSH fender badges, decklid emblem, a serialized engine bay plate, and a ROUSH engine
build plaque personally engraved by the technician who upgraded the car in the Livonia, Mich., facility. The ROUSH 427R is available in both coupe and convertible versions.
To assist customers in creating their own personalized one-of-a-kind vehicle, a variety of options are also available which include white face gauges, interior carbon fiber design dash trim kit, short throw shifter, door sill plates, and ROUSH sport leather seating.

As with any race engine program, the parts and pieces eventually find their way into other forms of racing. The “Yates” Cylinder Head developed in the early 1990’s is very popular with today’s Mustang drag racers. Ford Racing’s C3 and D3 NASCAR cylinder head is finding its way to the drag racing market too.

With “Pro 5.0” founding father Brian Wolfe at the helm of Ford Racing and Doug Yates looking outside of NASCAR for new business, the FR9 could be between the frame rails of a Mustang Outlaw drag car in a couple of years.

In the 1960s, Ford had a lot of success building racing engines off mainstream production blocks and heads. The “FE” engines were competitive from the start, powering such drivers as Ned Jarrett and David Pearson to championships. During the 1970s, when NASCAR mandated a 358-cubic-inch limit, Ford’s “Cleveland” V-8 engine was called into duty.

To say that Ford Racing has done a lot over the years with the current production-based racing engine is an understatement. In 1991, Ford switched from the Cleveland-based small-block V-8 to the venerable 351 “Windsor” engine. Other than minor cylinder head updates over its 18 years of service in NASCAR, the basic Windsor block configuration has remained unchanged. Chevrolet, meanwhile, has launched two updated engine packages, and there have been brand-new engine programs from two other manufacturers, Dodge and Toyota, who have entered the ultra-competitive series

To get the inside story on this historic race-engine program, we visited the Roush-Yates engine shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Over two days, we toured the impressive facility and visited with David Simon and Doug Yates.

David Simon and Doug Yates of the FR9 Team – in front of their crown jewel.

New Engine Development FR9 was Ford Racing’s first opportunity to develop an engine that wasn’t constrained by mass-production engine dimensions.

In July 2007, Ford Racing and Roush-Yates Engines sat down together and assembled the new program. The first step was to determine the best possible engine dimensions, working within NASCAR’s requirements for any new engine submission. The NASCAR engine “box” is fairly tight, and manufacturers don’t have a lot of leeway in design parameters.

Per NASCAR regulations, “FR9” is a 90-degree V-8 that displaces 358 cubic inches and retains the classic two-valve pushrod technology. But there were a lot of innovations on the table, so the engineers designed a variety of key technical advances into FR9, including front and rear engine-plate mounts; a new head bolt pattern that improves gasket seal and strengthens cylinder bores; and a new coolant-flow design that reduces hot spots at critical locations in the block and heads.

Other updates include special in-block oil feed passages, improved fasteners and pre-formed sealing components that allow technicians to disassemble and assemble the engine faster.

“With FR9, we now have the opportunity to change valve angles and other aspects of the engine that we’ve never been able to change before,” said David Simon. “It was a huge opportunity for us to research the optimum setup for these engines. Some [things] you can change, and some you can’t.”

Simon explained: “You see things like valve angle and it’s very tight. Do you want to be at 10 degrees or 11 degrees, or somewhere in-between? In other cases, for things like spark plug position, it’s not regulated – so we went and did an optimization loop on spark plug location and discovered some things. Now we have a new spark plug location relative to the current engine, and we found it made quite a difference.”

The new engine’s power potential begins where the old engine’s maximum left off. The FR9 even requires preparation time. It took more than 100 hours to prepare an R452 block casting for build-out. The new engine block takes less than an hour. The prep process consists of engine bearing installation, followed by a final honing before it’s ready to assemble. The new engine will save Roush-Yates customers a lot of money on engine-lease programs, simply from the ease in prepping the block.

Doug Yates has been very hands-on in the development of the FR9 engine. From someone who has done it all – from breakdown room to engine tuning – Doug is excited about the project. “When I started working in 1990 right out of college, the engine was making 650 horsepower,” said Yates. “The same block architecture today makes 900 horsepower. That’s pretty amazing, considering it is carbureted, not to mention all the carburetion rules.

Now they have a chance to design an all-new engine, and it’s really exciting to be a part of the development. In 40 years, somebody is going to look back and say, ‘Those guys are pretty smart,’ or, ‘Maybe they should have changed something here,’ or all of the above.”

The Roush/Yates facility where the lion share of the development occured.

Doug is still impressed with the performance of the Cleveland- and Windsor-based engines, but he embraces the opportunity to help design a dedicated race engine for Ford. “It has taken 40 years to understand not just what we needed from an engine standpoint, but from an application standpoint,” said Yates.

“If we were to go and hire a company to design the engine, they would not have that understanding of the needs of the team, the series and the sport. This is our moment in time where we can say we’ve worked all these years to make this product the best for our teams. Now we hope to go out with it and win races and help Ford Motor Company.”

Below is the official “press release” from Ford on the FR9:

Ford Racing and Roush Yates Engines will debut the new “FR9” engine during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

DEARBORN, Mich., January 22, 2009 – Ford and Roush Yates Engines already enjoy a reputation for producing some of the best power and reliability in the sport, but its latest NASCAR-approved engine has raised expectations to an even higher level for 2009.

Code-named “FR9,” this new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR racing engine to ever come out of Ford Motor Company. Its design has been spearheaded and developed by Ford Racing engineer David Simon, and famed engine builder Doug Yates, along with input from legendary Ford Racing engine engineer Mose Nowland.

“This is an exciting time for us to say the least, especially with the way our two companies have worked so well together on this project,” said Yates. “I’ve never had the opportunity to work on a NASCAR engine with a clean sheet of paper, but that’s basically what we’ve done and I’ve enjoyed every second. We feel we’ve got a piece that will not only be better than what we’ve got now, but will give us room to grow.

“With the exception of a few cylinder head changes through the years, we’ve had the same engine since 1991 and have been able to squeeze out every ounce of power and speed possible,” continued Yates. “What’s got me so excited is we’ve won races and championships with an engine many consider old, and this new piece is definitely a notch above, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to for years to come.”

There are three key differences between “FR9” and the current engine. First, the cooling system has been re-worked and will allow teams to optimize the amount of tape they can put on the front grille and improve downforce. Second, the valve train has been improved, and, third, the production and assembly of “FR9” will be much easier than today’s model.

Another thing is for certain, this isn’t your father’s 351 because “FR9” does not retain any of the original production 351 dimensions as the current model.

“Our main priority when we started this project was to get the bones of the engine right. We wanted to make sure we had the proper layout, the right block structure and that the overall skeleton of the engine was correct,” said Simon. “Even though we’ve been working on these engines for decades and know a lot of things about them, there was still a lot we didn’t know. In that case, we went and did some testing to get the answer.”

That data driven philosophy for designing the engine was crucial for building an engine that would not only be reliable and efficient, but powerful as well.

