Only weeks after revealing its new Raptor SuperCrew, Ford says it will send the performance truck out racing as part of the 2016 Best in the Desert off-road series’ new factory stock class.
Based in Las Vegas, Best in the Desert will stage nine races this year, including the Vegas to Reno run, the longest off-road race in the United States. The second event in the series, the Bluewater Resort, gets underway in Arizona on Thursday, February 4th, and marks the official race debut of the 217 Ford Raptor.
“The all-new Raptor has the DNA of a Baja race truck, with a purpose-built engine, chassis and suspension that enables it to travel fast over challenging desert landscapes or crawl over rocky terrain,” boasted Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer of Ford Performance, in a prepared release.
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Ford first introduced the Raptor in 2008, aiming to offer a full-size pickup beefed up for serious performance both on- and off-road. The 2017 truck starts with the same underpinnings as the latest-generation Ford F-150 – including its aluminum-intensive body. But it gets a number of upgrades and enhancements aimed at enhancing its performance, appearance and durability.
That includes:
- A beefed-up 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine paired with a 10-speed automatic;
- A new Terrain Management System that quickly adjusts various vehicle settings for different road and driving situations
- A torsen front differential to improve front grip and the Raptor’s rock-crawling capabilities;
- A unique dual exhaust system, a first for the F-150;
- 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels with next-generation BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires.
As a factory stock class, Ford’s racing team is limited in what additional modifications can be made, but the Best in the Desert truck will get race-optimized shocks and springs, a custom roll cage, special seats with five-point belts, LED light bars, a racing fuel cell; and special digital navigation and data logging equipment.
“This is the most stock truck I’ve ever seen in my time building Ford race trucks,” Greg Foutz, owner of Foutz Motorsports and Ford’s truck builder, said in a statement. “Without custom technology or other modifications, this all-new Raptor is ready to prove the toughness and performance in the Best in the Desert series.”
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Foutz will alternate shifts behind the wheel with desert race champion Tim Casey.
Automakers have been beefing up their trucks in a bid to build awareness and brand loyalty. Nissan, for example, chose to launch the brawniest version of its all-new Titan, dubbed the Nissan Titan XD, first.
And makers are using motorsports to demonstrate both the power and durability of those trucks. Honda recently ran the reborn Ridgeline on the Baja 1000, considered the most grueling off-road race in North America.
Ford plans to deliver the production version of the 2017 Raptor to showrooms later this year.
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