“It was a completely different mindset and approach to making power,” recalled Simon. “We did not finalize any part of the engine until we acquired the data that told us what was going to be our optimum setting or optimum dimension. The key to all of this in the first phase of our development was to produce as much power through the design of the engine as possible and to make sure we had the very best layout, the very best dimension, and the very best combination of dimensions that we could within the framework of the rules.”

Since taking over as Ford Director of North America Motorsports in August, Brian Wolfe has had to learn a lot in a short amount of time, but he’s been impressed with how well “FR9” has developed.

“Before taking over this job, I worked in powertrain development at Ford for 26 years, and it’s always great to see a new product,” said Wolfe. “To see the way everyone has worked together on this project is extremely gratifying and I know when “FR9” is ready for the race track, we’re going to be spending a lot of time in Victory Lane.”

Just when “FR9” is ready for competition remains to be seen, but a tentative target date is the second-half of the 2009 season.

“We’re not going to rush this engine into competition until we’re 100 percent sure it’s going to meet our strict standards,” said Yates. “We don’t feel a need to rush because our current engine is still strong and that gives us the luxury to take our time and make sure we do “FR9” right. I know we’ve got a winner here, and I can’t wait to see it on the track.”

Representing the marquee Outlaw 10.5W class is former Super Street Outlaw racer AJ Powell. Powell raced in the true 10.5 SSO class for several years and stepped up over the winter when he bought a former Dave Hance chassis. AJ was a contender in the points down to the last race last year, and if not for a couple of bad breaks, he could have been the champ.

Another racer on the move is Chris Tuten. Tuten has been a dedicated NMRA for many years now and is a multi class champion. Last year, Chris started off in the Drag Radial class and changed his combination and moved up to SSO, quickly becoming competitive despite the fact that he’s on a “stock” suspension in a class dominated by ladder bar setups. Chris will run his first full season in SSO this year.

Speaking of Drag Radial, Jason Lee has raced his car in many classes over the last few years, with the main focus on NMRA Drag Radial. Always a crowd favorite for his bumper-dragging launches, Jason rebuilt the car after a wreck last season and is the smart-money bet to win this year’s championship.

Ben Mens first got involved in the all-motor Hot Street class a few years ago, building customer engines for Roush. After getting some seat time in a borrowed car two seasons ago, Mens took the plunge and put together a new car last year, which he’ll be campaigning again this season against a number of other racers running engines he built.

Our final participant is Factory Stock racer Jay Dold, out of the Modular Depot camp. Carrying the number four on his windshield this season, Dold competes in what has been called the NMRA’s “entry level” heads-up class, but there’s nothing entry level about the effort and skill required to coax low eleven-second passes from very limited naturally-aspirated engines and spec drag radial tires.

Let’s dive in and see what our Fast Five have to say…

AJ Powell is stepping up this year to Outlaw 10.5W in a chassis formerly campaigned by David Hance.

StangTV: Lots got changed during the off season –how have the new rules affected your class?

A. Powell: I don’t think there were a lot of rule changes [in Outlaw 10.5W], however stepping up to a new class will be difficult for us, trying to figure out a new tune-up and getting a new driving style!

C. Tuten: The supercharged cars were downsized 16mm but allowed a gear-drive. It was an effort to slow them down some, but it may not have worked.

J. Lee: I believe the changes have brought the power-adders closer together from a power perspective. The Mod motor power is still sick! They need to weigh about 3,700 pounds… (laughs)

B. Mens: The only rules change has been a weight reduction on stick shift transmissions and an allowance for a 420 cubic inch combination and a Pro Flite automatic transmission. Unfortunately, none showed at the Bradenton opener so it is undecided if they affected the class.

J. Dold: I believe that the rules have allowed the Factory Stock class to speed up some from last year. As it affects me, they allowed the 4V combinations to use long tube headers at the start of the 09’ season, which enabled me to pick up a little on the ET and MPH.

Chris Tuten switched from Drag Radial to Super Street Outlaw last year, and never looked back, immediately showing he could be competitive right out of the gate

StangTV: How many racers do you expect to be in your class this year?

A. Powell: I hope there is a solid 10-14 at all the races. Some places will have more and some will have less.

C. Tuten: I would love to see 16-plus fields, but with the economy you just don’t know. Fuel prices are down and I know that it was cheaper for us to go to the first race. Hopefully that will offset the economy and people will come out and race.

J. Lee: By mid season, at least 15-18.

B. Mens: I would like to see full fields of 16 cars. But with the economy like it is and the uncertainty it brings, it may be keeping people from traveling too far from home base. And I might add that a heads-up naturally aspirated class tends to take a lot of time and dollars to sort out.

J. Dold: We only had 8 racers show up to the season opener in Bradenton. From what I’ve read on the forums and from talking to other racers, we should have a solid 10 or more racers at most of the remaining events.

Jason “Whee” Lee is renowned both for standing his Drag Radial Fox on the bumper and having one of the quickest blower cars the class has ever seen

StangTV: What is your opinion on the new points system?

A. Powell: I’ll let you know after the season is over. When we ran SSO, the championship [last season] was decided at BG and it was a battle all year long. With a little better luck the outcome would have been a little different.

C. Tuten: Not sure, but my first impression is that I don’t like it. All racers stumble at some point during the year. If you stumble at the end of the year it will really hurt and make it look as if you haven’t done well all year. That could really hurt you in sponsors’ eyes.

J. Lee: I do not really like it; we do not have enough races to use this system. We will see how if works.

B. Mens: I am still undecided and trying to be open-minded about it. I did think that a 7 race series was kind of a chase right from the start, though.

J. Dold: I don’t care for it. I know the idea was to have a NASCAR style points chase to increase interest and allow more racers a chance for the ring. The problem I see with it is that three races aren’t enough, in my opinion, to let the cream come to the top. If a racer dominates the first four races and has mechanical problems in one of the last three races, he very well may not win the championship even though he had the best car.

Ben Mens went from building killer naturally-aspirated Hot Street motors to racing in the class himself, often lining up against his own customers in the other lane

StangTV: Has the economy had an impact in your racing program?

A. Powell: I know it doesn’t look like it, but we are a very low budget operation. I can’t afford to hurt parts and I hope work stays busy, because if it doesn’t we won’t be racing! I do have responsibilities to my sponsors and will always try to fill my obligations, but if you can’t afford the travel you can’t go.

C. Tuten: Yes, but not to the point that we can’t race. It really has made me cut out a lot of testing.

J. Lee: Big Time! I just lost my daily job yesterday. Part Time Performance has now become Full Time!

B. Mens: Yes, but I am not the kind of person to let my investment just sit and become obsolete without use. I think a lot of people have decided that if things are going to be tough, they are still going to do the one thing they want to, as long as they are able. Based upon the season opener, I think racer and fan turnout backs up my opinion.

J. Dold: Not as much as other racers. I was laid off from my job on December 10th of 2008 and it took until two weeks before Bradenton to get a new job. I thankfully was able to scrape the money together to pay for the freshen-up on the motor and the new long tube headers. If I hadn’t found my new job, there was a good chance I would have had to run a somewhat limited schedule.

As the name implies, Factory Stock is the closest NMRA class to what you could drive off the showroom floor, but Jay Dold will tell you that it’s also one of the most competitive classes in the series

StangTV: What changes did you make to be competitive and to keep up with the rules?

A. Powell: We started on the new car about the second week in January and got it done in time for Bradenton. It’s really funny, but we are one of the few with Procharger power and if things work out the way I want them we will be very competitive.

C. Tuten: I tested several different things in the engine and have worked to get the engine bearings to live longer. We also got 75 pounds off the car to get us down to the minimum weight.

J. Lee: I added the gear drive to take full advantage of the existing rules.

B. Mens: Just worked on making the car’s balance better. That, along with a complete rewiring after the repair from last year’s incident. Oh, and making more horsepower.

J. Dold: The first thing we did was to take about 85 more pounds out of the car and place it in the rear where it was desperately needed. This, no doubt, was the most difficult thing we did in the off season. Secondly, we fixed several problems with the car that were surely slowing us down last year. Thirdly, the motor went to BES for a long-overdue freshening up. Lastly, we purchased the new long tube headers (installing those babies was a real treat) and somehow managed to squeeze them into the engine compartment with everything else.

StangTV: What ET and MPH do you think it will take to be competitive?

A. Powell: I think that we will see some high 6.60’s, but if we can go low 6.80’s I think that could work. Now the MPH is a different story. When you have guys like Murillo and Scarry that will go 220-plus, that thing will freight train, but hopefully I will out-ET them up front and go around 208.

C. Tuten: 7.50’s if the rule changes would have worked out.

J. Lee: 8.0’s at mid 170’s

B. Mens: Consistent 8.70’s throughout the summer should get it done. Obviously, 8.60’s in the good air conditions like Bradenton, Atco and Bowling Green and maybe you could see an 8.5 pass.

J. Dold: With the current rules in Factory Stock and the dedication many of the racers put into their programs, I think you’re going to need 11.00’s to low 11-teens with 120+ MPH to be at the top of the field.

StangTV: Do you see the ET and MPH changing much by the season finale at Bowling Green?

A. Powell: Yes, some races will be very fast like they always are and some will be slower, and it all depends on air and track condition.

C. Tuten: Unless the rules change, yes. John [Urist] certainly has his stuff figured out and he is showing that the [Procharger F-3R] 123mm blower may have complimented his engine combo. No fault on his part, it just depends on what ET range the NMRA wants us in.

J. Lee: It depends if the Mod motor turbo cars get it figured out. They have 7.80 power under the current rules. Those things are sick!

B. Mens: The 8.63 that Robbie Blankenship ran at Bradenton was pretty stout for those conditions; you may see that lowered at Atco. Again, maybe an 8.5 at Atco or Bowling Green.

J. Dold: Considering that the Atco race is probably going to see new records in every class in both ET and MPH, I would say no.

StangTV: Who is the biggest competition in your class?

A. Powell: Everyone – they are all capable of running fast and every round will be a dogfight!

C. Tuten: Until you beat the man through the course of a year then you would definitely have to say Urist.

J. Lee: Everybody – This BFG tire totally equalizes the class, anybody can win at any given time. Oh ya – [John] Kolivas, when he comes back!

B. Mens: Anyone who makes the effort to show up and race is capable. You know what they say; “you can’t win if you don’t buy a ticket”. Right now though I would say Robbie Blankenship has the hot hand and seems to have his program in order.

J. Dold: Right now you have to say that Tommy Godfrey is the number one gun in FS. He came out of the chute running 1.55 60-foot times with 11 teens and big MPH. That said, John Leslie, Jr. is always on top of his game and you can always expect good things from him.

StangTV: What is the worst/most difficult rule in your class to overcome?

A. Powell: My opinion is that single turbo at 2850 pounds.

C. Tuten: I really like the rules as a whole, so I would have to say none.

B. Mens: I think the most difficult rule to overcome is the no wheelie bar rule.

J. Dold: Running drag radials. By far this is the most difficult rule everyone in the class needs to overcome. Getting these drag radials to hook just right is difficult at best and close to impossible on a bad weekend.

StangTV: Do you feel like there is any cheating in your class?

A. Powell: No.

C. Tuten: No.

J. Lee: I would hope not!

B. Mens: Sometimes.

J. Dold: No. There is always going to be speculation about the front runner(s) cheating to be better than everyone else. Unless there is actual proof that a particular racer is cheating, I think it’s best for the sport and everyone involved to leave it at the speculation level and not accuse people of cheating just because they have a winning program.

StangTV: Would you protest someone if you thought they were cheating?

A. Powell: It depends if it is blatant cheating, as in multiple power adders, or something silly like a body rule.

C. Tuten: If I honestly and truly thought someone was cheating, then absolutely!

J. Lee: YES!

B. Mens: Yes, but I would have to have a 100-plus-percent belief that it was true. I am as open minded as anyone and would not ever think that someone could not do a better job and perform at a new level.

J. Dold: Only if I knew 100% for sure that they were absolutely cheating. I don’t take lightly the difficulty in tearing down and reassembling an engine at the track. It is trying enough to do it in the best conditions in a shop with the proper tools.

StangTV: What would some areas be for racers to cheat or venture into the grey area for your class?

A. Powell: I’m not sure. I don’t try to even think about it.

C. Tuten: The NMRA has done really well over the years to try and have rules without loopholes, if there are any grey areas then please send me an email. (laughs)

J. Lee: I don’t want to give anybody any ideas!

B. Mens: I try not to dwell on it, as there are always those that are looking for the easy way to victory and to me there is no sense of accomplishment in doing it that way. Unfortunately, there are those that must win at all costs and will do whatever it takes to insure they have some type of advantage.

J. Dold: In the Factory Stock class I would have to say that to disguise porting your heads and doctoring your intake to flow more air would be the areas most beneficial.

StangTV: How do you feel about the season after the first race?

A. Powell: Well, this car is totally different to drive, and once we get the chassis figured out we’ll figure the tune-up out. Once we get all it all figured out we can get after it, and we’ll see how this big tire treats us. It is going to be different, but it was something that we as a team wanted to do – go faster and see where it takes us!

C. Tuten: After looking at the spectators at Bradenton, I think it will be great season. I don’t feel as though I performed to my car’s true potential, so I can’t wait to get back out there and improve the performance of my car.

J. Lee: Pretty Good! Hopefully we can pick up where we left off in Atco. I have finally made a decision to leave my car alone this year (in NMRA trim). I am looking forward to see how well we can do!

B. Mens: I’m optimistic based upon our performance. I am concerned with the car count in my particular class. I will revaluate after a couple races into the season to make sure we are on the right track as far as being in the right class. We may switch to NMCA Pro Stock if the car counts are higher and then run the NMRA races that are logistically closer.

J. Dold: I am mildly satisfied with our performance in Bradenton and cautiously optimistic about the rest of the season. In practice we saw some gains in both ET and MPH, but were not able to carry that over to eliminations. Fortunately, we finally have on-track data to work with and a two month layoff to do some much-needed testing. Of course, everyone wants to win all events they attend, but a third place finish in the season opener is much better than where we were last year at this time.

]]> http://www.pierrefordblogs.com/index.php/2009/04/2009-nmra-racer-roundtable/feed/ 0 http://www.pierrefordblogs.com/index.php/2009/04/2010-shelby-gt500-drive-reviews-start-rolling-in/ http://www.pierrefordblogs.com/index.php/2009/04/2010-shelby-gt500-drive-reviews-start-rolling-in/#comments Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:41:57 +0000 Kyle Sorenson http://www.pierrefordblogs.com/?p=832 2010 Shelby GT500 Drive Reviews Start Rolling In

With competition rolling the streets, the 2010 Mustang press drives are very important to the Blue Oval boys. Last week Ford Motor Company held a press drive of the 2010 Shelby GT500 at Infineon Raceway in scenic Sonoma California. Sonoma sounds like a great location to showcase the cars newly found horsepower, especially since Infineon has a NHRA sanctioned drag strip. Several enthusiast publications and websites are already reporting their drive impressions for the 2010 GT500, we thought we would share a few with you.

Autoblog Review: GT500 First Drive: Autoblog’s Jonathon Ramsey loved the new 2010 styling but was concerned with the handling and road manners. “Regrettably, few of those improvements got our attention on the first stretch of road we drove. We spent most of our time thinking about that long-lived piece of equipment out back: the live axle. Wrenching, bumpy twists of road strung along California’s oceanfront cliffs had quickly exposed the car’s vulnerability – the car jumped all over everywhere, so much so that it felt like our choices were slow down or risk taking a 1,000-foot cliff dive into the Pacific.” The next day at the dragstrip, Jonathon found a true appreciation for the GT500 as journalist were running the quarter in the 12.5 second zone. Not bad for a car that weighs so much and runs street tires.

Autoblog Second Day Drive: “Ford knows its audience. The down-and-dirty Mustang guy is taking his car to the track – specifically, the drag strip. Drag strip guys like their solid rear axles and Mustang buyers have made sure to let Ford know the Mustang should stick to that formula. And in the Shelby, that solid axle is an asset when you pass through the raceway gates: you put 540 horsepower down on the ground and the car behaves the way you want it to. It’s Heaven. And this is where the GT500 overwhelmingly wins its case.”

Jalopnik: GT500 Coupe First Drive: Wes Siler with Jalopnik tolerated the coupe, but had reservations about the lack of refinement on the suspension: “But it was a one trick pony, floating with dangerous imprecision around corners and offering very little feel on its way to spinning at the slightest provocation. Driving that car was an exercise in point and shoot: slam on the brakes, drive slowly around the corner, then stomp on the gas once the steering’s pointed straight. According to both Ray and Ford representatives, I’m the only person in the world who actually liked its kill-you-at-the-slightest-mistake personality.”

Jalopnik: Convertible First Drive: Mr. Siler had less than stellar things to say about the 2010 GT500 convertible. “Where the coupe gains larger, 19″ wheels, firmer damping, stiffer springs, a smaller front anti-roll bar and a stiffened steering, the convertible doesn’t and still floats with dangerous imprecision and, with the new AdvanceTrac stability control system off, still wants to spin and kill you. It also suffers from the usual convertible issues of scuttle shake and chassis flex thanks to the roof getting lopped off. It runs the smaller wheels in an attempt to mitigate the effect bumps have on stability. Basically, it’s the old car with new styling and 40 more horsepower. And as you remember, the old GT500 was an exercise in praying to whatever god you may believe in that the car would hold on to the road if it hit even the slightest bump, gulley or pothole.”

Left Lane News: First Drive: Left Lane drove the car and had nothing but praise for the 2010 GT500 model. They really liked the improved clutch feel, driveability, and value. “Like the proverbial bat out of Hell, the 2010 Shelby GT500 is a rocket that strikes with the speed and ferocity of its Cobra namesake. Donning our Pyrotect helmets (required with any on-track activities at Infineon), we were ready to see what this snake could do. With its supercharged and intercooled 540-horsepower V8 pumping out 510 lb-ft. of torque, the GT500 is able to rip mid-12-second runs down the dragstrip at Infineon time after time with speeds in the range of 113-115 mph – on street tires, no less. With a base price of $46,325 the 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 stands out as one of the least-expensive and most enjoyable ways to raise your insurance rates and use lots of tires. Unlike its predecessor, hours upon hours of seat time didn’t beat us up, meaning this GT500 finally makes a decent daily driver. Credit the smoother clutch, the more refined ride – or maybe just the raw power. We like it.”

Autoweek: 2010 GT500 Drive Review: AW’s road test editor Mark Vaughn enjoyed driving the GT500 around the twisties at Infineon but had trouble with the car on the dragstrip. “It appears that the previous editors had given the twin disc clutch quite a workout and it was starting to slip. “Then it was off to the drags (Infineon has everything). The key to success there was to launch at 2,500 rpm with an even clutch take-up. So they said. Clutch take-up and engagement also is surprisingly smooth for a 540-hp muscle car. Pedal effort is easily manageable and engagement is smooth, once you try it out several times. If you really hammer it, you have to be deft with the pedal uptake or the car will do the axle tramp at launch in first gear. Do it too slowly at launch and the Valeo friction plates spin, followed by smoke and cursing. If you’re too quick on the 1-2 shift, it’ll lurch forward and bog on engagement.”

Popular Mechanics: Larry Webster liked the 2010 GT500’s ride quality and power. He also expanded on the tire selection for the car. “The tires are Goodyear Eagle F1’s specifically designed for the car. The rear tires use two belts instead of three to maximize the contact patch during acceleration and revised the tread pattern for larger, stiffer blocks. They also specified two different suspension calibrations for the coupe and convertible versions. Thinking that the drop-top buyer would favor cruising comfort over outright performance, the engineers equipped the soft-top model with slightly softer suspension and it uses 18-inch wheels instead of the coupe’s 19-inchers.”

Sounds like most of the editors that drove the car thought the 2010 GT500 was an improvement over the 2007-2009 model. It appears that some editors still have issues with the handling and weight of the car. The cast iron block has been in the Cobra since 2003 and has quite a reputation as a “muscle” motor. I doubt Ford has any plans to develop an aluminum 5.4L engine package for a more balanced car. It will be interesting to see how well the 2010 GT500 sells in this market. We’ll know by mid-summer how well the 2010 Shelby GT500 moves for Ford.

For background information on the car build check out the 9500rpm.com website.

George Wright and Jimmy Ronzello are longtime Ford racers. They have raced Thunderbirds, Probes and Mustangs in NHRA and IHRA competition. When it was announced that Ford Racing was launching the Cobra Jet parts program they were the perfect candidates to start the conversion project. They were close to Dearborn, had a background with Fords and could provide feedback to the CJ engineers on what worked and what did not work.

Jim and George took delivery of the 2007 Shelby 500 convertible in early 2008 with plans to build it to fit the NHRA Stock eliminator class. Once the Cobra Jet program was announced they obtained all of the necessary Cobra Jet unique parts like the hood, hood scoop, front fascia, 9-inch “Cobra Jet” real axle, Team Z anti-roll bar rear suspension, lightweight radiator support, and other unique parts to construct the car. A 10 point sub-9 second legal roll cage was built to protect the driver and provide support to the S197 frame. The “Cobra Jet” was approved by NHRA and was placed in the NHRA classification guide on 12/18/2008.

Midway through the home built project, with some input form Ford Racing, they decided to build the car to race in both NHRA Super Stock and Stock class. Plans are to run Super Stock at select NHRA National events and Stock Eliminator at Division 3 events in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. With minor updates the car is NHRA Super Stock legal and its a chance to try the stock suspension set-up in a quicker class. Stock suspension mustangs are running in the 7-second zone in other race series so an 8-second or 9-second pass should be easy for this Cobra Jet.

The car has been testing recently at Milan Dragway and has proven to be competitive. It’s cool to see a stick-shifted Cobra Jet convertible competing in the Super Stock and Stock category. It shows the versatility of the new Cobra Jet parts program. We’re cheering Jim and George on to make the car competitive in both classes.

The 2010 Lincoln MKS is the first Ford vehicle to introduce the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine. By 2013, Ford is saying more than 90 percent of their North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is expected to attain fuel economy numbers of 16 mpg city and 25 mpg highway in the all-wheel-drive 2010 Lincoln MKS. Power output is an estimated 355 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 350 lbs.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. That’s 55 more horsepower than the 2010 Mustang GT’s 4.6L V8!

The 3.5-liter’s twin parallel turbochargers are water-cooled and combine with a direct-injection fuel system to produce instant power. The high-pressure fuel pump operates up to 2,175 psi – more than 35 times the norm seen in a conventional V-6 engine. The high-pressure pump is a cam-driven mechanical pump, no electronics here, with a single piston and an electronic valve that controls how much fuel is routed into the fuel rails and injectors.

Gas Direct Injection, A First for Ford

The EcoBoost fuel injectors are located on the side of the heads combustion chamber. When the fuel is injected into the cylinder, it evaporates and cools the air that’s been inducted into the cylinder. A benefit of direct-injection is that it cools the air right where its going to burn improving the air/fuel mix and minimizing knocking.

“Because the fuel is directly introduced into the combustion chamber, you don’t get fuel wetting the combustion wall like with port fuel injection, you don’t saturate the ports and you don’t get droplets that might recombine and add to saturation,” said Brett Hinds, EcoBoost design manager. “By injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber and under high pressure, the fuel can be directed to exactly where we want it to be for a given combustion cycle.”

The spray pattern for the fuel was optimized after extensive computer modeling work, with the angle of how the fuel is sprayed key to the process. “The better combustion process is a big advantage of direct injection,” Hinds said. “In a port fuel system, at ignition key off it’s possible to have fuel on the walls of the intake port, which migrates to the top of the valve and puddles. So when you key on, you get that emissions spike. Direct injection is much cleaner from that standpoint.”

Turbo Lag Virtually Eliminated

The new EcoBoost V-6 uses two Honeywell GT15 water-cooled turbos. The simultaneous turbocharger operation paired with the direct-injection system help to virtually eliminate turbo lag, one of the main reasons turbocharger technology was not previously used. The turbochargers are about the size of an orange, but help provide a big performance advantage.

The dual-turbocharger setup has several advantages over previous turbocharging systems, including:

• The turbochargers are smaller, resulting in more-compact exhaust manifolds, which don’t generate as much heat.

• Turbochargers are packaged adjacent to the cylinder block and have improved mounting providing NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) improvements

• The dual turbochargers spool up quicker, allowing the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine to reach peak torque faster. The turbochargers spin at approximately 170,000 rpm. By comparison, the redline for the engine is approximately 6,500 rpm

“The two turbochargers both operate identically over the speed range of the engine – one is responsible for the left bank of the engine and the other is responsible for the right bank,” Hinds said. “Both spin immediately and produce boost, even at low engine speeds.”

For those of you that like to know your driving a turbo car, sounds like you might be disappointed in the factory EcoBoost settings. The turbocharger “whoosh” is diluted by a electronically controlled anti-surge valve, which proactively relieve the boost in the intake, which can range up to 12 PSI.

Careful software calibrations manage the pressures in the intake manifold. “We control the boost to make sure that customers don’t recognize when the boost is building,” Hinds said. “As the turbochargers spool up, the electronic control system takes over. Our active waste gate control along with the throttle controls the boost and torque levels very precisely and the customer perceives a continuous delivery of torque.”

We can’t wait to get a chance to drive or ride in a Eco-Boost powered Ford to feel and the acceleration and drivability. It will be interesting to see what the aftermarket and Ford Racing has in store for the engine that’s poised to be in 90% of the Ford models in a few years.

Below is a Eco-Boost Engineer Discussing the Engine.

Interview with Corey Weaver, EcoBoost Systems Engineer

John Calvert, driving a 40th Anniversary ‘08 Mustang FR500CJ Cobra Jet, duplicated the success of the original ‘68 Cobra Jet when he won the AA Stock Eliminator class at the 2009 NHRA Winternationals.

In 1968, drag racing legend Al Joniec drove a ‘68 Cobra Jet Mustang to victory at Pomona in the NHRA Winternationals in the CJ’s competition debut.

“I couldn’t be happier for Brent Hajek and John Calvert, who have taken the car that we designed and created a championship race car in just six weeks,” said Brian Wolfe, Director of Ford North America Motorsports. “I am especially happy that John was able to drive the Al Joniec tribute car that won in 1968 to a victory in 2009. It is an unbelievable debut for the Cobra Jet.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team who got the car together, and a lot of credit needs to go to the group at Ford Racing who developed the Cobra Jet and once again developed a race car that, like the Mustang FR500C, won in its initial outing.”

“I am really excited and pleased at the result,” said Calvert. “The thing I am most pleased about is that Ford Racing thought about this project and reached out to the grassroots level of racing. This wasn’t an easy race weekend; in fact, I would say it was difficult. The weather certainly created some consistency issues, especially with an iffy track. Still, the Cobra Jet ran very well in the elimination rounds and we were able to bring home the trophy.”

Driving for Oklahoma-based Brent Hajek Motorsports, Calvert piloted the Cobra Jet through a chaotic opening weekend that stretched over six days due to rain delays. Calvert, a former world champion (1991 Stock) and a three-time NHRA Winternationals champion, normally runs a ‘68 Cobra Jet. He agreed to drive the Hajek ‘08 entry in Stock Eliminator at the Winternationals.

“How cool is this? It was like a storybook ending that was meant to be,” said Hajek, who entered four Cobra Jet Mustangs at Pomona. “It is our first time entering a national event and we won! This program was always about paying tribute and respect to the drivers from’68 who started the legend of the Cobra Jet. This was about upholding their honor and everyone involved with this project deserves a great deal of credit.

“The people at Ford Racing did an awesome job building these cars, and my guys deserve credit for getting the CJ’s race-ready in an unbelievably short amount of time. And credit also goes to the drivers, especially John Calvert, who brought this all the way home. I am so proud of this group and I hope the legends from ‘68 – Al Joniec, Gas Ronda, Hubert Platt, and Randy Ritchey – are proud of us.”

For decades, the Mustang has been the preeminent car in many forms of motorsports, including drag racing. Adding to the rich and successful racing history of Ford’s iconic pony car, the ‘08 Cobra Jet Mustang is a factory-built race car that is NHRA-legal and ready for the drag strip. It is the first purpose-built race car from Ford for drag racing since the original Cobra Jet Mustang.

The original Cobra Jet Mustang was conceived by drag racing legend Bob Tasca, the competition-oriented Ford dealer in Rhode Island who at the time operated one of Ford’s most successful retail operations. Tasca looked to the Ford parts shelf when he wanted to upgrade the engines on some of the Mustangs that he was selling and came up with the KR-8 conversion package for his performance customers.

Henry Ford II announced that Ford would put together several of the Tasca 428-powered Mustangs for drag teams competing in the 1968 Winternationals, where two of the Mustangs made it into the finals and Al Joniec went on to win the Super Stock championship. After the car’s success at Winternationals, Ford announced that it would be producing the 428 Cobra Jet engine.

The ‘08 Cobra Jet Mustang joins Ford Racing’s stable of championship-capable customer Mustangs: the Mustang FR500S, the Mustang FR500C, and the Mustang FR500GT. All are turn-key cars available via the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog and through Ford dealers.

The FR500 series of Mustangs are race-ready cars, designed by Ford Racing engineers for performance-conscious customers, that can be rolled right off of a truck and win in competition.

Picture: Wikipedia

The Lamborghini club is exclusive and many people who could afford a Shelby GT500 would never be allowed admittance, but owners of both cars still enjoy a good old drag race, and a European video shows there isn’t much of a contest between cars with a $150,000 deficit between them.

While the Shelby GT500 in this video purportedly has 600 horsepower, 40 more than the Gallardo, it also weighs over 600lbs more and has two fewer cylinders (though about the same displacement) than the European welterweight. The race from what looks like a 10mph roll, taking hard launches out of the equation, and it’s never even a contest. The Gallardo simply blows away the Shelby, leaving the snake slithering away in the rear view mirror of the Gallardo, which is Spanish for gallant and Italian for striking, both appropriate names if you ask me. But give the Shelby $75,000 in modifications and see who the winner is afterwards.

Ford will select up to six winners and those lucky folks will travel to the production site for a new Mustang ad. For more information on how to enter check out the website Ford Mustang: 10 Unleashed Site

Another new contest is called “Drift Into a Mustang Sweepstakes” from Bosch. Bosch offers a grand prize 2010 Mustang and drifting lessons from its driver Vaughn Gittin, Jr. The 2010 Mustang GT offered in the sweepstakes is up-fitted a Ford Racing suspension and power pack.

For more details visit the BOSCH site.

The ’10 Mustang prices compare well against reborn rivals Challenger ($21,820) and upcoming Camaro ($22,995), however those cross-town coupes pack a lot more punch. Where the Mustang brings 210 horsepower in the base car, the Challenger has 250 hp and the Camaro has 300. In fairness, the Mustang weighs significantly less, and the final judgment will come on the track.

The V8-powered Mustang GT coupe is priced at $27,995, with the convertible at $32,995. The V6 and GT models will be available again with a factory-installed glass roof option for $1,995.

The mighty, 540-horsepower Shelby Mustang GT500 coupe is priced at $46,325, with the convertible version at $51,225. As the price increase suggests, there are significant cosmetic and performance enhancements throughout with this low-production variants.

We have found the current Mustang GT to be fast and fun, though the V6 version isn’t as exciting and the engine is coarse. Without a new base engine, we’re not enthused about the base-model powertrain. However, we were critical of the current cheap interior, and the new model has an upgraded cockpit addressing some of its short comings. Without question, we look forward to testing the Mustang and the other potent pony cars, soon as we buy them.

Brian Wolfe, the new Director of Ford Racing Technology, is a man who says he is living a dream. When long-time Ford Racing boss Dan Davis announced his retirement effective Aug. 1, Wolfe was tapped as the replacement for Davis. Wolfe, an amateur drag racer, brings the passion of a competitor to the job with the wealth of design and development experience from 26 years with Ford Motor Company. He took a few minutes from his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

It has been two weeks since the announcement that you were being named as the new Director of Ford Racing Technology. Has it sunk in yet?

It sunk in real quick. As soon as you get announced for a position like this, it begins to consume everything that is on your mind. My first thoughts were, ‘How fast can I get out of the old job and get that cleaned up for the new guy?’ The big challenge is starting to understand everything associated with the new job. It hit home pretty quick, and I am ready to go.

You were quoted as saying this position is a dream come true. Talk about the realization of a dream.

The realization of the dream will be a lot clearer in a few months. Right now, it is still a dream because I am thinking about the things I want to do and how we want to enhance the program. As those things come to a reality, that will be living the dream. This has been a dream because as long as I can remember I have been around racecars. To be able to have this position and have influence over where we are going and what we are doing with the aftermarket parts program, and what we are going to offer to sportsman racers as well as professionals is pretty exciting.

Henry Ford was a racer and racing is a foundation and legacy upon which the Ford Motor Company has been built. Talk about carrying on that legacy of Henry and the Company.

It is a long legacy to carry, with so many successes in so many areas of racing where Ford has been. Pretty much everywhere that Ford has gone and wanted to compete we have been able to dominate. That legacy of success is in our DNA and blood. My goal is anywhere we continue to go in the future, we want that same dominance. It is very clear from the guys I have talked to that are in Ford Racing, and that is their goal as well. I am looking forward to going back to some of the areas we have been and proving the dominance with our great products.

Ford Racing Technology has a broad range of programs in multiple disciplines. How have your previous positions within the company prepared you for the challenges of your new position?

Overseeing the multiple programs isn’t a concern. Learning a bit more about some of the programs is something I am looking forward to. The position that I came from I was involved with all forward model programs for the entire company globally from powertrain controls to calibration, emissions and part and attribute delivery. So coming to the racing program is actually a much smaller slice, but I plan to be able to go a lot deeper in my understanding and help.

How much previous interaction have you had with Ford Racing from your positions in powertrain and advanced engine groups?

In my official Ford capacity, it was limited pretty much to assisting with powertrain controls work, calibration work and assisting in the certification of some of the performance packs that we have. One of the things that Ford Racing offers are really complete performance packages that the consumer can install on their car. Those packages are 50-state legal, and they have to be robustly certified. I was involved in helping advise how to get those certifications accomplished.

What was your first racing experience/memory?

My first personal racing experience was just after I picked up my driver’s license. At age 16 on my birthday I picked up my license. I had bought my first car at age 15. It was a 428 Ford Cobra Jet Fairlane, which I still own. Hours after I picked up my license, I was racing.

Drag racing is near and dear to your heart. You have been an avid amateur racer since the age of 15 when you bought a 1969 Cobra Jet Fairlane?

I was the youngest of several children and being that you always look up to your Dad and your older brothers and being in the mid-60s, my brother had a 427 Fairlane and raced that in stock and super stock, that was the car I wanted. When I was getting my license in the mid-70s, I was looking for a ‘66 Fairlane, but I found this 428 Cobra Jet Fairlane for sale and I got it for $375. I still have it to this day. It only has 42,000 miles on it, and I keep it because I’ve always had it and I am attached to it. When I started at Ford after college, the second car I bought new was an ‘86 Mustang GT, which was the first year of the fuel-injected cars.

When I first started to work on that car was when I first got involved in motorsports. My involvement was more in the unofficial capacity. There was a guy named Hank Dertain who was working at Ford Racing, and a guy named Wally Beeber who was in the 5.0-liter (engine) group, and there was a set of hardware called the GT-40 parts that was going to be used as a production upgrade to the next motor. For some reason, that upgrade didn’t happen. Wally got a hold of Hank and said he had these parts and it is a shame not to use them. Hank took a look at them and made some enhancements and put them in the motorsports catalog. At that point, our lives crossed, and he said let me give you these things to put on your car to test and you can give us some feedback.

The first time I went out in that car with those parts on it with a few other suspension modifications, I had made it turned 12.40’s, which was faster than my 428 Cobra Jet had ever gone. I was thinking ‘wow, this is pretty cool,’ and it’s a lot easier to work on than my Cobra Jet. From there, that Mustang was the first fuel-injected 5.0-liter to run 11’s, 10’s and the 9’s in the quarter mile, naturally aspirated. I competed in Pro 5.0 with the car with nitrous and the car went 8.30’s before I kind of backed away from that program when I got an assignment in Europe. The Pro 5.0 stuff kept going, and I am really proud to see how fast those guys are going and what it has evolved to.

Dan Davis has been the Director of Ford Racing for the last 11 years, and during his tenure Ford has won multiple championships in multiple series.

When you look back over Dan’s tenure, which is the longest standing head of Ford motorsports, you see he was very dedicated and passionate about making it a success. Success from a motorsports perspective is not only about winning championships, which is of course a prerequisite, but it is also making sure that there are returns to the company from a marketing perspective, in selling new cars and in enhancing the company’s image.

Dan was able to accomplish a lot of those things. The safety work that has been done in NHRA Funny Car is nothing short of astounding. How proud are we to claim that Ford has the most Five Star crash rated cars on the road today, but also that we are the ones pioneering making funny cars and drag racing safer? A lot of people don’t know that as well as they should. They are big shoes to fill and hopefully I can springboard off the things Dan has done and enhance it further.

How about a few racing favorites? Favorite Racing Moment?

One of my favorite racing moments is a personal anecdote. I was racing at Maple Grove in 1994. A guy named “Stormin’ Norman” had one of the other Pro 5.0 cars and to be honest, at this period of time he always had the edge on me. I had the quicker car in the time trials, and rain clouds were coming, and we are racing an exhibition best two-out-of-three. We took off, and Dave Lyle was driving for Norman and at half-track I was three cars ahead of him!

Then as luck would have it, my inline fuel filter clogged a little bit, and the car leaned out and he passed me right at the end of the quarter mile. It may seem funny that one of my favorite moments is a race I lost, but just the thrill of being there combined with the agony of not having my maintenance program real sound was a valuable lesson. That is one that really sticks in my mind. The wins are all good and you pile those up and is one better than another? No. The losses are the ones you learn from. That one really taught me the importance of an accessible and proper maintenance program.

Favorite Track?

My favorite track is London [Ontario] Motorsport Park back when John Fletcher owned the track. I used to go up there every year and race in an event that Joe DiSilva, one of the big-time Mustang Pro 5.0 racers, would put on. At the time, I had one of the fastest cars, and I really didn’t want to compete because I didn’t want to ruin the competition for everyone else, but I really liked Joe and I liked the track owner so I would go up every year and do exhibition runs, and I would always run my fastest times of the year at that track and at that event.

Favorite Driver?

That is a tough one. I have to go with Bob Glidden. Drag racing has been my passion, and Bob with his multiple championships and his domination of the sport is something you have to respect. Plus, it was always great to see the Ford in the winner’s circle when he was running. A close second would be John Force. Pro Stock was something I could really relate to as a kid because Pro Stock grew out of Super Stock. John Force and Pro drivers were always above where I was and they were where I aspired to be as a racer, even though I knew I would never get in that position. John is such an ambassador to the sport, and he is truly a great guy. Every time I have seen him at an event or after an event at the local pub, you see how genuine and sincere he is with the fans and other competitors.

Favorite Ford production car? Favorite Ford race vehicle?

My favorite Ford production car is the Mustang. I have always loved the Mustang.

For me, my favorite Ford racecar it is the GT-40. With the 1-2-3 win and the domination four years in a row at LeMans.

How can you top that?

We first told you about Ford’s new Mustang Cobra Jet factory drag car in June of 2007 and last week Ford posted a video on YouTube of a test session with the new car showing its stuff at Milan DragWay. Now we’ve received some fresh high-res pics of the Cobra Jet in our inbox from Ford. Last we heard Ford is only building 50 of these drag race specials all of which are powered by a blown 5.4-liter 32-valve V8 based on the GT500 motor. This engine has been breathed on a little more heavily then the GT500 and the car looks like it’s been stripped down. With the usual drag combo of skinny front and fat rear tires, this Cobra looks like it might be a contender.

Carroll Shelby, who recently turned 85 years young, set speed records at Bonneville and won at Le Mans — not too shabby. And he created, um, the Shelby Cobra — again, not too shabby. Today, his Las Vegas-based company, Shelby Automobiles, is keeping shabbiness at bay, churning out a range of sexy and powerful Mustangs, including the Shelby GT, the GT500KR, and the 319-horsepower GT-C pictured here.

Wearing a not-so-subtle Grabber Orange suit with a silver Mohawk and billet front grille, the $48,675 GT-C was acclaimed by our editors as quite striking. Shutterbug Brian Vance, a stickler for style, praises, “great body package and looks — I especially like the scoops aft of the doors and the absence of a rear spoiler.” Senior editor Ed Loh, meanwhile, can’t keep his eyes off of the sharp American Racing Razor Series rims: “The wheels are really nice-and with the front Baer six-piston monoblock calipers lurking behind, they’re downright menacing.”

Our particular test car, which originally rolled off of its Flat Rock, Michigan, assembly line as a $32,510 GT Premium, became a finished product in Sin City, receiving $4190 Baer brakes, $2475 AR wheels with Pirelli tires, and the $8500 GT-C package. Tack on $1000 for guzzling gas, and the Shelby leaves the checkout line at $48,675. In addition to the obvious cosmetic changes, the GT-C package incorporates a Ford Racing Handling Package-dampers, lowering springs, anti-roll bars, and a strut-tower brace-an X-pipe exhaust, a 3:55 axle ratio, a Hurst short-throw shifter, and a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Package that contains a 90mm cold-air intake, performance mufflers, and an engine-management performance calibration.  Not the first time a Ford Dealer could experience customers rushing into their showroom.

On the track, the Shelby posted a 5.1-second 0-to-60 sprint and a quarter mile time of 13.8 seconds at 102.5 mph. Braking? At 117 feet from 60, the Shelby stopped in short order. From straight lines to curves, the GT-C continued to excel. Technical editor Kim Reynolds notes, “The Shelby’s excellent 0.97 g and 24.9-second figure-eight time are indicative of the commendable chassis tuning. That said, it does get upset by mid-corner bumps and is more prone to oversteer.” Devouring public roads, the Shelby was lauded for its crisp turn-in, fade-free brakes, responsive throttle, and tenacious grip. The ride, even with 20s and low-pro rubber, was scored a bit rough.

Downsides? A sometimes stubborn shifter, an interior that appeared more stock than aftermarket, and an occasionally grating exhaust note that, according to Loh, “sounds so manly, I swear I grew two more chest hairs (bringing my total up to three).”

Something’s wrong. Parked outside is a brand-new Dodge Challenger. Next to it, a freshly baked Ford Shelby GT500. Yet nowhere in the CBS television lineup can I find a listing for that funny new series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Also, what’s with all this gray hair? I’m only nine years old.

Quick check of the morning newspaper: A-ha! It’s 2008, not 1970. Those two muscle machines outside sure confused the issue. Hey! Who ate my Space Food Sticks?

Viva the American retro-car revolution. Three years ago, Ford struck first with its late-1960s-inspired gen-five Mustang and still had the segment all to itself when it released the reincarnated, high-output Shelby GT500 version for 2007. But Ford’s solitary rule of the musclecar time machine is over. In six months, the Mustang’s most feared rival, the Chevrolet Camaro, will return after seven years of reclusion in a suite high atop a Radisson near Warren, Michigan. Not that the assault against the Mustang’s dominion will take even that long to commence: A third time traveler, Dodge’s hotly awaited Challenger coupe, has already charged into the fray.

It was two years ago (MT, August 2006) that we drove the one-of-a-kind concept car that led to the production Challenger you see here. While the concept was a handbuilt showpiece, not sorted for road-testing, the essentials were in place: 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, bulging wheels and tires, an updated interpretation of that unmistakable 1970 shape made iconic by the 1971 cult-hit movie “Vanishing Point.” The faithful nodded their collective heads in admiration of Dodge’s show-car handiwork, but almost immediately the rumblings began. “You gotta consider the Michael Jackson factor,” said many. “The next time we see it, how much of that stuff will have fallen off?”

Fear not, Mopar mavens: Despite every exterior surface being different, the production Challenger is a near-clone of the fervor-building show star, sporting necessary alterations that do little to diminish the shape’s impact. The production version’s most significant edit is a three-inch trim in width-a revision you’d notice only if you happen to have the concept car handy for comparison. Whereas the concept’s bodywork tucked in dramatically at its lower edges (a feature designers admitted early on would never make it to showrooms), the production car wears a thick black band along the bottom of the body, an addition that both simplifies metal shaping and visually reduces the perceived thickness of the car’s flanks. The famed four-headlamp “bandit” grille, borrowed straight from 1970, remains, though Dodge admits to considerable wind-tunnel work and changes to the hood’s overhang needed to reduce lift (a new black rear spoiler also appears to reduce rear lift). A thicker B-pillar enhances roof strength, clever design work has retained the “full-width” look of the taillamps, and a new, chrome fuel-filler flap adds exterior drama. Gone is all costly carbon fiber; the production car is crafted in steel.

Though the concept’s interior wore splashes of brushed-aluminum in the dash and center console, the production Challenger will look familiar to anyone who’s seen the inside of a Charger or a 300C. The same, huge four-spoke steering wheel greets drivers; it’s a shame Dodge hasn’t employed a smaller, sportier three-spoke rim-at least in the top-level SRT8 edition. No complaints about the seats, though: They’re beefy, leather SRT8 buckets, comfy for extended cruising and ready to embrace max-lat maneuvering.

For 2008, the Challenger’s first model year, Dodge will sell the car only in high-output SRT8 trim: 6.1-liter Hemi making 425 horsepower and 420 pound-feet, 20-inch forged-aluminum rims, Brembo four-piston discs front and rear, five-speed automatic. Dodge simply wasn’t able to get a six-speed manual ready in time, and that’s a glaring omission-the Challenger should’ve reappeared with a manual first, including the famed pistol-grip shift lever. Still, even before release Dodge had already sold nearly all of the 6400 Challenger SRT8s it intends to build the first year. And the pistol-grip Tremec six-speed version will arrive for 2009-along with an R/T model (370-horse, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with either transmission) and a base car (250-horse, 3.5-liter V-6; automatic only) that should start at under $24K.

Even without a manual, the Challenger SRT8 has the hardware to step straight into the corral with Ford’s Shelby GT500. Though based on a platform that’s showing its age (translation: “live axle”), the GT500 is hardly past its prime. Its supercharged, 5.4-liter V-8 thunders with 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet, it erases speed with giant Brembo discs (four-piston in front), it shifts with a slick six-speed manual, its blazing-red bodywork and dual racing stripes intimidate like the angry Cobra it wears in badge form.

At the dragstrip, the Shelby quickly put to rest any notions about cobwebs, blazing to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds and closing out the quarter mile in 12.6 seconds at 114.2 mph-bettering the scorching numbers we recorded with our last GT500 (December 2006). Burdened with 250 additional pounds and fed by 75 fewer horses, the Challenger was outgunned but proved beastly nonetheless: 0 to 60 took just 4.7 seconds, the quarter rushed by in 13.1 seconds at 108.3 mph. Extracting the most from the Shelby takes more skill: In addition to a carefully executed clutch drop and lightning upshifts, the driver needs a deft touch on the throttle-or the rear tires will go up in smoke. Launching the Challenger, in contrast, is child’s play: Hold revs at about 1800 rpm with a dab of brakes, then let ‘er rip. Leave traction control on; hey, leave the transmission in Drive. The SRT8 will lay down repeatable 4.7s run after run.

The Shelby’s weight and torque advantage helped it circle our figure-eight course a half-second quicker than the Challenger, though the Dodge’s beefier Goodyear Eagle F1s (a mere $50 option) and larger Brembos gave it a slight edge in stopping power.